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I am making my own circuit and I am using ATtiny10-TS8R (I couldn't buy any another type for now), but I found (6) in the datasheet on the part I want to use:

Enter image description here

As noted in point (6), it says "Not recommended for new designs".

I used it already and the circuit worked very well, but I am willing to go to mass production, so, is it safe to use that one (TS8R) or may my circuit face problems in the future?

Peter Mortensen
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M Y
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2 Answers2

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Not recommended for new designs means just that - they want to remove that SKU and are warning you that it will happen soon. If you are producing a large volume (often not actually that big, >10K), they might continue manufacturing for you on a contract basis.

This warning suggests you should move to a compatible or newer microcontroller for a design you want to start producing now and into the future. In this case, it would be the "ATTINY10-TSFR" if you want to have the same temperature range. If you can secure enough stock of the obsolete part for your purposes, then go for it, but be aware they might not be available in the future.

Peter Mortensen
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awjlogan
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    Sometimes it can mean there’s a bug in the design and there’s a newer part that works better. Yet the manufacturer is still producing the older part for customers who designed it in and are in production with it. They just don’t want the older part used in a new design due to the potential issue. – John D Jan 24 '21 at 17:17
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    it can also be a case of the manufacturer, Atmel/Microchip, upgrading their fab process / going to another foundry etc. The replacement here shouldn't be a problem at all. – Pete W Jan 24 '21 at 17:28
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    To add a story from my work experience: we used an obsolete part for a long time, always saying: "We'll do the redesign at some point", but due to market issues, we never did until the part was actually out of production. We were able to score enough stock to last another year of production, but the redesign was a major PITA because we needed to rush things a LOT. – arne Jan 25 '21 at 04:19
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    @arne That happens way more often than anyone would like... It's a good idea to plan redesigns on your own terms, instead of being forced at an always inconvenient moment. Unfortunately, there's always enough other work that a redesign opportunity is unlikely to appear unless the management is on board with the understanding that a redesign is necessary ahead of time. The stress such forced redesigns induce in people can be entirely avoided with good management. If one can afford to be picky when job hunting, it's worth asking exactly how they deal with such scenarios. It'll be telling. – Kuba hasn't forgotten Monica Jan 25 '21 at 18:07
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All electronic parts usually have a part status specified by the manufacturer, as follows:

  • (Highly) Recommended. A new part that the manufacturer is pushing for and will keep producing for a long time ahead. Good to use in new designs.
  • Active/Production. Normal status, meaning that the part is available, in production and good to use in new designs.
  • Not recommended (for new designs). The part is still in full production but the manufacturer either offers a better equivalent part, or they plan to phase the part out of production. When they want to get rid of old parts they often keep raising the price.
  • Obsolete. The part is no longer produced. Before a part goes obsolete, customers are often offered a Last time buy. A fixed last order date giving customers a chance to place one final order to cover their own needs for a foreseeable future.
Lundin
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