DigiKey announces the launch of STMicroelectronics’ STM32MP25 second-generation microprocessors. The STM32MP25 industrial-grade single or dual 64-bit Arm Cortex-A35 core serves as an MPU platform for Industry 4.0 and advanced edge AI capabilities. I consists of a neural processing unit adds up to 1.35 TOPS, making it a choice microprocessor for edge AI acceleration and robust security.
“The STM32MP25 microprocessors efficiently address the need for more intelligence and processing capability in connected edge IoT devices,” said Loris Valenti, vice president microcontroller, digital and RF product group Americas, STMicroelectronics.
Features:
Robustness for complex industrial applications
Industrial-grade MPU
100% operating time for 10 years
Extended temperature up to +125°C
10-year rolling longevity program
Flexible resource allocation between cores
64-bit MPU with advanced compute capabilities
Enabling edge AI
NPU accelerator: up to 1.35 TOPS
Flexibility to run AI on CPU, GPU or NPU depending on application (AI tools)
Enabling high-end edge computing use cases (machine vision) thanks to multimedia capabilities
3D GPU supports up to 1080p resolution
Full HD video pipe with LVDS and DSI interfaces
MIPI CSI-2 camera interface with Lite-ISP
Supporting the growth of connected applications
About DigiKey
DigiKey, headquartered in Thief River Falls, Minn., USA, is recognized as the global leader and continuous innovator in the cutting-edge commerce distribution of electronic components and automation products worldwide. We get technical by providing more than 15.9 million components from over 3,000 quality name-brand manufacturers with an industry-leading breadth and depth of product in stock and available for immediate shipment.
Above: Camtek’s newly announced Eagle G5 inspection system
Camtek announced that it has received over $50 million in initial orders from several customers for its new Hawk product, with additional orders in the pipeline. These orders will be delivered throughout 2025. The Hawk, based on a new platform, addresses high-end Advanced Packaging technologies including capabilities for inspection and 3D measurements of wafers with 500 million micro bumps and Hybrid Bonding technology.
The Hawk will be officially launched in February 2025 at Semicon Korea. It addresses very demanding applications, including High Bandwidth Memory (HBM), Chiplet and Hybrid Bonding. At the same time, Camtek has also received initial Orders totaling $20 Million for its other newly launched product – the Eagle G5. The orders will be used primarily for 2D inspection of Advanced Packaging Fan-out applications.
Rafi Amit, Camtek’s CEO, said that Eagle G5, “is the first of several breakthrough systems we plan to introduce in the coming months.” Eagle G5 is an for automated optical Inspection and Metrology system of semiconductor wafers, targeted for use for in the production lines of advanced packaging devices in applications such as HPC (high-performance computing), CIS (CMOS image sensors), SiC (Silicon Carbide), and others.
During the third quarter of 2024, Camtek has achieved record revenues of $112.3 million, a 40% year-over-year (YoY) increase. The company expexts $115 million sales in Q4, which would represent a 30% increase over revenues in Q4 2023. ” Given our guidance, 2024 is expected to be a record year for Camtek with revenue around $427 million, which would represent 35% growth YoY.”
Above: Mobileye’s robotaxi in its HQ campus in Jerusalem
Mobileye and Innoviz Technologies, announced that Mobileye will use Innoviz’s LiDARs for Mobileye Drive, its AV platform. Mobileye Drive is a comprehensive driverless system that enables to provide robotaxis, ride-pooling, public transport, and goods delivery fully autonomous. It is now under comprehensive tests in Europe, North America, and Asia. Innoviz’s LiDAR technology will join the current cameras, radars, and imaging radars in this platform. The agreement is built upon mutual work between the two companies over the past few months, with Start of Production (SOP) beginning in 2026.
“The integration of our imaging radars and high-resolution cameras in combination with the Innoviz LiDARs will play a key role in delivering Mobileye Drive,” said Prof. Amnon Shashua, President and CEO of Mobileye. Innoviz’s InnovizTwo product platform specifically engineered for Mobileye Drive to provide the L4 autonomous platform with a complete set of LiDARs.
“Better-than-expected cost reduction”
The agreement was signed shortly after Mobileye had eneded the internal development of Frequency Modulated Continuous Wave (FMCW) LiDARs in September 2024. MobilEye explained the descision: “We now believe that the availability of next-generation FMCW lidar is less essential to our roadmap for eyes-off systems. This decision was based on a variety of factors, including substantial progress on our EyeQ6-based computer vision perception, increased clarity on the performance of our internally developed imaging radar, and continued better-than-expected cost reductions in third-party lidar units.”
The lidar R&D unit will be wound down by the end of 2024, affecting about 100 employees. Operating expenses for the lidar R&D unit are expected to total approximately $60 million in 2024 (including approximately $5 million related to share-based compensation expenses). While this action is not expected to have a material impact on Mobileye’s results in 2024, it will result in the avoidance of lidar development spending in the future.
