Skills and Capabilities at Active Silicon

For over 35 years, Active Silicon has manufactured computer imaging and embedded products. We are a leading global provider of custom embedded systems and custom embedded vision systems, camera electronics for video transmission and image acquisition boards. Our high-tech products are put to work at the forefront of imaging and embedded technology.

With our expertise and experience in the industry we help to find the best solutions for your application. Since being acquired by Solid State in 2021, we have joined forces with their Systems Division, Steatite, and can now offer an even wider skillset for larger and more complex projects. Have a look at our group capability page which explains the group wide skills, services and product ranges:

In addition to our abilities in designing custom hardware and FPGAs, our software development expertise and our experience in efficient prototyping and manufacturing, we are supported by Steatite’s custom housing and configuration capabilities and extensive testing facilities to provide a one-stop-shop for system design and build.

Whether you need a full custom turnkey solution, or you would like us to tailor an existing product to your needs, we can support you with our systems expertise and design skills.

System / Hardware / FPGA design skills and capabilities

System level design

• Definition of the architecture, the logical and the physical design of the product
• 3D mechanical design

Schematics & PCB design

• Component selection and optimal pin-out
• High-speed, multi-Gigabit designs
• HDI-PCB
• DDR3 and DDR4 capabilities

FPGA/VHDL design

• Extensive firmware skills to support complex hardware
• CoaXPress and Camera Link IP cores
• Experts in AMD-Xilinx and Lattice

Software development and applications

Active Silicon has always provided software support for its many hardware product lines and has extensive experience developing software under Windows, Linux, QNX and macOS. Our skills in software include:

• Kernel drivers for several operating systems: Windows, Linux, QNX, macOS
• Libraries / API design and implementation
• Graphics display: DirectX, OpenGL, CUDA
• GUI application design (Qt, C# / WPF)
• GenICam / GenTL
• Application software for custom embedded systems

Prototyping and Manufacturing

Prototyping

• Fast turn-around on PCB and assembly prototyping
• Fast turn-around on prototyping for mechanical parts
• Scale modelling using CAD data e.g. 3D printing (Rapid Prototyping)

Manufacturing, testing and supply chain management

• Manufacturing of board level parts with established partners, who we have been working with for over ten years and have a proven record of success and quality
• Inspection of each step and final system assembly in-house at Active Silicon
• Thorough testing of the final products managed in-house
• Additional specialist test facilities via Steatite include a thermal test chamber, vibration test jig, near-field RF test chamber and a semi-anechoic EMC test chamber. Supply chain management and stock holding of all components managed by Active Silicon

Working with the Active Silicon team

Our friendly team of enthusiastic engineers is looking forward to working with you and your colleagues. Let’s find the best solutions for your project by considering all important aspects including performance requirements, costs, product life time and quality assurance.

With our in-house expertise and combining the skills of our Steatite colleagues, we support:

• Creating a customized system with exactly the right functionality for your requirements
• Finding the optimal solution for your electronic, electrical and mechanical challenges
• Providing combined knowledge of qualified experts and leading-edge production processes
• Quick and economic implementation into your vision system
• Assuring compliance with ISO-9001:2015, RoHS, REACH and other industry specifications
• Guaranteeing on-going support for the lifetime of the product
• Helping you to leave your team free to remain focused on their core responsibilities

Get in touch to see how Active Silicon can support your system design.