MEYREUIL, France, Sep 18, 2025 – Presto Engineering has announced that it has taped out two advanced (macro) intellectual properties (IPs) in collaboration with X-FAB Silicon Foundries. These IPs, comprising a low power near field communication (NFC) analog front-end with power management and a sigma-delta analog-to-digital converter (ADC), are available in X-FAB’s IP catalog for customers aiming sensing applications in industrial IoT, healthcare, smart packaging, and secure logistics.
“Collaborating with X-FAB through this tape-out reinforces our position as a trusted silicon IP enabler in Europe. We bring robust, silicon-proven IP blocks into the hands of system designers looking for ultra-low power and high-precision ASIC capabilities,” said Cédric Mayor, CEO of Presto Engineering. “These building blocks are part of our broader IP platform strategy to support the development of customers’ ASICs for long battery life and application-specific use cases.”
The tape-outs used X-FAB’s wafer service on a 180nm analog/mixed-signal process, providing a path to industrial-scale production. The IPs can be integrated into new ASIC designs to lower risk and shorten development time.
“Partnering with Presto Engineering demonstrates X-FAB’s commitment to delivering advanced, optimized IP solutions for our customers leveraging mature, cost-effective process technologies,” said Ulrich Bretthauer, product marketing manager at X-FAB. “The tape-out of these two IP blocks on our 180nm node represents a significant milestone in our collaboration, enhancing the European semiconductor ecosystem with expanded IP offerings.”
The NFC front-end IP supports ISO/IEC 14443 Type A and includes power management for battery-less operation and wireless charging. It operates at sub-1µA standby current, enabling autonomous sensors for temperature tracking or healthcare monitoring applications.
NFC Macro IP Key Features:
- ISO 14443 Type A compliant analog front-end
- Data rates up to 848 kbps; operating distance up to 10 cm with credit-card antenna
- On-chip energy harvesting, power management and automatic switch between NFC power and 2.7–5.5 V battery
- Standby current < 1 µA
- Suited for cold-chain temperature tags, healthcare patches and autonomous sensors
Click here to download the leaflet.
The Sigma-Delta ADC IP provides up to 20-bit ENOB at 1 kS/s with adjustable power-performance settings. It supports electrochemical measurements, weighing systems, industrial process control, and audio with programmable sample rates.
ADC Macro IP Key Features:
- Sigma-Delta architecture with programable data rates up to 100 ksps
- Up to 20 bit ENOB at 1 ksps; 17 bit ENOB at 100 ksps
- Integrated PGA (gain up to 64) and anti-aliasing filter
- Configurable Sinc3/Sinc4 digital output filters
- Dual power modes: 40 mW max in high-performance, < 0.5 mW in low-power
- Ideal for precision measurement (weighing scales, electrochemical sensors, industrial process control, audio using programmable sample rate)
Click here to download the leaflet.
The NFC and ADC IPs are part of Presto’s library of building blocks and platforms, developed in Europe and designed for integration into ASICs. These IP platforms address market needs in:
- Medical wearables & in-vitro diagnostics (IVD)
- Industrial IoT and surveillance systems
- Smart packaging and logistics
- Transportation and mobility
Presto provides a complete ASIC development and production flow, from specification to tape-out, silicon validation, and volume manufacturing, supported by in-house test capabilities and partnerships across the semiconductor supply chain.
Source: Presto Engineering
About Presto Engineering
Presto Engineering, founded in 2006, is a semiconductor services company that specializes in ASIC design and semiconductor solutions. The company is headquartered in Meyreuil, France, with additional locations in the United States, Denmark, the United Kingdom, and Asia. It serves industries such as medical, automotive, industrial, and communications. Presto offers a full range of services, including test development, qualification, failure analysis, packaging, and volume production. With over 150 employees, the company has shipped more than one billion semiconductor units. It manages a global supply chain capable of producing over 50 million units annually. As of 2025, Presto Engineering’s estimated annual revenue is approximately $33.5 million.
About X-FAB
X-FAB Silicon Foundries SE is a specialty semiconductor foundry that provides analog, mixed-signal, MEMS, high-voltage, and SiC process technologies. It serves the automotive, industrial, medical, and consumer electronics industries. Founded in 1992, the company is headquartered in Belgium, with manufacturing sites in Germany, Texas, Malaysia and France. X-FAB reported about $816M in revenue for 2024 and projects between $820 million and $870 million for 2025.