Photo above: SolarEdge’s “Sella 2” plant, a two gigawatt-hour (2GWh) battery cell manufacturing facility in Korea
SolarEdge Technologies announced today that as part of its focus on its core solar activities, it will cease all activities of its Energy Storage division. This decision will result in a workforce reduction of approximately 500 employees, most of whom are in South Korea. The expected quarterly operating expenses savings due to the closure are approximately $7.5 million with the full run rate expected to be achieved by the second half of 2025.
The Company intends to sell the assets related to the storage division activities including its manufacturing facilities for battery cells and packs. This does not impact the solar business sale of batteries for residential and C&I markets. Ronen Faier, Interim Chief Executive Officer of SolarEdge, said: “The decision to close our Energy Storage division represent continued execution of two of our main priorities: financial stability and profitability; and focus on our core business lines of solar, PV-attached storage and energy management capabilities.”
The activity in Korea is based on Kokam, a local producer of Lithium-ion battery cells, batteries and energy storage solutions, which was acquired by SolarEdge in 2018 for approximately $105 millions. Following the acquisition, SolarEdge opened in May 2022 Kokam’s second plant, “Sella 2”, a two gigawatt-hour (2GWh) battery cell manufacturing facility. The manufactured battery cells for SolarEdge’s residential solar-attached batteries as well as battery cells for a variety of industries, including mobile, energy stationary storage solutions and UPS.
Ending all Non-solar activities
During 2023 , SolarEdge continued to ramp up the manufacturing capabilities in Sella 2, and planned to gradually increase its manufacturing capabilities during 2024. The current descision marks an historic moment for the company: the completion of the exit from all the non-solar activities, such as UPS, e-Mobility and battery cell productions. The non-solar activity never took off and had remained bewlow 10% of total revenues.
At its peak, in 2023, it had reached $200 million sales, when total sales surepassed $3 billions. During the first nine months of 2023, Kokam’s sales totaled $51.9 million, out of SolarEdge’s $730.7 millions sales. The market reacted to the news by sending SolarEdge stock price on NASDAQ 8.5% up, giving the company a market cap of approximately $861 millions.
A decade ago, I published an article addressing the dangers and the scale of counterfeit components in the electronics industry. The article highlighted the threats posed to supply chains, manufacturers, and critical systems due to unreliable and counterfeit components. Now, ten years later, I find it worthwhile to reflect on whether anything has changed and what is still required to combat the ongoing threat of counterfeit components, which today threaten industries more than ever.
A Brief History and a Look Forward
Ten years ago, the electronics industry faced widespread counterfeiting issues. Lack of transparency in supply chains, insufficient quality testing, unawareness and lack of oversight when dealing with the open market, and the pressure to reduce costs. All combined to create fertile ground for counterfeit components to enter the market. These components, which did not meet required standards, posed risks not only to product quality but also to the safety of many users. Counterfeits infiltrated critical systems in Aviation, Medical, and Defense industries, creating significant risks.
Has Anything Changed?
Between 2020 and 2023, the Electronics shortage became a critical issue affecting many industries, including automotive, medical, technology, and defense sectors. This shortage created a “perfect storm”: A combination of factors that created chaos unprecedented in the electronics world. The reasons included a sharp increase in demand for electronic devices and medical equipment due to the COVID-19 pandemic, supply chain disruptions caused by pandemic restrictions, changes in production priorities, and even natural disasters impacting critical manufacturing facilities.
Then came the war between Russia and Ukraine, further exacerbating the situation with a sharp rise in global defense demand and disruptions in the supply of essential materials used in chip manufacturing. As a result, the shock was immense, and the problem of counterfeit components worsened.
Oren Gadel: “Counterfeiting is a major threat”
Obsolete Components: A Breeding Ground for Counterfeits
One of the major challenges—then, now, and likely in the future—is obsolete components. What Makes a Component Obsolete? Technological advancements, changes in standards and regulations, declining demand, raw material supply issues, manufacturers mergers and acquisitions, or simply the manufacturer’s economic impracticality. Obsolete components have become a particularly fertile ground for counterfeiting for several reasons:
High Demand in the Open Market: Obsolete components are no longer available from original manufacturers and can only be obtained through the open market. This creates high demand from product manufacturers, maintenance companies, and critical industries that still need these components for repairing and upgrading existing systems. This high demand invites unreliable players to offer counterfeit components.
Lack of Verified Sources: Once production of certain components ceases, finding reliable sources that ensure quality and reliability becomes challenging. Open market suppliers may not adhere to the same standards as original manufacturers, facilitating the entry of counterfeit components into critical systems.
Difficulty Identifying Genuine Components: Obsolete components, especially those on the market for many years, may be harder to verify due to packaging changes, different markings, or material degradation. High-quality counterfeits can appear identical to the originals to the naked eye, making it difficult to spot differences without in-depth testing.
High Costs: The scarcity of obsolete components drives up prices significantly, creating opportunities for counterfeiters to make large profits by producing and selling counterfeit components at prices close to the originals’ market prices.
Use in Critical Industries: Obsolete components are often found in critical systems such as defense, aviation, and energy, where redesigning or upgrading an entire system isn’t always feasible or economical. The need for original components for maintaining and operating these systems, or fulfilling new orders requiring obsolete components that are no longer in production, makes this market especially vulnerable to counterfeits.
