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Based on the bandwidth and relatively good availability of Thunderbolt 3 ports on PCs we are considering incorporating a Thunderbolt 3 interface into a new product.

My understanding is that the thunderbolt can interface a PCIe endpoint.

Intel has the DSL6340 controller which is available for purchase from various vendors, but I haven't seen any accompanying development materials.

Is it possible to obtain development support material for Thunderbolt 3 if it's for a low-volume product? Is it feasible for a small company to develop a Thunderbolt 3 product?

Keegan Jay
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  • Have you simply tried to contact intel? – Marcus Müller Feb 12 '18 at 17:14
  • To be honest I'm still figuring out *how* to contact them. This is what makes me think they only work with a massive company. Maybe someone here who's worked in the actual industry knows how these things work. – Keegan Jay Feb 12 '18 at 17:19

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You can request info on becoming a Thunderbolt developer at https://thunderbolttechnology.net/contact/thunderbolt-developer . It says they will get back to you within 3 weeks. As long as you are a company and/or startup, they should at least talk to you. It will help if you have a company email and/or website. If you are currently buying parts from any distributor that reps Intel, you can also try going through their Intel FAE (Field Applications Engineer).

crj11
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  • FYI I applied for access with Intel, but we were ultimately declined. I provided a few requested technical details about our project and requirements, but ultimately I think they would have preferred to see a higher-volume product closer to production. We are just developing our internal prototypes for R&D. – Keegan Jay Feb 22 '18 at 21:34
  • Sorry to vent, but this is very annoying... I'm new to the EE game, but as an individual, trying to create a very niche product, the additional hoops I need to get through that Intel imposes makes this almost impossible. And the technology has become pretty wide-spread at this point, this should be more open than it is... – carlossless Jul 15 '18 at 14:25