Trendforce said in a study this week that the shortage of power management chips is worsening and is preventing companies from manufacturing cars, personal computers, and items with batteries or switches.
The cost of a power management IC is only a few cents, and it is a cheap chip that contains display drivers and USB-C components that are in short supply. These chips are as important as CPU or memory for personal computers and other electronic products.
In the past more than 20 months, with the advent of electric vehicles and the growing demand for personal computers and consumer electronics, the demand for PMICs has reached its peak. Trendforce expects prices to rise by 10% to a six-year high of $0.23.
The price may not seem high, but the key nature of PMIC is to close the production of some electric vehicle models. Trendforce said that the company that provides power management has a production lead time of up to one year, and the lack of chips has forced some automakers to cut orders and stop producing some models.
Due to the shortage of semiconductors, automakers have closed their factories, and the chips they obtained will be used in more expensive cars. Said Earlier this year, NXP Semiconductors CEO Kurt Sievers (Kurt Sievers). The company produces PMIC chips.
Electric vehicles have PMICs to maintain voltage levels, which are a key part of safety and zero-fault requirements. Power management is also important for battery charging and the conversion of current and voltage drops. In contrast, PCs and smart phones require fewer power management circuits.
Trendforce stated that the lead time for power management ICs in consumer electronics products is 12 to 26 weeks. However, PC manufacturers expect shipments to slow down due to chip shortages, which will reduce the supply pressure on PMIC manufacturers.
PMIC manufacturers are increasing their ability to produce these cheap chips. Texas Instruments (TI) is building a new plant in Richardson, Texas, and will start producing PMICs next year. TI’s PMIC can be purchased through retailers such as Mouser and Arrow, and is well received by the Maker audience.
Other major PMIC manufacturers include Infineon, STMicroelectronics, Renesas Electronics, ON Semiconductor and Microchip. ®
