This section provides an overview for custom ics as well as their applications and principles. Also, please take a look at the list of 16 custom ic manufacturers and their company rankings. Here are the top-ranked custom ic companies as of November, 2024: 1.Synopsys, Inc., 2.Custom Silicon Solutions, Inc., 3.Sigenics, Inc..
Table of Contents
A custom IC (integrated circuit) is an integrated circuit that is developed, designed, and manufactured specifically for a particular application or product, based on user requirements. They are also known as custom chips or ASICs (Application-Specific Integrated Circuits).
There are two main types of custom ICs: full custom ICs, which are completely new from development to manufacturing, and semi-custom ICs, which are designed and manufactured from general-purpose ICs to meet specific user requirements. The closer an IC is to a full custom design, the higher the manufacturing cost and the longer the lead time. However, this approach can yield optimized operations for the specific application.
Custom ICs are often developed in scenarios such as:
While it is possible to develop using standard ICs in these cases, this approach requires the designer to determine which ICs to combine and how to combine them to achieve the desired functionality. The use of custom ICs eliminates such a study period.
Custom ICs include gate arrays, standard cells, and embedded array ICs, each varying in development costs, power consumption, and size. Manufacturers design custom ICs using the most appropriate method depending on the specific requirements of the IC.
*Including some distributors, etc.
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Synopsys, founded in Sunnyvale, California, in 1986 is a manufacturer of electronic equipment such as Smart medical devices, wearables, and autonomous cars. The company's product portfolio includes silicon chips, Semiconductor IP, RSoft Photonic Device Tools, Virtual Prototyping and Signal & Power Integrity. The company serves markets including Automotive and Electric Vehicles, Renewable Energy and Energy Storage and Electronics and IT Infrastructure. They also provide services including Open-Source Audits, Open Source Risk Management, RF Design, Silicon Lifecycle Management and Software Supply Chain Security.
Cadence Design Systems, established in 1988, is a US-based manufacturer specializing in electronic design automation (EDA) software, providing cutting-edge solutions for chip and system design to enable groundbreaking products for electronic systems and semiconductor companies. Their digital design tools create complex integrated circuits (ICs) for applications like smartphones, IoT devices, and automotive electronics. Advanced analog and mixed-signal design tools develop high-performance ICs for data converters and power management. Cadence's system design and verification tools facilitate complex electronic systems like ASICs and FPGAs. By adopting their software solutions, customers streamline design processes, reduce time-to-market, and gain a competitive edge.
Custom Silicon Solutions, Inc., established in 1996 and headquartered in Irvine, California, is a supplier of analog, mixed-signal, and high-voltage turnkey ASICs. The company supplies high-volume semiconductor products throughout the entire product lifecycle. Its expertise includes high-voltage I/O ESD protection, MEMs interfacing, and ultra-low power designs. It provides specialized solutions for radar systems, industrial printheads, and MEM mirror arrays. Its technologies include CMOS, BCD, and SiGe, with geometries ranging from 28nm to 500nm. The company also develops 6-axis inertial motion units for navigation and stabilization, optimized MCUs for wireless metering and low-power applications.
Nisshinbo Micro Devices Inc., established in 1959, and headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, is a manufacturer of semiconductors and electronic components. The company specializes in producing integrated circuits, discrete semiconductors, optoelectronic devices, which caters to industries such as telecommunications, automotive, and consumer electronics. The company holds ISO 9001 and IATF 16949 certifications, ensuring quality in their products which are used for various applications, including wireless communication, automotive systems, and industrial automation, providing crucial electronic components for advanced technologies in various industrial and commercial sectors.
Socionext is a fabless ASIC supplier headquartered in Yokohama, Japan, employing around 2,500 people worldwide and was established in March 2015. The company was formed, merging Fujitsu and Panasonic's system LSI businesses where the Development Bank of Japan, Fujitsu, and Panasonic privately hold the company. Socionext Europe operates from Langen near Frankfurt, with additional offices in Munich, Maidenhead (UK), and Linz (Austria). Socionext America Inc. is the US branch in Santa Clara, California. As a fabless ASIC supplier, it specializes in offering a broad range of standard and customizable SoC solutions for the automotive, consumer, and industrial sectors.
KOA Corporation, established in 1940 in Minowa-machi, Japan, is a manufacturer of electronic components. The company provides an extensive product range including resistors, current sense shunt resistors, fuses, thermal sensors, and inductors. These quality components find applications in industries such as automotive, ecology, energy conservation, telecommunications, power supply units, and home appliances. Operating under the guiding principles of circulation, finite resources, harmony, and enrichment, it continues to provide sustainable electronic solutions to cater to the ever-changing demands of global industries.
Yitoa Micro Technology Corporation, established in 2003 and based in Kofu-shi, Japan, is a manufacturer and supplier of semiconductors and MEMS products. The company's product range includes Optical sensors, Power supply IC, DTV Frontend IC, Video ICs, and Driver ICs. These products are used in applications like ambient light detection, power regulation, digital broadcasting, video processing, and device driving. It serves diverse sectors such as consumer electronics, industrial machinery, telecommunications, and digital broadcasting. The company also provides services like process lineup assistance, manufacturing system development, and mass production tracking.
Toshiba has nearly a century-and-a-half-long history of pioneering the development of electrical equipment in Japan, providing customers with products and services such as energy systems and solutions and infrastructure systems and solutions. With a focus on digital technologies, Toshiba boasts cutting-edge products in semiconductors, barcode printers, and rechargeable Lithium-ion battery cells, modules, and industrial pack series. With arms in business, R & D, AI, sustainability, and digital solutions, Toshiba and its people evolve with the times, ensuring its continuing ability to solve ever-changing social issues through constant change. By utilizing the knowledge that Toshiba has amassed across numerous business domains, along with cutting-edge technologies like IoT, AI, and quantum related technologies, they have created digital solutions that provide our customers with new value and services
Siemens EDA is an American distributor of integrated circuit (IC) as well as printed circuit board (PCB) design and verification software that was established in 1981 as a subsidiary of the German company Siemens AG. Based in Wilsonville, Oregon, the company offers emulation, simulation, layout, wire harness, and design-for-manufacturing software tools for use in conceptualizing and testing various IC or PCB mockups. This saves time in the prototyping and troubleshooting stages of their production processes, increasing efficiency while reducing risk of cost overages. Siemens EDA chiefly serves clients in the semiconductor, aerospace, defense, and consumer electronics sectors.
Ranking as of November 2024
Derivation MethodRank | Company | Click Share |
---|---|---|
1 | Synopsys, Inc. |
19.8%
|
2 | Custom Silicon Solutions, Inc. |
14.5%
|
3 | Sigenics, Inc. |
8.2%
|
4 | EBCIS |
7.2%
|
5 | Nisshinbo Micro Devices Inc. |
6.8%
|
6 | TOSHIBA CORPORATION |
6.8%
|
7 | Cadence Design Systems |
6.3%
|
8 | ICsense |
4.8%
|
9 | Setform Limited |
4.3%
|
10 | Yitoa Micro Technology Corporation |
3.9%
|
Derivation Method
The ranking is calculated based on the click share within the custom ic page as of November 2024. Click share is defined as the total number of clicks for all companies during the period divided by the number of clicks for each company.Number of Employees
Newly Established Company
Company with a History
*Including some distributors, etc.
*Including some distributors, etc.
Country | Number of Companies | Share (%) |
---|---|---|
Japan | 5 | 35.7% |
United States of America | 4 | 28.6% |
United Kingdom | 2 | 14.3% |
Belgium | 2 | 14.3% |
China | 1 | 7.1% |