Why use an ASIC for your next project?
Custom ICs deliver unmatched performance, cost efficiency, and competitive advantages.
Swindon Silicon Systems at a glance
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Understanding application-specific integrated circuits
An ASIC is a customised integrated circuit built specifically for your application. Unlike off-the-shelf components, custom ICs are engineered to deliver precisely the functionality, performance, and efficiency your product requires.
- Optimised performance for your exact requirements
- Multiple functions integrated into a single circuit
- Scalable from prototypes to high-volume production
Fully customisable to your application
Fine-tuned accuracy and speed, from noise levels to sampling rates and channel count.
Tailored logic or advanced data handling, depending on your system’s needs.
The right type and size to balance efficiency with performance.
Designed to connect seamlessly via sensors, wired links, or wireless protocols.
Options from compact, lightweight solutions to robust designs for demanding environments.
Built to operate reliably under your industry’s specific conditions.
Maximise ROI and minimise risk with an ASIC
Lower costs & better margins
Replace multiple parts with one integrated circuit to reduce manufacturing overhead and improve unit economics at scale.
Supply security
One partner providing end-to-end support with long-term supply assurance built in.
IP protection
Lock your unique features into hardware that can’t be copied or reverse-engineered.
Obsolescence recovery
Custom replacements keep your products in market even when standard parts are discontinued.
Optimise performance with custom silicon
Performance
Dedicated design ensures high-speed, deterministic results.
Power efficiency
Custom power management improves product efficiency and thermal performance.
Size optimisation
Smaller footprints enable lighter, more compact products.
Reliability
Built for challenging automotive, industrial, and aerospace environments.
ASICs vs. alternatives
ASICs consistently outperform other options when it comes to efficiency, cost, and security.
| Requirement | ASIC | FPGA | Microcontroller | Discrete Components |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Power Efficiency | Optimal | Good | Fair | Poor |
| Performance | Optimal | Good | Limited | Variable |
| Cost at Volume | Low | High | Medium | High |
| Size | Minimal | Large | Medium | Large |
| IP Security | Maximum | Low | Medium | None |
| Supply Assurance | High | Medium | Medium | Low |
ASICs across industries
ASICs are at the heart of technology across key industries.
Automotive
Tyre pressure monitoring, radar and LiDAR interfaces, braking systems.
Aerospace
Navigation and communication systems, designed to operate in harsh conditions.
ASIC feasibility assessment -
Is an ASIC right for your project?
ASICs are a winning solution if your project requires:
ASICs provide long-term availability assurance and eliminate obsolescence risks that disrupt production for products with extended lifecycles.
ASICs consolidate multiple discrete components, analogue-to-digital converters, amplifiers, microcontrollers, communication interfaces, into a single solution.
Custom ASIC design delivers the precise characteristics your application requires when commercial off-the-shelf parts cannot meet your performance requirements, power consumption constraints, or size limitations.
Getting started with ASICs
With over 40 years of experience and a proven track record in automotive, industrial, and aerospace markets, Swindon Silicon makes the journey to custom IC clear and collaborative. Our complete service, from design through to long-term supply, ensures your ASIC investment is protected every step of the way.
Initial consultation
Feasibility assessment
Architecture & proposal
Prototyping & validation
Production & supply
Frequently asked questions
How do ASIC chips improve performance?
ASICs are built specifically for your application, which means every transistor and circuit is optimised for the job it needs to do. This delivers:
- Faster processing – no wasted resources, so data flows more quickly.
- Lower latency – dedicated pathways reduce bottlenecks.
- Better power efficiency – less energy wasted compared to general-purpose chips.
- Higher reliability – designed to maintain signal integrity in demanding environments.
By stripping out unnecessary functions and focusing only on what your product needs, ASICs consistently outperform off-the-shelf solutions.
How does an ASIC differ from an FPGA?
- ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit): Custom-built silicon designed for one application. It delivers maximum performance, lowest power consumption, smallest footprint, and strong IP protection. However, it requires upfront design investment and is particularly suited for high-volume production.
- FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array): A flexible, reprogrammable chip that can be configured after manufacturing. It’s ideal for prototyping or low-volume products but comes with higher power use, larger size, and higher cost per unit compared to an ASIC.
In simple terms, FPGAs offer flexibility, while ASICs deliver efficiency. FPGAs are well-suited to digital functions but may struggle with analogue requirements, which ASICs can handle. That’s why many companies start with FPGA prototypes and move to ASICs for volume production.
How is an ASIC different from a GPU?
- ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit): A chip designed to do one task extremely well. It’s efficient, fast, and low-power for its specific function, but it cannot be repurposed.
- GPU (Graphics Processing Unit): A general-purpose processor with thousands of cores, originally built for graphics but now widely used for parallel tasks like AI, scientific computing, and gaming. GPUs are flexible but consume more power and are less efficient than ASICs for single, fixed tasks.
In summary: ASICs are specialists, GPUs are generalists.
Can ASICs be reprogrammed?
While you can’t fundamentally change an ASIC’s hardware once it’s manufactured, many designs include elements such as a microcontroller — for example, an ARM core — where software can be updated and rewritten in flash memory. This allows for flexibility at the system level, even though the ASIC’s core circuitry remains fixed.
What's the typical ASIC development timeline?
Most ASIC projects are completed within 12-24 months, depending on complexity. This includes specification, design, prototyping, and production qualification. Our milestone-based approach provides clarity at each stage.