A System On Module (SoM) developed by ELECTRA IC: BitFlex-SPB-A7 FPGA SoM

BitFlex-SPB-A7 is a System On Module (SoM) with AMD's 7 series Xilinx FPGAs at its core. Designed by Electra IC engineers to be used in many areas involving digital signal processing such as radar, wireless communication.

What is this product? What does it do? What is it good for?

First of all, let us briefly explain what a System-on-Module (SoM) is:
A System-on-Module (SoM) is a ready-made electronic board solution that includes all the necessary units such as processor, communication interfaces, memory blocks, power management on a single printed circuit board (PCB). In this way, complex electronic board designs with specific interfaces and components on which SoMs can be placed can be designed more simply and quickly.
BitFlex-SPB-A7, which we have developed, is a SoM that contains Artix 7 FPGAs produced by AMD with the aim of high performance and cost-effectiveness and can be flexibly suitable for many applications with various interfaces on it.
BitFlex-SPB-A7 can be an utterly ready processor board on a single printed circuit board that can be placed on electronic boards customized for use in areas such as radar and wireless communication, as well as a demo board that can be used alone in software development stages.

What is your reason for developing this product?

FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array) is a microchip used in hardware designs and can be reprogrammed repeatedly for different functions. In Turkiye and worldwide, FPGAs are frequently preferred to develop complex and high-performance systems in areas such as radar and communication systems.
While FPGAs are used so frequently, there is an equal need for FPGA development boards, which is expected to increase daily. Electra IC has years of experience in digital and hardware design. In 2022, thanks to a project initiated by one of our customers, this experience was turned into a product, and BitFlex-SPB-A7 SoM was designed and produced. Because Electra IC is an Elite Partner of AMD, this product has been presented to the world market from AMD's website.

Did Electra IC's engineers develop the product?

Yes, the product is developed by ElectraIC engineers. It was developed in line with the requests of one of our customers. The validations were carried out in the laboratory environment within comprehensive test scenarios. Acceptance tests were also completed and accepted by our customer.

How long did it take to develop the product?

BitFlex-SPB-A7 was transformed into a product by going through many stages such as design, production, and testing processes. All these processes were completed in 12 months.

Will you be able to make similar products for all customers who request them?

Yes, of course. With BitFlex-SPB-A7, we have further strengthened our experience in these processes by turning our expertise in digital design and hardware design into a product. In the future, we continue on our way with stronger and more confident steps to develop similar products with different interfaces or different FPGA families for our customers. Developing customized FPGA boards specific to such customer requests is one of the important competencies that brings our company to the forefront.

What does BitFlex-SPB-A7 mean for ElectraIC?

BitFlex-SPB-A7 is an FPGA SoM that contains 7 series FPGAs used in many projects worldwide. With BitFlex-SPB-A7, we have both created an alternative solution for companies and increased Electra IC's experience in this field. BitFlex-SPB-A7 offers a flexible solution that can meet the SoM needs in many areas that include digital signal processing such as radar systems, wireless communication systems. In addition, Electra IC shows that with the experience gained from productizing such a design, it is ready and confident to design SoMs that serve different purposes and include larger FPGAs.

03.03.2024