Electronics > Microcontrollers

Chip shortage, which microcontroller to choose

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jmaja:
I make high precision sensors in low volume (20-100/year) for global market. I need to make a new model, since the actual sensor chip I have used is out off production. I checked through the BOM of the current model and it seems to be totally impossible to get most of the active components I have used before.

So let's start with the microcontroller. I have used AVR XMega, which seems to have totally disappeared from the vendors. Last time I ordered these in Summer 2021 I still could find a drop in replacement, although not exactly the same I used before. Now there is nothing.

What would be a good option, which would likely be available now and for the coming about 10 years or so (the two current sensors I produce were designed in 2007 and 2013)? XMega has been easily fast enough (actually run at 4 MHz) and has enough ports (would need to have 1-2 SPI and 1 UART, maybe USB). I prefer to use GCC. 3.3 VCC would be easiest.

mino-fm:
Just buy 10k of RP2040 so they will help you the next 10 years ;-)

jmaja:

--- Quote from: mino-fm on November 28, 2022, 10:15:04 am ---Just buy 10k of RP2040 so they will help you the next 10 years ;-)

--- End quote ---
Seems to be in stock and cheap (1 €), but not cheap enough to by 10k of them. Never heard of that one before, but seems to be an ARM Cortex-M0. Is that a good option? I have used SAMD21 in one project. Basically the same?

One thing I forgot to spec is a package somehow suitable for hand soldering or a heat gun. So far I have used outsourced reflow for one model and hand soldered the other. For both hand soldered the prototype. The RP2040 package looks a bit difficult for hand soldering, but maybe manageable.

T3sl4co1l:
If you're used to AVR, the AVR-Dx would seem the next logical step.  Peripherals are different from both MEGA and XMEGA so there's some getting used to.  I would rate them comparable or more powerful than XMEGA, largely because of the peripherals which are more configurable than ever (thanks to even more event sources/sinks plus CCL).  Last I checked, they were moderately available, though I'm sure the exact supply varies (i.e., 100s available here or there across the family).  Maybe they're all unusually short at the moment, I don't know.

RP2040 is certainly not a SAMD21... but if you're doing mostly CPU functions, it might not matter.  Point in case, it's all about the peripherals, everyone and their uncle makes ARM chips but it's what they hang off them that makes all the difference.

Tim

mino-fm:

--- Quote from: jmaja on November 28, 2022, 10:32:28 am ---Seems to be in stock and cheap (1 €), but not cheap enough to by 10k of them.

--- End quote ---

So take 100 as a first step instead.


--- Quote ---One thing I forgot to spec is a package somehow suitable for hand soldering or a heat gun.

--- End quote ---

Look for Raspberry Pi Pico-Board using RP2040 priced arround $5. It's very easy to handle if you got enough space.
Let me show you one application of mine:

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