CAST Partners with Silesia Devices for Superior 8051 Microcontroller IP Cores

CAST, Inc. has forged a new technology partnership with start-up Silesia Devices Sp. z o.o., and has streamlined its 8051-compatible intellectual property product line to prepare for new IP cores and services Silesia Devices is about to launch.

An 8051 pioneer and sales leader, CAST began offering 8051-compatible IP cores sourced from technology partner Evatronix SA (acquired by Cadence last summer) in 1999. CAST will continue to carry the best product from that partnership, the R8051XC2, which is one of the fastest available 8051 cores, is extremely versatile, and has been successfully implemented in several hundred different customer products.

The engineers co-founding Silesia Devices worked on 8051 development at Evatronix. With more experience designing and supporting 8051 IP than any other engineering team, they have devised performance and energy-usage improvements that promise to give the venerable microcontroller a viable—and competitive—ongoing role in modern system applications. Easy development tools, complete debug packages, and supporting design services from Silesia Devices coupled with CAST’s extensive sales and support experience and cost-effective licensing will make using 8051s even more attractive.

“We are eager to start fresh applying all we’ve learned about 8051 design and successful customer reuse without the overhead of existing legacy products, and we are committed to developing the fastest, smallest, and lowest energy consuming 8051 IP cores in the world,” said Maciej Pyka, president at Silesia Devices. “Going our own way is a risky step, but our long relationship with CAST and their proven IP expertise gives us great confidence and an ability to focus entirely on technical excellence.” 

CAST is also an investor in Silesia Devices, and the new partnership gives CAST exclusive rights to worldwide sales for their products. The first new 8051 core is expected to ship in the first quarter of 2014.

“From sensor controllers for Internet of Things devices through industrial embedded system controllers or SoC housekeeper functions, we continue to see strong demand for the royalty-free, class-competitive 8051 IP cores we offer,” said Nikos Zervas, chief operating officer for CAST. “Now the talented designers at Silesia Devices are about to unveil a new generation of 8051 IP that outperforms anything out there, and we’re excited to soon be making this available to customers around the world.”

Silesia Devices Sp. z o.o. is a microcontroller and processor IP development firm founded in 2013. Located in Upper Silesia, the company is helping transform this former home of heavy industry in southern Poland into an emerging new high-tech business center. Learn more at www.silesia-devices.com.

CAST, Inc. is a 20-year-old developer, integrator, and aggregator of IP cores and subsystems. The company’s royalty-free product line features 8- and 32-bit controllers and processors with peripherals; video and image compression codecs; and graphics, encryption, interconnect, and interface IP for quickly building complete systems. See www.cast-inc.com for product details.