IPC International Community magazine an association member publication
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IPC COMMUNITY 93 WINTER 2025 T aking the course, A Techni- cal Overview of the Semi- conductor CHIP Industry, taught by Cheah Soo Lan, wasn't just a professional box to check for me; it was an opportu- nity to understand the technical backbone of a field that directly influences the work I do at IPC. While I'm not immersed in the technical aspects of semicon- ductors day to day, learning about this landscape allows me to better align our funding pur- suits with the strategic needs of the industry. Before this course, I had a gen- eral sense of the semiconductor industry, especially its reliance on global supply chains and the role of countries like Taiwan and Korea in advanced chip manu- facturing. But the course provided far more depth, particularly in showing how intricate and vast the eco- system has become, and how reliant modern econ- omies and industries are on these small yet essential components. This is infor- mation I was aware of but gained a deeper under- standing of, especially in terms of how this complex- ity ties into government relations and economic strategy. One of the highlights for me was learning about the techno- logical innovations pushing the industry forward. For example, memory chips are no longer just flat but are being made denser by stacking them over 100 layers high. Additionally, electronic design automation (EDA) compa- nies are incorporating artificial intelligence to automate certain parts of the chip design process, which speeds up time to market for increasingly complex chips. These were fascinating develop- ments that I hadn't fully appreci- ated before, and they underline how innovation is happening at every step of the semiconductor manufacturing process, from design to production. A particular takeaway for me was the importance of foundries, which are now critical players in the ecosystem. Historically, com- panies that designed chips also manufactured them in-house, a vertically integrated model known as integrated device man- ufacturing (IDM). Today, however, foundries that specialize purely in manufacturing, like TSMC and Samsung, have the advantage of economies of scale. The shift from the IDM model to relying on foundries, exemplified by companies like AMD and, more recently, Intel, highlights the ongoing evolution of the busi- ness side of semiconductors. One can't discuss the semicon- ductor industry without touching on geopolitics. I already under- stood that Taiwan's dominance in advanced chip manufacturing is a potential risk, given China's view of Taiwan as a province. The course, however, made me reflect more on the implications of this from a broader perspective. The strategic importance of semi- conductors has reached a point where controlling chip manufac- turing could become as pivotal in the 21st century as controlling oil was in the 20th. The United States and China are now working to decouple their semiconduc- tor ecosystems, with each side pouring billions into incentives and infrastructure to build more local fabs and ensure self-reli- ance. This shift has vast implica- tions, not just for global supply chains but also for national security and economic competi- tion. I believe this course would be valuable for anyone involved in industries that intersect with semiconductors, whether directly or indirectly. It offers an essential overview of the technological and geo- political landscape and helps non-technical pro- fessionals like myself grasp why this industry matters so much. For me, it wasn't just about understanding the chips themselves but gaining a holistic view of why semiconductors are central to everything from national security to eco- nomic stability. The A Technical Over- view of the Semiconductor CHIP Industry course gave me an enriched perspective on the landscape I help navigate as we seek funding for initiatives that support technological growth. I now have a stronger foundation to connect the dots between our funding priorities and the broader semiconductor ecosys- tem, which will be essential as the industry continues to evolve at breakneck speed. Ready to take the course? Click here for more information. New course: Fundamentals of Wire Harness Design Mondays and Wednesdays Feb. 3–12 8 a.m. PT, 11 a.m. ET 7 p.m. EET