The current chip development chain is too fragmented. Design companies are only responsible for design, EDA tool companies provide software, foundries are responsible for manufacturing, and packaging and testing companies handle packaging and testing… This specialization looks beautiful on the surface, but what is the reality?
Every time communication crosses departments or companies, it feels like listening to a phone menu: “Press 1 for customer service, press 2 for technical support.” In the end, when problems arise, everyone shifts the blame: Is it a design flaw? A process issue? Or a packaging defect? No one can clearly say.
When a project goes from design to final shipment, it passes through four different companies, and just the documentation alone can pile up over a foot high. When issues arise with the chip, the blame-shifting emails could circle the globe.
The Necessity of Returning to a ‘Full-Stack’ Approach
The early semiconductor industry operated on a vertically integrated model, where the same company was responsible for the entire process from design to manufacturing. This makes sense—chips are products that require high levels of collaboration.
Consider why giants like Apple and Google have started designing their own chips. It’s not just to protect intellectual property; it’s also to control every aspect of product quality. When the same team can participate in the entire process from start to finish, problem-solving becomes much more efficient.
Perhaps Chinese chip companies do not need to fully return to the era of vertical integration, but at the very least, they should:
- Enhance talent development across the entire process, allowing engineers to understand the constraints of manufacturing and testing.At the very least, digital design and digital backend must work closely together!!!
- Establish closer inter-company collaboration mechanisms, relying not just on contracts and documentation for communication.
- Promote the establishment and improvement of industry standards to reduce failures caused by poor communication.
- For critical projects, attempt to form cross-company, cross-stage project teams to achieve virtual integration.
“Too many cooks can spoil the broth.” In today’s increasingly complex chip landscape, we need a holistic approach rather than continuing to fragment the industry further.
For us workers, perhaps cross-disciplinary learning and understanding the upstream and downstream of the industry chain is the key to surviving in this increasingly complex field. After all, the true spirit of ASIC remains unchanged: one design, one company, one customer.
*Disclaimer: This article is original by the author. The content reflects the author’s personal views, and reprinting does not imply LuKe Verification’s endorsement or support of these views. If there are any objections, please feel free to contact LuKe Verification.