First-time-right ASIC makes it four in a row

AMI Semiconductor has delivered its fourth consecutive first-time-right ASIC design for a mass storage server application for Vitesse.

AMI Semiconductor (AMIS) has delivered its fourth consecutive first-time-right ASIC design for a mass storage server application for Vitesse, the leading designer, developer and marketer of high-performance, cost-competitive semiconductor solutions for communications and storage networks worldwide.

Building on the success of three previous projects for similar storage market applications with Vitesse, AMIS was able to execute and deliver the latest design within tight timeline requirements.

AMIS was also able to incorporate special design functionality into the required package without impacting schedule.

The first time success is credited in no small part to the co-operative working relationship that has developed between AMIS and Vitesse engineers in the course of doing multiple designs together.

"AMIS has been able to maintain this long term relationship with Vitesse because of our focus on first-time-right success".

"At the heart of that focus is intense customer logistical and engineering support with the Vitesse design engineering staff", said Vince Hopkin, vice president of business development and marketing in structured digital products for AMI Semiconductor.

"We actively communicate with our customers through the design phase to head off potential problems before they can occur".

"The key to our success is effective communication and dedication to helping reduce customer costs and time to market".

AMIS executed this project using its proprietary standard cell ASIC technology, which combines compact, building block standard cells and IP blocks with high-speed memory and datapath functions.

Additionally, the company uses its internal 8in foundry in Pocatello, Idaho for manufacture, giving AMIS the advantages of guaranteed supply, long process longevity, control over manufacturing schedules, increased control over wafer costs, and the ability to run smaller production quantities than typical foundries.

"Because of our previous success with AMIS on similar applications, we felt comfortable coming to them again with our design", said Tim Hornback, Director of Marketing for the Storage Products Division at Vitesse.

"We needed it quickly because of customer demand and our design team was confident that AMIS would be able to beat our expectations".

"AMIS is a qualified supplier of high quality, robust CMOS technology with a full-featured silicon-proven cell library that makes for a perfect match with our technology needs".

"AMIS not only kept our project timeline, but actually exceeded our goals and has helped us get our designs from manufacture to market much faster than anticipated".

The AMIS structured digital product business unit has specialised in ASIC designs for leading semiconductor companies for more than 30 years.

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