Signetics: Difference between revisions

| logo = signeticsSignetics logo.svg

| founder = David Allison, David James, Lionel Kattner, and Mark Weissenstern

| industry = [[Integrated circuitscircuit]]s

'''Signetics Corporation''' was an American electronics manufacturer specifically established to make [[integrated circuit]]s.<ref name="SVHA">{{cite web|publisher=Silicon Valley Historical Association|title=NXP Semiconductors: Company History|url=http://www.siliconvalleyhistorical.org/home/nxp_semiconductors|accessdateaccess-date=2013-02-08}}</ref> Founded in 1961, they went on to develop a number of early microprocessors and support chips, as well as the widely used [[555 timer IC|555 timer chip]]. TheyThe werecompany was bought by [[Philips]] in 1975 and incorporated in [[NXP Semiconductors|Philips Semiconductors (now NXP)]].<ref name="SVHA"/>

Signetics was started in 1961, by a group of engineers—Davidengineers (David Allison, David James, Lionel Kattner, and Mark Weissenstern—whoWeissenstern) who had left [[Fairchild Semiconductor]].<ref name="SVHA"/> At the time, Fairchild was concentrating on its discrete component business (mostly [[transistorstransistor]]s), and its management felt that by making integrated circuits (ICs) it would alienatelose its customers. Signetics founders believed that ICs were the future of electronics (much like another contemporary Fairchild spinoff, [[Amelco]]) and wished to commercialize them. The name cameof the new company was coined from '''Sig'''nal '''Net'''work Electron'''ics'''.

Signetics first developed a series of standard [[Diode–transistor logic|DTL]] ICs, which it announced in 1962. However, it was struggling to sell custom-made circuits, which was the original goal, and was quickly exhausting the initial investment money, andso new investors had to be found. In November 1962, [[Corning Glass]] invested another $1.7M in Signetics, in exchange for 51% ownership. This money enabled Signetics to survive, and much of itthe funding was put into a marketing and sales campaign.

In 1963, the [[United States Department of Defense|Department of Defense]] made a decision to begin a shift towards microelectronics and ICs, due to their small size, higher reliability, and lower power consumption. As a result, military contractors began to explore the field, and as Signetics was one of the few firms selling custom circuits, it benefited greatly. In the fall of 1963 and throughout most of 1964, sales grew quickly, and the company finally became profitable. Signetics also grew rapidly, hiring more engineers and increasing its manufacturing space. In 1964, Signetics opened a large new manufacturingfabricating plant ("fab") in [[Sunnyvale, California]]. At this time, it was by far the largest manufacturer of ICs in [[Silicon Valley]]. It later expanded also to factories in [[Orem, Utah]] and [[Albuquerque, New Mexico]] , where there were two fabs, FAB22 (4"-inch) and FAB23 (6"-inch).

In 1964, Fairchild began to pushmuscle its way into the IC business. Since Signetics's circuits beingwere the [[de facto standard]] in the market, Fairchild decided to copy them. However, it used its superior cash position, marketing power, and manufacturing strength to undercut Signeticsits competitor by slashing prices and flooding the market. Signetics was struggling to compete, and began losing money again. Corning saw this as proof of poor management, and used its controlling interest to drive out most of the founders and take complete control of the company.

Signetics managed to stabilize and become profitable again, but it never regained its market leadership, which was now firmly held by Fairchild. ItIts engineers continued to innovate in the IC technology, and remained a significant force. Around 1971, the ''Signetics Corporation'' introduced the innovative [[555 timer IC]]., Itwhich wasit called "The IC Time Machine".<ref Itname="Cimbala"/> This was also the first and only low-cost commercial IC timer available at the time, and soon became a best-seller. Signetics was known for creating innovative ICs for both [[analog electronics]] and the rapidly-growing [[digital electronics]] applications.
{{pic|Signetics 1980s logo.svg|upright=0.75|Logo used from 1981 until its closure}}
In 1975, itthe company was acquired by [[Philips]], who continued the brand for some years. In the United States, Signetics reached its manufacturing height at around 1980. Later it was fully integrated into [[NXP Semiconductors|Philips Semiconductors (now NXP)]].<ref name="SVHA" />

In 1995, Philips spun off the assembly and test operation in South Korea, which was started by Signetics in 1966, as an independent subcontract service provider. They continue to use the name ''"Signetics''". Since 2000, the Signetics brand is primarily ownedused by the [[Young Poong Group]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Levine |first=Bernard |date=2000-06-12 |title=Signetics Korea Changes Hands |url=https://www.edn.com/signetics-korea-changes-hands/ |access-date=2023-03-29 |website=EDN |language=en-US}}</ref>

* The [[Signetics 2650]] was an [[8-bit]] [[microprocessor]] introduced in the early 1970s and used in several video games and game systems (e.g. the [[Arcadia 2001]]).<ref name="arcadia">{{cite web|url=http://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?st=2&c=835|title=Emerson Arcadia 2001|publisher=old-computers.com|accessdateaccess-date=2013-02-08}}</ref> and in the early [[telesoftware]] broadcasts.

* The [[Signetics 8X300]] was a [[bipolar junction transistor|bipolar]] microprocessor developed by [[Scientific Micro Systems]] but manufactured by Signetics starting in 1976. It was mostly used as a controller chip due to its limited instruction set and its high speed.

* The Signetics 82S100 FPLA (Field Programmable Logic Array) was the first commercially successful user [[programmable logic device]], the forerunner of the modern [[FPGA]].<ref name = "Signetics 82S100">{{cite journal | title = FPLA's give quick custom logic| journal = EDN | volume = 20 | issue = 13 | pages = 61 | publisher = Cahners Publishing | location = Boston, MA | date = July 20, 1975 }} Press release on Signetics 82S100 and 82S101 field programmable logic arrays. Sixteen inputs pins, 8 output pins and 48 product terms. NiCr fuse link programming.</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last1=Birkner |first1=John |title=How the FPGA came to be, Part 2 |journal=Electronic Engineering Journal |date=8 December 2021 |url=https://www.eejournal.com/article/how-the-fpga-came-to-be-part-2/ |access-date=10 April 2022}}</ref>

* [[NE5517]], an [[operational transconductance amplifier]], still in production by [[NXP Semiconductors]] (formerly Philips Semiconductors) and also generically made by other manufacturers; it is given as a classic OTA example in a number of textbooks.<ref name="Rybin2011">{{cite book|author=Yu. K. Rybin|title=Electronic Devices for Analog Signal Processing|year=2011|publisher=Springer Science & Business Media|isbn=978-94-007-2205-7|page=21}}</ref><ref name="Haidekker2013">{{cite book|author=Mark A. Haidekker|title=Linear Feedback Controls: The Essentials|year=2013|publisher=Newnes|isbn=978-0-12-405513-1|page=227}}</ref>