SK Hynix To Build $3.87 Billion Memory Packaging Fab In the US For HBM4 and Beyond (anandtech.com) 13
Longtime Slashdot reader DrunkenTerror shares a report from AnandTech: SK hynix this week announced plans to build its advanced memory packaging facility in West Lafayette, Indiana. The move can be considered as a milestone both for the memory maker and the U.S., as this is the first advanced memory packaging facility in the country and the company's first significant manufacturing operation in America. The facility will be used to build next-generation types of high-bandwidth memory (HBM) stacks when it begins operations in 2028. Also, SK hynix agreed to work on R&D projects with Purdue University.
The facility will handle assembly of HBM known good stacked dies (KGSDs), which consist of multiple memory devices stacked on a base die. Furthermore, it will be used to develop next-generations of HBM and will therefore house a packaging R&D line. However, the plant will not make DRAM dies themselves, and will likely source them from SK hynix's fabs in South Korea. The plant will require SK hynix to invest $3.87 billion, which will make it one of the most advanced semiconductor packaging facilities in the world. Meanwhile, SK hynix held the investment agreement ceremony with representatives from Indiana State, Purdue University, and the U.S. government, which indicates parties financially involved in the project, but this week's event did not disclose whether SK hynix will receive any money from the U.S. government under the CHIPS Act or other funding initiatives.
The facility will handle assembly of HBM known good stacked dies (KGSDs), which consist of multiple memory devices stacked on a base die. Furthermore, it will be used to develop next-generations of HBM and will therefore house a packaging R&D line. However, the plant will not make DRAM dies themselves, and will likely source them from SK hynix's fabs in South Korea. The plant will require SK hynix to invest $3.87 billion, which will make it one of the most advanced semiconductor packaging facilities in the world. Meanwhile, SK hynix held the investment agreement ceremony with representatives from Indiana State, Purdue University, and the U.S. government, which indicates parties financially involved in the project, but this week's event did not disclose whether SK hynix will receive any money from the U.S. government under the CHIPS Act or other funding initiatives.
Video game brain (Score:3)
A "Sky Hinox" [fandom.com] would be awesome, great idea! Nintendo, take note!
(Bonus if the lore had it doing delicate jobs, like chip fabrication ... )
More than corn in Indiana (Score:1)
Now there will be corn chips
Graduation Day (Score:1)
We've officially graduated from vaporware to vaporfactories. The shareware version allows you to try out where the parking lot would be if this factory ever broke ground. Maybe this one will be different, won't hold my breath.
Them's the breaks (Score:2)
indiana is nice (Score:2)
Indiana is nice, but no one wants to actually live there unless you own a farm.
I don't see how companies can hire the skilled people they need in places that people mainly don't want to live in. Basically, most folks want to live in the southwest or south, if given the choice. This is evident by looking at where population is increasing, and where it is decreasing.
Re: (Score:2)
Shouldn't you look not to where populations are growing today but where you think they will be growing tomorrow?
There's a bit of chicken and egg there: people don't want to live there because people don't want to live there; if you can have something jump-start the interest, that's great.
There's also some benefit to being in a place that isn't "constantly in the news" like the coasts or Texas.
Re: (Score:2)
Indiana is a great place to be FROM...
Seriously though, it is hot in the summer, cold in the winter, and wet most of the year. Land is inexpensive, and there are several major universities in the general area from which to recruit talent. Plenty of blue collar workers and white collar engineers/managers. Lateral movement across midwestern states in search of better jobs is common. Easy highway and railway transport access for shipping materials and finished goods. Tornadoes are a significant issue, but
And why do they want that? (Score:2)
I've read a theory that people need moving water nearby to feel good/happy. I'd always thought the coasts had more people because transport was easy/cheap (big boats).
But temperature and humidity play a part too. And sunlight.
Oh, and JOBS. If nobody is there, then nobody can start companies to serve anybody (restaurants, mechanics, schools, etc). Once that gets small enough it becomes a pattern/cycle.
It's also hard to 'grow' if you aren't finding other people to procreate with (assuming you can afford t
3 billion for chip packaging? (Score:2)
I know packaging is more expensive these days with like 3D packaging, but damn that's a lot. Are they like building a massive R&D campus with this?
I hear this all the time (Score:1)
Utter waste (Score:2)
There is absolutely no point in throwing billions in tax dollars at plants that don't actually advance the chip production capabilities of the US. Instead of throwing billions into the pockets of foreign competitors they should have thrown out $1 billion and courted the humans who collectively hold the keys to all the most advanced technology at these fabs and another $10 billion a pop to build new US chip companies from the ground up.