[comp.lsi] The LSI Cottage Industry

keithl@loop.uucp (Keith Lofstrom;;;628-3645) (02/06/91)

In article <1991Feb1.072902.28199@mintaka.lcs.mit.edu> shers@masala.lcs.mit.edu (Alexander The Great Sherstinsky) writes:
>What is this "cottage industry"?  How can I find out about it?  Thanks.

Well, there are a few hole-in-the-wall types like myself that do IC design
for companies who don't need their own IC design group.  I work with the
customer to develop a spec, find a IC fab vendor, design the puppy, and
ship off a tape.  I work with a wide variety of processes and design
styles.  I would be in thick yogurt if not for the availability of inexpensive
design tools such as those provided by Bob Mayo.

The design process is pretty standard - schematic capture, Spice, logic
simulation, design rule checking, extraction.  I have access to shops 
with plotters and spendy software like Dracula.  Sometimes I fly down
to San Jose to meet with a vendor, or get something done.   I rely a lot
on help from other independent consultants and small companies.  There
aren't enough of us out there for any cutthroat competition to emerge.
Prices are as much as the market will bear, plus points if possible.
The market will bear a lot; IC designers are rare.  Just remember the
customer is paying for a SOLUTION, not just for your wonderful company.

If you want to read more about consulting and small businesses, read
misc.jobs.contract, and "Midnight Engineering" magazine.  There are
a number of almost usable books on the subject.  It's probably best
to do a few years as an employee before striking out on your own.  It's
pretty stupid to spend 18 years doing that, like I did.

Keith
-- 
Keith Lofstrom  keithl@loop.uucp ...!sun!nosun!loop!keithl (503)628-3645
KLIC --- Keith Lofstrom Integrated Circuits --- "Your Ideas in Silicon"
Design Contracting in Bipolar and CMOS - Analog, Digital, and Power ICs