An IC clone is a functional reproduction of an existing chip: same footprint, same pinout, same timing behaviour and the same interface contract. It exists because the original part has gone obsolete, was never sold outside an OEM channel, or was custom-designed for a product whose design data no longer exists.

Cloning is not copying. In most engagements the original die is proprietary and cannot be reproduced layer for layer anyway — the practical goal is a device that behaves identically at the pins, which is what the surrounding circuit actually depends on.

When cloning makes sense

• Obsolescence — the part is no longer manufactured, inventory is exhausted, and redesigning the surrounding product would cost more than reproducing the chip
• Capture market — the part exists only inside a single OEM product and cannot be bought openly, but the system it belongs to must be serviced or extended
• Custom silicon — an ASIC or gate array was designed for one product and the original design house is gone
• Cost — a legacy but still-available part is priced so high that a functional equivalent is cheaper over the remaining product life

How we build a clone

Implementation routes, and how we choose

For low-to-medium volumes a CPLD or small FPGA gives the fastest route to a working part and the shortest risk. For logic-heavy legacy functions a modern MCU with the right peripheral set is often cheaper per unit at volume. For analog-dominant devices the reproduction may be a small mixed-signal board rather than a single die. We recommend the route only after characterisation, because the sensible choice depends on the ratio of analog to digital content and on your annual quantity.

What you receive

• A functional specification derived from measurement, not from the old datasheet
• Prototype samples that fit the original footprint, with an equivalence test report against the original part
• Documentation covering pinout, timing, and any behaviour that differs in a way you need to know about
• Where relevant, the design files for the reproduction so that you are not dependent on us for future production

Frequently asked questions

Is cloning a chip legal?
That depends on your jurisdiction and on what the original design actually is. Functional reproduction of an interface behaviour is generally treated differently from copying protected mask work or embedded firmware. We require written confirmation that you own the original device or are authorised to reproduce it, and we state clearly in the deliverable what was reproduced by measurement rather than copied from protected material.

Will the clone be pin-for-pin compatible?
Yes, that is the point of the engagement. The prototype is tested in your socket, and where a behaviour differs — a startup delay, an edge rate, a quiescent current — it is reported in the equivalence test rather than left for you to discover.

How many units do I have to order?
There is no minimum from us. In practice the reproduction becomes economical above a few hundred units per year, or immediately when the alternative is a product redesign. We will tell you honestly if the volume does not justify the engineering.

Can you clone a chip that has embedded firmware inside it?
We can determine whether firmware is present and, where the protection allows, extract it. Whether the firmware can be reused is a legal question rather than a technical one, and we will not reproduce protected code without written authorisation from the rights holder.

How long does a clone project take?
A simple programmable-logic part can be reproduced in three to six weeks. A mixed-signal custom device typically runs three to six months because characterisation across the operating range is the slow part, not the implementation.

Start a clone assessment

Send the part number, a photograph of the package, your annual quantity, and the reason you need the part reproduced. We will assess feasibility, recommend an implementation route and quote the stages separately so you can stop at any point. Work is accepted only where the requester can demonstrate ownership or written authorisation.