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SILICON SILIC CHIP www.siliconchip.com.au Publisher/Editor Nicholas Vinen Technical Editor John Clarke, B.E.(Elec.) Technical Staff Jim Rowe, B.A., B.Sc. Bao Smith, B.Sc. Tim Blythman, B.E., B.Sc. Nicolas Hannekum, Dip. Elec. Tech. Technical Contributor Duraid Madina, B.Sc, M.Sc, PhD Reader Services Rhonda Blythman, BSc, LLB, GDLP Advertising Enquiries Glyn Smith Phone (02) 9939 3295 Mobile 0431 792 293 glyn<at>siliconchip.com.au Regular Contributors Dave Thompson David Maddison B.App.Sc. (Hons 1), PhD, Grad.Dip.Entr.Innov. Geoff Graham Associate Professor Graham Parslow Ian Batty Cartoonist Brendan Akhurst Founding Editor (retired) Leo Simpson, B.Bus., FAICD Staff (retired) Ross Tester Ann Morris Greg Swain, B. Sc. (Hons.) Silicon Chip is published 12 times a year by Silicon Chip Publications Pty Ltd. ACN 626 922 870. ABN 20 880 526 923. All material is copyright ©. No part of this publication may be reproduced without the written consent of the publisher. Semiconductor shortages are becoming serious When the news of COVID-19 hit, it was evident that there would be widespread effects on industry from factory shutdowns, reduced capacity due to mitigation efforts, etc. It was almost a miracle that so many sectors seemed to be marching on throughout 2020 and early 2021, somewhat unaffected. There was plenty of talk about semiconductor shortages, but that mainly seemed to be related to desktop CPUs and graphics processors, many of which have been essentially unobtainable for the past year. But now we are noticing many ICs being out of stock and with very long lead times. The worst-hit appear to be microcontrollers, more-or-less across the board. Many PICs are out of stock at all major retailers, as are micros from NXP, ST Micro and many others. To get an idea of how bad it is getting, at the time of writing Digi-Key lists 91,292 different microcontrollers on their website, but only 21,176 or 23.2% are in stock. And many of those listed have single-digit quantity in stock. During better times, I would expect that figure to be closer to 50%. It isn’t just microcontrollers, either. We’re having trouble getting some of the other semis that we sell in our kits, such as regulators and Mosfets. For those parts which are out of stock, the wait for the next batch can be very long indeed. Some parts are showing expected delivery dates in 2022! I don’t know why the situation has degraded recently, but it has. There’s no easy way to tell how long it will continue, but I suspect it won’t be resolved anytime soon, or even this year. So don’t be surprised if you have difficulty sourcing specific components required for some of our designs (or perhaps your own). For devices like Mosfets, it is sometimes possible to find an equivalent device. But often, we are finding that most or all of the compatible devices are also out of stock. I wouldn’t be surprised to see a shortage of many consumer electronics lines in the next few months, due to the manufacturers finding it impossible to get all the parts they need. The right to repair Printing and Distribution: It should not come as a surprise that we are generally supportive of the efforts of many people to secure the legal ‘right to repair’. We see this as a way to push back against companies that deliberately (or perhaps through incompetence) make it difficult or overly expensive for people to repair their possessions when they go wrong. Given that automobiles are one of the most expensive (and often troublesome) purchases that an individual can make, it’s no surprise that some of the earliest (and strictest) right to repair legislation has involved that sector (back in 2012, in the USA). New laws, proposed to come into effect in Australia from the 1st of July next year (assuming they are legislated), will require car-makers to provide service and repair information to independent repairers. This is a step in the right direction, as manufacturer-authorised dealers can be costly. And despite this expense, in my experience, they can provide worse service than a good independent mechanic. More on this at: http://consumersfederation.org.au/morrison-government-levels-theplaying-field-for-independent-repairers/ 24-26 Lilian Fowler Pl, Marrickville 2204 Cover Image: https://unsplash.com/photos/C1r9pODhfQ4 Subscription rates (Australia only): 12 issues (1 year): $105, post paid 24 issues (2 years): $202, post paid For overseas rates, see our website or email silicon<at>siliconchip.com.au Recommended & maximum price only. Editorial office: Unit 1 (up ramp), 234 Harbord Rd, Brookvale, NSW 2100. Postal address: PO Box 139, Collaroy Beach, NSW 2097. Phone (02) 9939 3295. ISSN 1030-2662 2 Editorial Viewpoint Silicon Chip by Nicholas Vinen Australia’s electronics magazine siliconchip.com.au