Durham to be headquarters for CHIPS manufacturing institute
Date Published:On Tuesday, the Biden-Harris Administration announced that the U.S. Department of Commerce and the Semiconductor Research Corporation Manufacturing Consortium Corporation (SRC) are entering negotiations for the department to provide SRC $285 million to establish and operate a Manufacturing USA institute headquartered in Durham.
With combined funding totaling $1 billion, this investment will support the launch of the first-of-its-kind CHIPS Manufacturing USA Institute, known as SMART USA.
Governor Roy Cooper plans is speaking Tuesday morning about this announcement.
The new institute will use “digital twins” improve domestic semiconductor design, manufacturing, advanced packaging, assembly and test processes.
Digital twins are virtual models that replicate physical objects, like chips or complex machinery. Engineers and researchers can use these virtual models to design, develop and test processes digitally before applying them in real life.
SMART USA will help:
- Speed up the development and adoption of advanced semiconductor technologies. By streamlining this process and reducing time-to-market, SMART USA will help accelerate innovation in U.S. chips design and manufacturing.
- Shorten the time and cost of chip production. The institute will implement efficient design and validation methods using digital twins, significantly cutting expenses and improving productivity.
- Provide training opportunities for the next generation of semiconductor workers: this includes creating programs aimed at skill development and workforce readiness.
“Digital twin technology can unleash a new frontier for innovation in America’s semiconductor R&D ecosystem,” said Under Secretary of Commerce for Standards and Technology and National Institute of Standards and Technology Director Laurie E. Locascio.
Original Article Source: WRAL