Semiconductor quality

[EBRAddict]

Is there any difference in brand reputation aka "quality" between the big manufacturers? TI, ON Semiconductor, Fairchild, NXP, JRC/NJM, Central Semiconductor, Diodes Incorporated, etc.

I was shopping on Mouser and came across some transistors from an Indian semiconductor company selling for cheap, I passed on buying them and went with a big name brand instead. It occurred to me it's probably all commodity grade crap and I should just pick the cheapest from a reliable vendor.

[raulduke]

I personally think it is best to buy parts from well known manufactures.

Eg. if you buy Fairchild transistors you know that you should be getting a quality part that falls within the spec defined in the data sheet.

There is a provenance for the manufacture of the parts, and you know you are usually going to get some consistency part-to-part (ie. if you buy a load of transistors you know they are going to fall within similar spec).

Sorting out between good and bad parts when you get a bad batch is a major PITA, and I'd rather just spend a little more and know I am getting quality.

[Muadzin]

While it makes some sense to go for a well known brand in favor of a cheaper 3rd world brand if you desire quality, I'm reminded of the Volkswagen diesel software scandal. Where a company that branded itself as uber reliable turned out to be not above cutting corners to make a quick extra buck. Or in this case an extra euro. We live in the age where more and more companies have succumbed to Gordon Gecko's motto: Greed is good. So in the end you never really know if you're getting top quality or that you're just paying extra for what's essentially the same as the stuff made in the 3rd world. And isn't that where nowadays most semiconductors are made anyway?

I can only hope that vendors like Smallbear, who have made a reputation for selling reliable stuff, do not fall into the same pitfall.

[raulduke]

While it makes some sense to go for a well known brand in favor of a cheaper 3rd world brand if you desire quality, I'm reminded of the Volkswagen diesel software scandal. Where a company that branded itself as uber reliable turned out to be not above cutting corners to make a quick extra buck. Or in this case an extra euro. We live in the age where more and more companies have succumbed to Gordon Gecko's motto: Greed is good. So in the end you never really know if you're getting top quality or that you're just paying extra for what's essentially the same as the stuff made in the 3rd world. And isn't that where nowadays most semiconductors are made anyway?

I can only hope that vendors like Smallbear, who have made a reputation for selling reliable stuff, do not fall into the same pitfall.

True you don't know and can never be sure, but tarring all companies with the same brush because of Volkswagen's cock ups is a bit rich.

A bit of skepticism is good, but assuming that every company in the world is out to cut down on quality to improve profit margins is going a bit far.

True in a lot of cases, but there are still plenty of companies that value quality AND a healthy profit margin to go with it. They also tend to be the ones that last.

[EBRAddict]

I get that I should only buy from reputable vendors and manufacturers, my question is more like, on average:

Is a Fairchild BC849C transistor better than an ON Semiconductor BC849C? Is a TI CD4049UBE better than a NXP CD4049UBE?

The reason I ask is I just picked up a few different SMD transistors, Fairchild was around $6/100 and ON Semiconductor was $1.30/100... so I went with ON Semi.

[pickdropper]

I get that I should only buy from reputable vendors and manufacturers, my question is more like, on average:

Is a Fairchild BC849C transistor better than an ON Semiconductor BC849C? Is a TI CD4049UBE better than a NXP CD4049UBE?

The reason I ask is I just picked up a few different SMD transistors, Fairchild was around $6/100 and ON Semiconductor was $1.30/100... so I went with ON Semi.

ON Semi isn't exactly a small operation.  If the specs are the same, you're probably fine with those.

[stecykmi]

i think where you buy the parts might be more important than the manufacturer, particularly with parts that have wide tolerance (namely JFETs and other transistors). personally, i buy most of my semiconductors and passives (resistors and electro caps) from mouser. semi's because i'm more confident that what i'm getting has passed QC and will be within the datasheet specs, while passives because i like the quality more than cheaper sources (particularly electro caps so that i can choose the size & specs).

i'm willing to source hardware from more diverse dealers. i do buy film caps from wherever, mostly to keep costs down a little.

this is not really based on any tragic event that happened from buying cheap parts, its just the attitude i've developed over the years. when i'm buying opamps or transistors from mouser, i normally buy the manufacturer that's cheapest.

[Muadzin]

True you don't know and can never be sure, but tarring all companies with the same brush because of Volkswagen's cock ups is a bit rich.

A bit of skepticism is good, but assuming that every company in the world is out to cut down on quality to improve profit margins is going a bit far.

True in a lot of cases, but there are still plenty of companies that value quality AND a healthy profit margin to go with it. They also tend to be the ones that last.

That's not quite what I meant. Maybe I should phrase it differently, if a company like Volkswagen, whose entire reputation was based on being reliable, dependable, could become greedy and cut corners, what else might be out there? It's not like the cultural corporate climate that produced Volkswagen managers is that unique to that company alone. That does not automatically mean, and I agree with you in that regard, that every company is out to screw its customer base, but it simply means we don't know anymore. The axiom that established brands are better then new up and coming cheaper ones no longer holds true. So maybe stecykmi is right, where you buy may be more important then what you buy. I'd rather spend a little more to buy from Smallbear or Chromosphere then from cheap dodgy Chinese ebay sellers, because then I at least know that what I'll get will at least work.

I've worked at a semi-conductor plant in the 90's, Philips semiconductors, which is nowadays NXP semiconductors. And back then there was already talk of shifting a lot of the production to places in SE Asia. Considering that back then they had a high employee turnover rate, which currently is just as bad, or worse, and that the NXP parent holding is basically a hedgefund looking for a quick buck

[pickdropper]

i think where you buy the parts might be more important than the manufacturer, particularly with parts that have wide tolerance (namely JFETs and other transistors). personally, i buy most of my semiconductors and passives (resistors and electro caps) from mouser. semi's because i'm more confident that what i'm getting has passed QC and will be within the datasheet specs, while passives because i like the quality more than cheaper sources (particularly electro caps so that i can choose the size & specs).

i'm willing to source hardware from more diverse dealers. i do buy film caps from wherever, mostly to keep costs down a little.

this is not really based on any tragic event that happened from buying cheap parts, its just the attitude i've developed over the years. when i'm buying opamps or transistors from mouser, i normally buy the manufacturer that's cheapest.

That's a very good point as there are certainly lower quality parts branded with known brands and sold from nefarious retailers.  I got a bunch of fake Fairchild JFETs (or more likely a real part that had been remarked) from an Asian supplier.

Getting ON semi parts from Mouser should be reasonably safe, however.