Infineon's New 300 mm Fab Opens Three Months Ahead of Schedule

[TheLostSwede]

Finally some good news from the semiconductor industry, Infineon has announced the opening of its new €1.6 billion, 300 mm, or 12-inch wafer semiconductor factory. That said, we're somewhat confused with the press release, as it states that "the chips are manufactured on 300-millimeter thin wafers, which at 40 micrometers are thinner than a human hair" and that Infineon is a "global pioneer in 300-millimeter thin-wafer technology". This is why you need someone to proofread press releases before distributing them.

Anyhow, back on topic. The fab has nearly 60,000 square meters of gross floor space and production will be ramped up over the next four to five years, so it's not going to alleviate the current chip shortage any time soon. The fab is located in Villach, Austria and has taken three years to build. The first wafers produced in the fab are said to be leaving it this week and although Infineon didn't specify what chips they'll end up as, the fab is set up to initially cater for the automotive industry, data centers and the renewable energy industry.



Infineon is expecting the new fab to generate a potential yearly sales revenue of around two billion euros per year, while at the same time generate an additional 400 jobs in the region, of which two thirds have already been hired. The fab is said to be recycling waste heat from the cooling systems, which can provide as much as 80 percent of the heating needs for the fab during the colder months of the year. In addition to this, Infineon is expecting to be producing all hydrogen needed for the production on site, starting next year. It sure sounds like an impressive facility and one that's needed to say the least.

View at TechPowerUp Main Site

 

[ZoneDymo]

so it cost 1.6 billion to make and will make 2 billion euro a year? that seems a quick return on investment....

 

[TheLostSwede]

so it cost 1.6 billion to make and will make 2 billion euro a year? that seems a quick return on investment....

Revenue ≠ profit.

 

[AusWolf]

What? Infineon has a fab to manufacture 300 mm thick human hair?

Nice press release.

 

[windwhirl]

so it cost 1.6 billion to make and will make 2 billion euro a year? that seems a quick return on investment....

Revenue ≠ profit.

This.

There are still operation costs to account for and the taxes that will eat away at the remaining profit.

 

[DeathtoGnomes]

I recently heard on the local news that several auto plants are shutting down due to lack of chips ( not pringles either!).

 

[Blaazen]

I recently heard on the local news that several auto plants are shutting down due to lack of chips ( not pringles either!).

Here in Czech Republic:

Škoda will shut down in the end of September because of the lack of chips from Malaysia.
Toyota shutted down already earlier this week.
Hyundai seems be OK.

 

[LemmingOverlord]

so it cost 1.6 billion to make and will make 2 billion euro a year? that seems a quick return on investment....

$2 billion revenue is not the same as $2 billion profit. It can operate at a loss.

 

[silentbogo]

The first wafers produced in the fab are said to be leaving it this week and although Infineon didn't specify what chips they'll end up as, the fab is set up to initially cater for the automotive industry, data centers and the renewable energy industry.

Power electronics. Same as the upcoming Bosch plant nearby. Won't fix the automotive issue, but at least we won't run out of GaN chargers and power bricks

 

[AusWolf]

Here in Czech Republic:

Škoda will shut down in the end of September because of the lack of chips from Malaysia.
Toyota shutted down already earlier this week.
Hyundai seems be OK.

I don't understand. Why don't they make cars without electronics again? I'm sure people would be interested if they sold them cheap enough.

 

[Mussels]

40 micrometer PL1, 300mm PL2

 

[tabascosauz]

I don't imagine their current PWM controllers and smart power stages are far behind, but what process does their automotive stuff use? 65nm? Bunch of references to 130nm and 65nm but they're press releases from like 2002.

I don't understand. Why don't they make cars without electronics again? I'm sure people would be interested if they sold them cheap enough.

Because there is 0 possibility of manufacturing any ECU-less, purely mechanically-controlled gasoline or diesel engine that meets all the requirements:

• Emissions legal in any part of the world developed enough to have emissions regulations
• Even remotely acceptable fuel economy
• Serviceable let alone competitive performance

And I don't think major automakers have even produced a single automatic transmission in the past 5 years that isn't partially or entirely electronically controlled (or functions in the absence of a TCM), so even with this hypothetical engine this car wouldn't go anywhere.

 

[maxfly]

I recently heard on the local news that several auto plants are shutting down due to lack of chips ( not pringles either!).

I drove by the GM plant that builds the new Camaro and Cadillacs (no idea what model/models) in Lansing, MI last weekend. There were at least 500 brand new cars parked in lots waiting for parts. Apparently GM builds them out until they run out of parts then parks them until the chips show up.
From what i was told, all of the US manufacturers are doing the same to keep as many people working as possible.

