Signetics
| File:Signetics logo.svg Logo used from 1971 to 1981 | |
| Industry | Integrated circuits |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1961 |
| Founder | David Allison, David James, Lionel Kattner, and Mark Weissenstern |
| Fate | Acquired by Philips |
| Headquarters | , USA |
Signetics Corporation was a pioneering American electronics firm established in 1961 with a focus on manufacturing integrated circuits. The company was responsible for developing early microprocessors and companion chips, notably the widely recognized 555 timer. After its acquisition by Philips in 1975, Signetics was eventually merged into Philips Semiconductors (currently NXP).
History
Signetics was created by former Fairchild Semiconductor engineers David Allison, David James, Lionel Kattner, and Mark Weissenstern. Their objective was to commercialize integrated circuits during a period when Fairchild concentrated on discrete components. The company’s name is derived from the words Signal Network Electronics.
The initial capital of $1 million was raised through Lehman Brothers to support the design and production of ICs tailored for specific clients. Unlike traditional R&D departments, engineering efforts were closely aligned with marketing strategies. In 1962, Signetics introduced a line of standard DTL ICs but encountered difficulties in selling custom circuits, which led to a $1.7 million investment from Corning Glass, granting them a controlling 51% ownership.
In 1963, the U.S. Department of Defense’s increased emphasis on microelectronics significantly expanded demand for Signetics’ custom integrated circuits, resulting in rapid revenue growth and profitability. To meet this demand, the company expanded manufacturing capacity with a large fabrication plant in Sunnyvale, California, followed by additional facilities in Orem, Utah and Albuquerque, New Mexico.
During the mid-1960s, intense competition from Fairchild—backed by greater resources allowing aggressive price reductions—caused Signetics to lose its market-leading position. Corning reacted by replacing much of the original management team to restore stability. Nevertheless, Signetics continued to innovate and launched the revolutionary 555 timer IC around 1971, which became a bestselling product and solidified the company's standing in both analog and digital integrated circuit development.
Following its acquisition by Philips in 1975, the Signetics brand persisted throughout the early 1980s at its peak U.S. manufacturing operations before being fully absorbed into Philips Semiconductors (now NXP). In 1995, Philips divested its South Korean assembly and testing division—originally established by Signetics—as an independent subcontractor that retained the Signetics name. Since the year 2000, this brand has been mainly linked to the Young Poong Group.
Notable devices
Signetics produced numerous innovative analog and digital integrated circuits that became widely accepted as de facto standards in mass-market electronics. Their freely available application notes played a key role in educating engineers about the ease and versatility of their ICs. Many of these designs have achieved iconic status and continue to be utilized in educational electronics laboratories.
- The 555 timer IC remains their most famous product, extensively manufactured and employed in timing circuits, oscillators, and fundamental electronic applications.
- The NE565 featured sophisticated phase-locked loop technology and was paired with the NE566 voltage-controlled oscillator to advance digital communication systems.
- The Signetics 2650, an 8-bit microprocessor introduced in the early 1970s, powered video game consoles like the Arcadia 2001 as well as early telesoftware transmission systems.
- Launched in 1976, the Signetics 8X300, a bipolar microprocessor with a limited instruction set, served primarily as a high-speed control processor.
- The Signetics 2513 character generator chip found use in devices such as the TV Typewriter, Apple I and early Apple II computers, along with Atari’s initial arcade games.
- The Signetics 82S100 FPLA holds distinction as the first commercially successful programmable logic device and is considered a forerunner of modern FPGAs.
- The NE5532, an audio operational amplifier widely adopted across industries, is regarded as a benchmark standard for audio op amps.
- The NE5517 operational transconductance amplifier remains in production today and is frequently referenced as a classic example of an OTA in technical documentation.
See also
Further reading
- Lécuyer, C. Making Silicon Valley: Innovation and the Growth of High Tech, 1930-1970, MIT Press, 2006.
External links
- Pages with broken file links
- Defunct semiconductor companies of the United States
- Defunct computer companies of the United States
- Defunct computer hardware companies
- Assembly and Test semiconductor companies
- Companies based in Silicon Valley
- Technology companies based in the San Francisco Bay Area
- American companies established in 1961
- American companies disestablished in 1975
- Computer companies established in 1961
- Computer companies disestablished in 1975
- Electronics companies established in 1961
- Electronics companies disestablished in 1975
- Technology companies established in 1961
- Technology companies disestablished in 1975
- 1961 establishments in California
- 1975 disestablishments in California
- Philips
- Defunct companies based in the San Francisco Bay Area
- 1975 mergers and acquisitions
- NXP Semiconductors
- Companies of the United States by year of establishment
- 5