National Semiconductor Teams With Cadence Design Systems And Aspec Technology To Form ASIC Business Alliance

May 6, 1997 - National Semiconductor Corporation® today announced the formation of the Customization Business Unit (CBU) - a competency-based alliance with Cadence Design Systems, Inc. and Aspec Technology - to provide a complete range of ASIC services for its military/aerospace customers. The CBU is the first mil/aero entity to offer ongoing design, implementation and manufacturing services through this type of coalition.

With Cadence Design Systems and Aspec Technology, National’s CBU provides a complete range of ongoing ASIC design, implementation and manufacturing services from one source. Cadence is a leader in design services and design automation tools; Aspec is a leader in design implementation technology; and National’s Mil/Aero Division is a leader in high-performance, small-lot manufacturing typical of mil/aero products.

"Cadence and Aspec bring leadership in design services and design implementation technology," stated Joe Shah, CBU product line director.

"In manufacturing, National Semiconductor is a leading, committed mil/aero IC supplier with advanced state-of-the-art process technologies and agile, small-lot manufacturing expertise. We have QML- and ISO-certified facilities, complete quality and reliability programs and have large sales and distribution channels."

National's CBU serves as overall program manager and main contact with customers. It closely coordinates customer requirements with Cadence and Aspec for optimum services. National Mil/Aero manufactures and is responsible for final product.

Cadence offers core competencies in EDA tools and IC design services. Aspec Technology provides its core competencies in gate array architectures, design libraries and design implementation technologies.

"The CBU was formed to solve a growing paradox in the mil/aero marketplace," added Rick Cassidy, VP and GM of National’s Mil/Aero Division. "On one hand, the number of IC suppliers is shrinking, making it difficult for them to supply everything customers need. On the other hand, mil/aero customers increasingly want more ASIC solutions to capitalize on advances in technology, performance and functionality. The plain fact is that no one ASIC vendor can supply everything required, even though customers want a one-stop source."

"By using our design services, National's CBU is able to offer a higher level of service to its mil/aero IC customers," said Jim Douglas, vice president of professional services marketing at Cadence. "They can also pursue a much faster growth path for their business."

Technologies and products covered by the CBU include complete design services for custom and semicustom designs that support all major design libraries. CMOS gate arrays and standard cells (up to 700k raw gates) are available with 0.65 micron geometries now, 0.35 micron later in 1997, and 0.25 micron in 1998. National, with its extensive product offering and rich library of intellectual property (IP), is well positioned for the high-end user at 150-200K gates that needs the IP blocks to do systems-on-a-chip.

"Our goal is to provide our customers with first-time working silicon in 12 weeks," said Brad Paulsen, director of Mil/Aero marketing. "We offer our customers high value-added, rapid design services and a continuous supply of silicon. We’re organized to fill a large gap in what mil/aero customers need in advanced gate arrays and standard-cell technologies. To give customers maximum flexibility, the CBU can accept designs at virtually any stage in the design flow."

CBU provides all major test and design-for-test methodologies, including boundary scan, NAND Chain, JTAG, BIST, ATPG, among others. CBU ASICs come in a wide array of industry- standard packaging, ceramic and plastic to 500 pins, including the increasingly popular ball grid array (BGA) packages. High-rel manufacturing services, such as known good die (KGD) and special testing, are also available.

Targeted applications served by the CBU include avionics, electronic warfare, radar, signal processing and communications. The CBU concept was refined in early 1995, including trail projects with customers. A long-term relationship among the partners - Cadence, Aspec and National - was formalized in 1996.

National Semiconductor Corporation, a Fortune 500 company, produces system-on-a-chip silicon solutions for the information highway, based on its leadership in analog and mixed signal technologies. National is headquartered in Santa Clara, California, and focuses on the communications, personal systems and consumer markets. In March, 1997 National sold its Fairchild Semiconductor businesses and now has 12,300 employees worldwide with annual sales of approximately $2.0 billion.

National will continue to market Fairchild logic products through its Mil/Aero Division. Additional company and product information is available on the World Wide Web at www.national.com.

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