 

[tabascosauz]

I drove by the GM plant that builds the new Camaro and Cadillacs (no idea what model/models) in Lansing, MI last weekend. There were at least 500 brand new cars parked in lots waiting for parts. Apparently GM builds them out until they run out of parts then parks them until the chips show up.
From what i was told, all of the US manufacturers are doing the same to keep as many people working as possible.

Ford and most others except maybe Toyota do the same. I remember the big story was the sea of Super Duties visible from space:

Stockpile of Unfinished Ford Super Duty Pickups Missing Chips Is Now Visible from Space (thedrive.com)

80% of the lot is some of the most barebones, Oxford White, XL or XLT, F-250/350 box-on-four-wheels stuff you can still buy these days, so probably all of Ford's other models are feeling the pinch equally. Though then again, it's been 4 months since then, and despite all the complaining I saw quite a few [real] 2021 Broncos on the road this week, so maybe things are getting better.

 

[yotano211]

I recently heard on the local news that several auto plants are shutting down due to lack of chips ( not pringles either!).

I prefer lays over pringles

 

[Space Lynx]

Here in Czech Republic:

Škoda will shut down in the end of September because of the lack of chips from Malaysia.
Toyota shutted down already earlier this week.
Hyundai seems be OK.

what are your thoughts on the 2022 Hyundai Accent? I have a chance to get one for 17k USD. I need a cheap commuter car for work that will last me a long time, and I can't afford Honda/Toyota and the used market is horrible for cars right now...

I am considering 2022 Accent, 2021 Kia Rio, and 2022 Chevy Spark. those are only 3 in my price range.

I really can't decide. the Rio has the best sound system, MPG highway, and tablet/infotainment. so I am leaning towards the Rio.

I prefer lays over pringles

no no no you are all doing it wrong, if you want good potato chips, try to find these (they are amazing and not greasy like Lays, nice and thick too):

Home | Mikesell's

Come visit the Historic brand of Mike Sells Potato Chips

mikesells.com

 

[DeathtoGnomes]

I drove by the GM plant that builds the new Camaro and Cadillacs (no idea what model/models) in Lansing, MI last weekend. There were at least 500 brand new cars parked in lots waiting for parts. Apparently GM builds them out until they run out of parts then parks them until the chips show up.
From what i was told, all of the US manufacturers are doing the same to keep as many people working as possible.

Imagine lug nuts missing...

 

[Wirko]

Imagine lug nuts missing...

The lug nuts got evicted from the reorder buffer because it was full.

I don't imagine their current PWM controllers and smart power stages are far behind, but what process does their automotive stuff use? 65nm? Bunch of references to 130nm and 65nm but they're press releases from like 2002.

Here's an overview of what Europe has. Apparently, Infineon is on 90 nm and larger, and Bosch is on 65 nm.

The lack of semiconductor manufacturing in Europe

 

[silentbogo]

I don't understand. Why don't they make cars without electronics again? I'm sure people would be interested if they sold them cheap enough.

It'd be funny to put you behind a wheel of an old rusty LADA. People take ABS, power steering, power locks/windows for granted nowadays. That's without even mentioning that there are no "mechanical" injectors, so back to good-ole carburetor. Also, I'm pretty sure that all "cars" are required to track emissions, so in terms of "purely-mechanical" transport the most you can get is a 4-wheeled 2-cyl moped with plastic booth strapped to it.

 

[AsRock]

It'd be funny to put you behind a wheel of an old rusty LADA. People take ABS, power steering, power locks/windows for granted nowadays. That's without even mentioning that there are no "mechanical" injectors, so back to good-ole carburetor. Also, I'm pretty sure that all "cars" are required to track emissions, so in terms of "purely-mechanical" transport the most you can get is a 4-wheeled 2-cyl moped with plastic booth strapped to it.

Said pretty much what i was thinking but still, most of the crap they put in to them only make another fail point.

OMG people still buy LADA's well shame on them ha.

 

[silentbogo]

OMG people still buy LADA's well shame on them ha.

A little offtopic. One of my friends is a total nutjob when it comes to old LADA cars.
He still drives a rust-bucket VAZ 2101, and constantly bugs me about adding more trinkets to it. He already made an automatic switch for his 2nd gen LPG/gasoline system (before he used to look at thermosenosor and manually flip a switch whenever it was ready), later he added an alarm and power windows.
Thank god he's busy at work right now, cause last time he visited in my workshop, he wanted me to make one of those ghetto-rigged arduino-based "ECUs" which will tie up all the crap he already has in it, along with few sensors and servos.

 

[95Viper]

Please keep your posts on topic.
It is not pringles.

Thank you