Specialty Distributor for Obsolete & Hard-to-Find Components
FPGACenter has been sourcing obsolete and hard-to-find electronic components since 2016, with particular depth in legacy FPGAs and CPLDs. We serve sustaining-engineering and procurement teams who need verifiable parts after the original distribution channels have closed.
How We Source Obsolete Parts
The four-step process behind every shipment we send.
Supplier qualification
Every supplier in our network is qualified through documentation review, sample inspection history, and ongoing performance tracking. We prioritise suppliers with verifiable quality systems (ISO 9001, AS9120 where applicable) and franchise relationships where they exist.
Sourcing & verification
For each request, we check authorised distribution first, then the manufacturer's last-time-buy availability, and then our qualified specialty channels. Pricing, lead time, and supply provenance are documented before any order is placed.
Inspection aligned with IDEA-STD-1010
Parts received from non-authorised channels are inspected against IDEA-STD-1010-B protocol — external visual examination, marking permanency testing, lot documentation review — and, where appropriate, package material analysis (XRF) and electrical sampling.
Documentation & traceability
Each shipment carries a certificate of conformance with lot codes, date codes, supply chain provenance, and inspection findings. Documentation is retained for the lifetime of the customer relationship.
How We Operate
The operating principles we use day-to-day.
Verify, don't assume
Every non-authorised lot passes through inspection before it ships. Documentation accompanies every shipment.
Long-horizon customers
Most of our revenue comes from sustaining-engineering and procurement teams supporting products with 10-20 year lifecycles. We optimise for the long relationship, not the single transaction.
Specialty, not breadth
We focus on the parts other distributors stop carrying — obsolete ICs, legacy FPGAs and CPLDs, and hard-to-find inventory — rather than competing on commodity volume.
Operational responsiveness
Same-day quoting on in-stock parts. Express dispatch from Hong Kong logistics to most countries in 2-7 business days.
Our Team
The departments behind the inventory, inspections, and customer relationships.
Sourcing Team
Procurement specialists focused on FPGA, CPLD, and obsolete IC sourcing through both authorised and specialty distribution channels.
Quality Assurance
Inspection technicians performing IDEA-STD-1010-aligned receiving inspection, documentation review, and lot disposition.
Customer Support
Sales engineers handling RFQs, BOM lifecycle analysis, and order coordination across time zones.
All blog content is published under the FPGACenter Sourcing Team byline.
Our Journey
Key milestones in our history
Founded
Established in Shenzhen as an independent distributor specialising in hard-to-find ICs and programmable logic devices.
Hong Kong office
Opened trading and logistics operations in Hong Kong to support faster international shipping and customs clearance.
Quality system
Adopted incoming inspection procedures aligned with IDEA-STD-1010 protocol and IPC-1601 PCN monitoring.
Platform launch
Launched the online catalog and RFQ platform, enabling part search, BOM submission, and direct sourcing inquiries.
Sourcing network
Grew the qualified supplier network to cover authorised, franchised, and specialty channels across Asia, Europe, and North America.
Catalog expanded
Reached 720,000+ part numbers across 380+ manufacturers, with particular depth in obsolete FPGAs, CPLDs, and legacy ICs.
Standards & Memberships
Industry frameworks our process aligns with.
Recent Insights
Procurement, quality, and FPGA sourcing guidance from our team.
Frequently Asked Questions
What types of parts does FPGACenter source?
Our focus is obsolete and hard-to-find electronic components: legacy FPGAs and CPLDs (Spartan, Cyclone, MachXO, MAX series), end-of-life ICs, NRND parts, and specialty inventory across 380+ manufacturers. We also support BOM lifecycle analysis for procurement teams running quarterly risk reviews.
Are FPGACenter's parts authentic?
Parts sourced through authorised distribution are authentic by definition. For parts sourced through specialty channels (which is normal for components that have left authorised distribution), every lot is inspected against IDEA-STD-1010-B protocol with full documentation. No inspection process is infallible, but the combination of qualified suppliers, layered inspection, and traceability documentation is the industry-standard approach to managing counterfeit risk.
Is FPGACenter an authorised distributor or a specialty distributor?
We operate as a specialty distributor focused on the obsolete and hard-to-find segment. For parts still in authorised distribution, we typically refer customers to franchise distributors (Mouser, Digi-Key, Arrow, etc.) because that is the lower-cost, lower-risk channel. We add value where authorised stock is depleted or where specialty inspection is required.
What's the minimum order quantity?
No minimum order quantity. We support customers ordering single units for prototypes as well as customers ordering tens of thousands of units for production builds.
How quickly can FPGACenter ship?
In-stock items typically dispatch same-day for orders placed before our cut-off, with express delivery to most countries in 2-7 business days. Specialty-sourced obsolete parts have longer lead times depending on availability — typical range is 1-6 weeks.
Do you support BOM analysis?
Yes. Send us a bill of materials and we can return a risk-prioritised report identifying NRND, EOL, and obsolete exposure, along with sourcing or replacement options for flagged parts. This is part of our sourcing service rather than a separately billed consulting engagement.
Ready to Work With Us?
Send us a part number, an RFQ, or a full BOM — our sourcing team will respond within one business day.