2024-04-02 09:10:43
TSMC is currently building a chip production facility in the US state of Arizona, which is one of the largest facilities at a cost of 40 billion US dollars. Among other things, Apple has already shown great interest in sourcing its chips from there. It was originally planned that mass production of the first chips would start in the first half of 2025. But in recent months there have been increasing reports of delays, which have been justified, among other things, by increased costs. But the search for skilled workers is also said to have become a problem for TSMC.
Now the Taiwanese News Magazine reports United Daily Newsthat TSMC is suddenly ahead of schedule. The first production is scheduled to start in mid-April, but this is nothing more than a commissioning and does not yet deliver any finished chips. However, mass production is scheduled to start at the end of 2024 – ahead of the previously communicated schedule.
A press conference is planned for April 18th at which TSMC will announce financial support from the US Chips Act and also the trial operation of its fab in Arizona. The company did not want to confirm the report when contacted by UDN.
However, it should not be a coincidence that following the possible funding amounts were announced, progress in the construction and commissioning of the fab suddenly moved faster than previously assumed. Intel will receive $8.5 billion for its mega-fab in Ohio. Apparently six 10 billion US dollars are planned for Samsung and TSMC is being funded with five 10 billion US dollars in Arizona. There will also be low-interest loans and tax credits – at least that is usual for such funding projects.
According to TSMC, they want to offer the same level of manufacturing quality in Arizona as in the fabs in Taiwan. However, this does not have to mean that the very latest manufacturing techniques are used here. Apple was extremely interested in manufacturing in Arizona, but the iPhone giant always orders chips from the latest production sizes and is also dependent on the packaging of these chips from TSMC, which will continue to take place in the corresponding fabs in Taiwan.
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