TRAXIDE Dual battery Kits, URGENT Notification

[drivesafe]

Hi folks, this is to notify any potential customers that I am only manufacturing a limited number of Dual Battery kits for the Discovery 3 and Discovery 4. There will be no other kits produced for the foreseeable future.

The reason for this decision is that late last year I was notified by a couple of my Micro Processor suppliers that the manufacturer of this chip was moving all production from China to the Philippines.

The version of the chip I use was no longer being produced and when the existing stock runs out, there would be no more.

The type of chip I was using is known as a Through-Hole or DIP type chip.

The plant in the Philippines manufactures the same chip but it would only be available in the much smaller sized Surface Mount type or SMD type.

So I purchased a large amount of DIP version and just 20 of the SMD type.

The small number of the SMDs were purchased so I could develop a new Printed Circuit Board ( PCB ) to accommodate the SMD version.

While the program is identical for the two chip types, assembling SMDs is somewhat more difficult and I would needed to acquisition of a very expensive Pick-n-Place machine and additional associated devices.


Over the weekend I decided to do a total cost analysis of both the new equipment and the new PCB.

I was checking the cost of the SMD version of the chip when I discovered that there were none available anywhere in the world and all suppliers, about 30 of them, stated it would be at least 52 weeks before more were available.

Thanks to buying a large quantity of the chips last year, I am left with three options.



I just wind the business up ( not happening )
I continue manufacturing all the versions and if no new chips became are available, I will run out in about 12 months time.
I produce just the main stream kits that have been the backbone of my business for the last 15 years.


This last option will keep me in business for at least the next 2 to 3 years and by that time chips will be available and I will then produce all the kits and Isolators I have been making up to now.

NOTE All Headlight and Driving Light kits are still being produced.

Sorry for any inconvenience these changes may make, but I have no choice.


Also Note, my website is temporarily closed while the new info is being prepared.

Regards, Tim ( aka drivesafe )

[BradC]

G'day Tim,

Supply chain irrespective, we went through the DIP->SMD uC transition for a product back in the early 2000's.

What we ended up doing was subbing out the board to a local contractor who had the PnP just for soldering the uC. We sent them a stack of bare boards and chips and they came back soldered on. We then assembled and tested the remainder which was all through hole.

[Graeme]

One of my sons hand-solders my MSOP-16 ICs for me after which I assemble the through-hole components. The ICs have never been available in TTH form. MSOP-16 ICs are very tiny and have 16 legs, but my volume is only low.

A couple of months ago I was faced with not being able to obtain the ICs for 12 months from my regular supplier but then found suppliers on AliExpress. After purchasing the 1st batch to confirm that they were genuine I went to buy more but the supplier had increased the price from around US$4 to US$40 due to the shortage. I found another supplier at the US$4 price range and now have around 4 year's supply.

[drivesafe]

G'day Tim,

Supply chain irrespective, we went through the DIP->SMD uC transition for a product back in the early 2000's.

What we ended up doing was subbing out the board to a local contractor who had the PnP just for soldering the uC. We sent them a stack of bare boards and chips and they came back soldered on. We then assembled and tested the remainder which was all through hole.
Thanks for the suggestion and I had already gone down this road, but for a slightly different reason.

I had had some advice from my PCB manufacturer, an Australian company, who directed me to a PCB assembler in QLD.

After realising I would have to change from DIP type chips to the much smaller SMD, in my case they were to be a 20 pin SOIC type, which I could hand solder in VERY small quantities, but I made inquiries about this assembly company making my boards.

They were only to happy to do the work and the minimum quantities were fine but I had to supply everything but the PCB, which they could source direct from my PCB manufacturer.

This all went out the window when I could no longer acquire any form of the micro-processor I use.

There was another potential problem in that I have been working on a number of new projects, which would have meant a number of different PCBs were needed.

These are all shelved for now.

[drivesafe]

A couple of months ago I was faced with not being able to obtain the ICs for 12 months from my regular supplier but then found suppliers on AliExpress. After purchasing the 1st batch to confirm that they were genuine I went to buy more but the supplier had increased the price from around US$4 to US$40 due to the shortage.
Similar happened to me.

When I realised there would be some long lead times, I bought a large quantity, but at near double the normal cost. And it did not matter which supplier I would have used, they all had raised their prices.

Happy with what I did get but wished I had bought a lot more while they were available.

Isn't hindsight great!