Lack of Mandatory Standards in the Open Market: Unlike original manufacturers, the open market lacks clear and enforceable standards, making it easier for counterfeiters to introduce unreliable components. While major companies adhere to rigorous testing and verification protocols, the open market operates under looser rules, exploited by counterfeiters.
Beyond Counterfeits: The Challenge of Obsolete Components
Counterfeiting is a major threat, but it is not the only one. Obsolete components are often very old, have passed through multiple hands, and may have been stored in conditions that do not meet long-term preservation standards. As a result, even if a component appears authentic, it may be unfit for use due to issues like corrosion, material fatigue, loosened internal connections, wire bonding or reduced functional reliability.
Additionally, older components may not comply with current standards, and even those in good physical condition may suffer from poor performance or failure under extreme temperatures or different operating conditions. This poses a significant risk, particularly in critical industries such as aviation, defense, and medicine, where the failure of a single component can lead to severe consequences.
About the Author:
Oren Gadel, Regional Manager at A2 Global Electronics + Solutions, has over 20 years of experience in consulting and business management in the field of electronic components. Oren specializes in finding solutions for critical industries and works with a wide range of clients both in the Middle East and internationally.
A2 Global Electronics + Solutions provides supply chain management solutions in the field of electronic components: Global component sourcing, obsolete component management, shortage mitigation, and inventory management. Through a global network of offices and certified laboratories, the company conducts advanced quality testing and component verification using cutting-edge technologies to ensure the reliability and quality of components for clients in critical industries such as aviation, defense, and medicine.
The Synopsys Users Group (SNUG) held its annual Israel conference, SNUG Israel 2024 in Herzliya last week. Executive Chair and Founder of Synopsys, Dr. Aart de Geus, delivered a keynote which explored the profound shifts shaping the semiconductor industry. Dr. de Geus delved into the exponential semiconductor technological advances of this decade, emphasizing how AI is driving vertical-market opportunities and redefining products, processes, and innovation.
“The ingenuity of our industry cannot be overestimated,” said Dr. Aart de Geus. “We are surrounded by the acceleration from ‘scale complexity’ to ‘systemic complexity’, and with it, a great opportunity to shape the future of silicon and software-defined systems. It is the collaboration across the ecosystem that has brought us to this moment, and it is this collective force that will continue to redefine what’s possible.”
The customer keynote was presented by VP of Engineering at Google Cloud, Uri Frank. His keynote, “It’s All About AI!”, offered a deep dive into the transformative AI trends reshaping technology. He shared his perspective on the challenges and opportunities AI presents to the systems and silicon industries, emphasizing the pivotal role of AI in the design and development of next-generation technologies.
SNUG Israel 2024 is the 20th annual SNUG event in Israel. The conference featured more than 35 technical presentations, with dedicated tracks covering critical topics such as digital design implementation & signoff, verification software and hardware, analog/mixed-signal (AMS) design & simulation, successful IP integration into SoCs, formal & functional safety (FuSa), emulation & FPGA prototyping and energy-efficient SoCs.
SNUG is one of the world’s largest user conference in the electronics industry, with over 12,000 Synopsys tool and technology users participating across North America, Europe, Asia, and Israel.
Valens Semiconductor (NYSE: VLN) has achieved three automotive design wins from leading European OEMs for its VA7000 MIPI A-PHY chipsets. The OEMs, which belong to a group of automotive brands, plan to embed Valens’ MIPI A-PHY chipsets in certain vehicle models with Start of Production (SoP) in 2026. The expected production volume may reach approximately 500,000 vehicles per year. Valens estimates that upon commercialization ramp up, the design wins will generate over $10 million dollars in annual revenue, for a period of 5-7 years.
Valens achieved these design wins in collaboration with leading Automotive Tier-1s on the camera side and on the System on Chip (SoC) side, both of which now offer native A-PHY support in their platforms. The selection of Valens chipsets follows intensive testing of a variety of connectivity solutions. Valens is a key contributor to the MIPI A-PHY standard, and offers the automotive industry a solution for sensor connectivity with immunity to electromagnetic noise.
The VA7000 chipsets was the first in the industry to implement the MIPI A-PHY standard for advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS) and autonomous driving systems (ADS). MIPI A-PHY specifies in-vehicle high-speed data transmission over lightweight wiring harnesses for up to 15 meters, with adaptive noise cancellation and retransmission mechanisms to guarantee superior EMC/EMI performance. The VA7000 family has been designed to support the current and future gears of MIPI A-PHY – from 2Gbpps to 16Gbps as defined in version 1.0, and with a roadmap to 48Gbps and beyond as expected in future versions.
Valens’ second quarter 2024 revenues reached $13.6 million, compared to $24.2 million in the second quarter of 2023. Automotive revenues accounted for approximately 40% of total revenues at $5.5 million, compared to $8.7 million in the second quarter of 2023, due to lower demand from Mercedes-Benz. The company expects third quarter revenues to be between $14.7 million to $15.4 million.
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