Western Design Center
The Western Design Center (WDC), maker of microprocessors, microcontrollers, and related support chips, was founded in 1978 by co-holder of the MOS Technology 6502 patent, Bill Mensch, himself a former MOS Technology employee. WDC is located in Mesa, Arizona.
In addition to the actual microchips, WDC offers the chips' designs as IP cores to be used inside other chips (like ASICs), and provides ASIC and embedded systems consulting services revolving around their processor designs. WDC also makes compilers and assemblers for their processors.
Notable WDC products
- W65C02 - bug-fixed CMOS version of the originally NMOS-based 6502
- W65C22 - MOS Technology 6522 (VIA)-compatible I/O chip
- W65802 - a 65816 with a 16-bit address bus; pin-compatible drop-in replacement for 6502
- W65816 - 16-bit compatible follow-up to the W65C02; 24-bit address bus
