Anyone up for a challenge? Looking for Beck IPC@CHIP's developers in the US

[Dennis O'Keefe]

Hello All,

 

This one has been tough.  Beck is a company in Germany that makes semi-conductor chips.  They are used in lots of stuff, but mainly in Europe.  We are looking someone that has any experience with them in the US.

 

Does anyone have any ideas?

 

We have found some online forums, but no direct leads to either developers or US companies.

 

Dennis

[Bridgett Sorenson]

Dennis,

I enjoy a good hunt but need more info. Are you looking for US manufacturers like ROHM or developers from Beck? China has many manufacturing companies. Can you be more specific as to the type of "experience" you need; does the experience have to be specific with Beck's chips?

[Dennis O'Keefe]

Here is some more info. We are looking for embdedded chip developers with specific experince with the Beck line of chips? Nothing from China or other manufacturing companies. They have a number of euro clients, but we cant find any US types.
http://www.ipcatchip-onboard.com/members/index.asp?sp=en
The other key words could be: Beck IPC@CHIP OR "Beck Chip".

Beck IPC GmbH is a smallish german company located near Giessen. http://www.beck-ipc.com/en/index.asp

There is a forum that pops up quite a bit, but it is mostly european.

[Bridgett Sorenson]

To note, Marvell (they outsource most of their development to Asia) or ASML. Anyone from either company should be able to refer you.

[Dave Galley]

Ha, this sucked me in a bit! Are you in Phase 1 or Phase 2? ;)

1) Assuming you mean someone who develops software for this particular chip? As opposed to some developing devices that incorporate the chip?

2) Does the end application matter? I mean, the chips look like they are mostly used for automation/control/communications, but it'd be a hell of a thing to finally find the three people who have this experience in the US, only to learn that your (for instance) paint and pigment customer actually doesn't want anyone with a pulp and paper background.

3) The problem I've had when seeking people with experience using specific chips is that you wind up having to look at 3-4+ layers removed. There might be a handful of people in the world writing generalized code specifically for this line of chips (there is a company in upstate NY that developed a compiler specifically for Beck IPC, for instance). Anyone else is writing for a larger board or device that incorporates the chip. Since companies don't always advertise what components they use, it can take some digging to find that out (check out their support docs - if they have included the Beck IPC chip in their product, they may have either a link to or a copy of the technical docs for the chip somewhere on their site). I've been able to identify a couple of US companies using Beck-IPC chips in their products, or reselling products of companies that do so, or selling products/services that incorporate OTHER companies' products which in turn contain the Beck IPC chips. Not sure if the equipment manufacturers, or their customers, are the best to target for developers, though.

Turning the process around, you could find otu what your customer is using the Beck chips for, find other companies providing similar solutions, and calling around until you find out which ones use the same chips.

[Dennis O'Keefe]

we are you in Phase 1 of this search. To add some clarification, we are looking for the Software Developers that have developed software for this particular chip? (The chip itself is almost more of a component than just a chip, so the complexity of programing on it, is a bit more involved - - just as the capabilities are a bit more robust than just a regular chip)

2) Does the end application matter? We are being told it does not really matter, because of the fundamentals of programing/developing software on the chip; however, the primary application is in Digital Media.

[Dave Galley]

Digital media, eh? At least it wasn't social media! Can't quite put a finger on what the final product would have to be.

But like I said, work your way through partners and suppliers. I'd also check out the company that makes their custom IDE - www.devtools.com. I think, US-wise, that Grid Connect uses Beck stuff in some of the products they're pushing. Not part of the possibly-defunctish "on board" community (not much activity out of that group in the last 2 years), but they do use.

I doubt Beck would disclose their customer data cheap and easy, but try the forum on their website, see if you can track some of the users back to their employers and locations, and you could work that angle as well. Looks like they do or did a lot of university business, too, so perhaps finding out which EE programs they supplied and looking for grads who've emigrated since?

Nothing more specific for you, unfortunately. Interesting challenge, though!