N
nospam
Guest
I get a design job yesterday, in a bit of a hurry want prototypes in about
2 weeks.
Infineon do a smart MOSFET highside switch which is an excellent match for
the requirement. I have used it before sourced from a UK catalog supplier.
Before designing it in I thought I ought to check I could get some quick
and on future availability.
I find 2 UK catalog suppliers have now dropped it, probably because it is
not ROHS compliant and as a fundamentally automotive part there is no ROHS
compliant version and it looks like no plans for one. My application is
military and will be built in the States so fuck ROHS.
So I phone round the 5 UK Infineon distributors, all were more or less
tedious to deal with, all quoted the same 2.5k MOQ and lead times from 4 to
20 weeks (which makes me think none of them actually know what the real
lead time is).
So I phone Infineon UK and someone tells me for anything to do with parts I
need to phone Germany and gives me a number.
I phone Germany trying to find out if and how I can get preferably less
than 2500 parts in definitely less than 20 weeks.
The guy I speak to knows less about the part than I do and doesn't seem
interested in finding out.
"Have to tried your local distributors" - Yes all of them
"Perhaps it is a new part" - No
"Perhaps it is obsolete" - No
"Have you tried phoning some other distributors"? - Are you telling me the
way I can find out if I can buy some of these parts in less than 20 weeks
is to phone each of your world wide distributors till I do or don't find
some?
I think he realised how stupid his suggestion was.
I ask can you tell me if any distributors have this part on order or that
you have shipped this part to? - No I can't tell you he says.
Sensing I was not very happy and this wasn't going anywhere useful, or that
he wasn't prepared to take it anywhere useful he suggested I emailed
Infineon support about it (probably so I could be ignored at their
leisure).
It is not like it is a real obscure part, searching the web gets plenty of
hits on far east semi-clearing house operations, one even showed 1/4 of a
million in stock. I think a UK clearing house place has found 1k somewhere
in Europe, they are getting back to me.
Later in the day I want some Microchip parts, so I log on to Microchip
Direct and find every part I look at is in stock with a choice of package,
speed and temperature options. Prices are keen, delivery charges are
reasonable and after a few mouse clicks the stuff will be on its way to me
DHL from Thailand the same day. What a world of difference.
I wish more component manufacturers would wake up and realise their system
of distributors is a failing obsolete relic which needs to be put out of
its misery.
--
2 weeks.
Infineon do a smart MOSFET highside switch which is an excellent match for
the requirement. I have used it before sourced from a UK catalog supplier.
Before designing it in I thought I ought to check I could get some quick
and on future availability.
I find 2 UK catalog suppliers have now dropped it, probably because it is
not ROHS compliant and as a fundamentally automotive part there is no ROHS
compliant version and it looks like no plans for one. My application is
military and will be built in the States so fuck ROHS.
So I phone round the 5 UK Infineon distributors, all were more or less
tedious to deal with, all quoted the same 2.5k MOQ and lead times from 4 to
20 weeks (which makes me think none of them actually know what the real
lead time is).
So I phone Infineon UK and someone tells me for anything to do with parts I
need to phone Germany and gives me a number.
I phone Germany trying to find out if and how I can get preferably less
than 2500 parts in definitely less than 20 weeks.
The guy I speak to knows less about the part than I do and doesn't seem
interested in finding out.
"Have to tried your local distributors" - Yes all of them
"Perhaps it is a new part" - No
"Perhaps it is obsolete" - No
"Have you tried phoning some other distributors"? - Are you telling me the
way I can find out if I can buy some of these parts in less than 20 weeks
is to phone each of your world wide distributors till I do or don't find
some?
I think he realised how stupid his suggestion was.
I ask can you tell me if any distributors have this part on order or that
you have shipped this part to? - No I can't tell you he says.
Sensing I was not very happy and this wasn't going anywhere useful, or that
he wasn't prepared to take it anywhere useful he suggested I emailed
Infineon support about it (probably so I could be ignored at their
leisure).
It is not like it is a real obscure part, searching the web gets plenty of
hits on far east semi-clearing house operations, one even showed 1/4 of a
million in stock. I think a UK clearing house place has found 1k somewhere
in Europe, they are getting back to me.
Later in the day I want some Microchip parts, so I log on to Microchip
Direct and find every part I look at is in stock with a choice of package,
speed and temperature options. Prices are keen, delivery charges are
reasonable and after a few mouse clicks the stuff will be on its way to me
DHL from Thailand the same day. What a world of difference.
I wish more component manufacturers would wake up and realise their system
of distributors is a failing obsolete relic which needs to be put out of
its misery.
--