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Idea 5: Develop pin-compatible FPGA or ASIC conversions
Given the potential cost and power savings, it makes sense to convert existing FPGAs to gate arrays, even for fairly low-volume products. In addition to saving money on every FPGA, you eliminate the cost of additional ROM devices and the board space they occupy, as well as programming time at the factory. NEC Electronics simplifies such conversions with gate arrays that are pin-compatible with a variety of FPGAs.
While pin-compatible conversions are convenient for existing FPGAs, planning such conversions from the beginning of the design cycle can save even more money. Normally, a gate array has significantly fewer I/Os than an FPGA. Specifically, a gate array has no programming inputs and needs fewer power and ground connections because power consumption is lower. So if you can give up pin compatibility, you can usually get an equivalent gate array in a smaller and less expensive package.
Some vendors have EOLed their ASIC products. In many cases, these older ASIC products can be quickly redesigned into gate arrays. Pin-compatible ASIC conversions to gate arrays can extend the life of your product by several years at minimal cost.
