Joerg said:
Hello Rebecca,
Well, that would be a good thing to find out now while you have (or can
easily obtain) all the data from John's purchasing folks. Not to pummel
the Maxim employee who handled it but to find out exactly what went
wrong. As many here in the thread have said it seems to be quite
symptomatic with Maxim so it would really pay to investigate. Then
corporate might consider a decision whether to train better, improve the
computer system or shut down the usual sales channel and route
everything through your department because you seem to be able to find
stuff while others can't.
My last experience with Maxim was regarding a switcher chip (IIRC
something like the MAX608) on behalf of a client. A very long time ago.
I was unable to get a straight answer out of Maxim as to when my client
could have a few thousand for a pre-series. So I kicked it out. That
design, BTW, is still in mass production. It was a pretty big ticket
design-loss for Maxim.
MDD is a great idea and might pull Maxim out of the reputation of not
being able to deliver. However, don't discount the huge warehouses.
Digikey is the de-facto standard in America. Many designers keep their
web site open all the time while designing. If something isn't on their
server or lists zero stock they move on. My clients love the fact that
at the end of a design they receive a BOM and can order all that stuff
from a single vendor. They don't really want to call all the individual
manufacturers.
Nobody is perfect but it's good to know that thing might be improving at
Maxim. Maybe some day I could design in one of your parts again ;-)
I have rather hammered on TI (as it's direct competition to Maxim), and
if you bring up any old random part - let's take a direct competition
part:
MAX3243E
Page at:
http://focus.ti.com/docs/prod/folders/print/max3243e.html
Now scroll down for pricing:
Easy as pie - 0.63 to 0.74 depending on options in 1k (budgetary)
Note the simple link for samples (yes, you have to be registered, but
we expect that for samples). I have taken those links many times, and
they not only work, TI will ask if there are other items you may wish
to try because they are in your design. (Take the link, you'll see
what I mean). I am in the UK - the *longest* I have had to wait for
samples is 2 days. I always get a call from my FAE within 2 more days
about any new parts, as well.
Now let's go further down : Surprise! TI lists Digikey as a supplier.
Hot the button, you'll go direct to the Digikey page to select and buy.
TI isn't perfect, but in the business sense they are hammering the
daylights out of Maxim on their own (second sourced) products.
This is how easy Maxim has to make it, and look closely at the
availability lines - I can tell up front before I even design a part in
whether I can get it, either from TI **or from distribution**.
We do not doubt you are braving the Lion's den here, Rebecca, but you
should bring this thread (in it's entirety) to senior management
attention, and look at how you *should* do it.
If they don't listen, change jobs
I have noted that Maxim makes Great parts[tm], but most of us don't
believe Maxim any more when they say they'll supply them. Maxim has a
tough row to hoe to gain back the 'mindshare' of designers. Designers,
not managers, decide who's parts get designed in, but if we can't get a
part, we really get it in the neck. If we don't believe a supplier will
deliver, we **don't even bother to look** at their offerings, no matter
how high the 'drool' factor.
Food for thought.
Cheers
PeteS