Comments for Semico Spin http://semimd.com/semico Deep Insights for Chip Builders Mon, 16 Apr 2012 14:34:06 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v= Comment on Forecasting Wafer Demand: Technology Migration, Bottlenecks and Confetti by jacques http://semimd.com/semico/2012/04/09/forecasting-wafer-demand-technology-migration-bottlenecks-and-confetti/#comment-577 jacques Mon, 16 Apr 2012 14:34:06 +0000 http://semimd.com/semico/?p=139#comment-577 Great and convincing study. To take into account the technology notes the US$turnover by wafer and by transistor ( a widely different number!) is needed to grasp the business incentives that drive these cycles. Great and convincing study. To take into account the technology notes the US$turnover by wafer and by transistor ( a widely different number!) is needed to grasp the business incentives that drive these cycles.

]]> Comment on 36% of Semiconductor Fabs at Risk from “Ring of Fire” by Chris http://semimd.com/semico/2012/01/16/36-of-semiconductor-fabs-at-risk-from-ring-of-fire/#comment-438 Chris Wed, 01 Feb 2012 07:02:23 +0000 http://semimd.com/semico/?p=124#comment-438 I have experienced the 9/21 earthquake in Taiwan in 1999 firsthand. It was a major earthquake, but thanks to high building standards damage to buildings were limited, including fab buildings in Hsinchu. Damage to equipment in our fab was relatively small as most equipment has been bolted down to the floor. Of course a lot of the 'work in progress' had to be scrapped, but we escaped a prolonged downtime. It would have been a completely different situation had our equipment not been bolted down and demonstrates how some extra effort at low cost and common sense can greatly reduce natural desasters' impacts. I have experienced the 9/21 earthquake in Taiwan in 1999 firsthand. It was a major earthquake, but thanks to high building standards damage to buildings were limited, including fab buildings in Hsinchu. Damage to equipment in our fab was relatively small as most equipment has been bolted down to the floor. Of course a lot of the ‘work in progress’ had to be scrapped, but we escaped a prolonged downtime. It would have been a completely different situation had our equipment not been bolted down and demonstrates how some extra effort at low cost and common sense can greatly reduce natural desasters’ impacts.

]]> Comment on A Solution to the 450mm Equipment Problem? by John http://semimd.com/semico/2011/07/19/a-solution-to-the-450mm-equipment-problem/#comment-66 John Tue, 06 Sep 2011 18:52:27 +0000 http://semimd.com/semico/?p=78#comment-66 There is actually one big supplier group that does get customer R&D funding—it is the aircraft industry you mentioned, at least when it comes to defense. The size and complexity of their projects somewhat parallels that for 450mm. As an example, the Joint Strike Fighter is funded jointly by the services, and a planned procurement and funding schedule is provided to the suppliers (see http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/weapons/RL30563.pdf, page 18). Some lessons from funding and managing large, strategic programs could be brought to bear from the government. Granted, government-funded R&D programs are usually competitions with one prime-contractor winner, though the wisdom of this is being debated. Placing jointly-contributed R&D funding into an escrow account, reserved for funding 450mm, might be a start. Depending on whose estimate of R&D required you believe (test wafers alone could be $billions), ATIC may not have the deep pockets required, nor want to carry the entire risk. Rumors of a new 450mm consortium abound...hopefully it will come to fruition soon. Unified clarity on timing is sorely needed. Some lessons from other industries could help structure the cooperation for most efficient use of scare resources. John There is actually one big supplier group that does get customer R&D funding—it is the aircraft industry you mentioned, at least when it comes to defense. The size and complexity of their projects somewhat parallels that for 450mm. As an example, the Joint Strike Fighter is funded jointly by the services, and a planned procurement and funding schedule is provided to the suppliers (see http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/weapons/RL30563.pdf, page 18).

Some lessons from funding and managing large, strategic programs could be brought to bear from the government. Granted, government-funded R&D programs are usually competitions with one prime-contractor winner, though the wisdom of this is being debated. Placing jointly-contributed R&D funding into an escrow account, reserved for funding 450mm, might be a start. Depending on whose estimate of R&D required you believe (test wafers alone could be $billions), ATIC may not have the deep pockets required, nor want to carry the entire risk.

Rumors of a new 450mm consortium abound…hopefully it will come to fruition soon. Unified clarity on timing is sorely needed. Some lessons from other industries could help structure the cooperation for most efficient use of scare resources.

John

]]>