Turning a Supply‑Chain Crisis into a Clever Engineering Win
When the global pandemic hit, the microchip supply chain didn’t just wobble — it collapsed. Lead‑times for key components stretched past 50 weeks, and at Chromatec we suddenly found ourselves staring at production schedules that simply couldn’t move.
One part in particular threatened to stall everything: a 100‑pin TQFP, 0.5 mm pitch, 14×14 mm package. We had boards built, stock ready, and customers waiting — but no chips. And with thousands of pounds of PCB inventory already manufactured, a redesign wasn’t just undesirable; it was commercially impossible.
The Lifeline
The same device was available in a smaller 12×12 mm package with 0.4 mm pitch. Electrically identical. Mechanically different. And that difference gave us an opportunity.
Instead of scrapping boards or redesigning hardware, we engineered a simple carrier module that allowed the smaller package to drop straight onto our existing footprint. No PCB changes. No firmware changes. No delays. Just a neat, elegant workaround that kept production moving.
PIC32SUB carrier module
The image above shows the top and bottom footprints and the signal connections between them.
The image above shows the orthographic bottom-side view of the large footprint with pads extending to the edge of the PCB.
The image above shows a 3D render of the carrier topside with the smaller replacement device aligned with the footprint pads.
The above image shows the PCB carrier fitted to the main PCB.
The results
The carriers performed flawlessly. Vapour‑phase reflow soldering handled the assembly without complaint, and the reduced footprint left a clean exposed pad area — perfect for visual inspection and quality control.
Although in hindsight I would have opted for V-Score breakout rather than drilled pips - the finish would have been nicer and the disadvantages of V-Score would have been negated on such small boards.
Why This Matters
Supply‑chain instability isn’t going away. Component diversity — even within the same device family — is becoming a practical necessity. By designing adaptable solutions rather than rigid ones, we can keep products shipping even when the market throws curveballs.
At Chromatec, this experience reinforced something we already believed: smart engineering beats supply‑chain chaos.
And sometimes, the best solution isn’t a redesign — it’s a clever workaround.