The Biden administration has announced a $285 million funding opportunity for companies to establish and operate a CHIPS Manufacturing USA institute focused on digital twins for the semiconductor industry. Digital twins are virtual models that mimic the structure, context, and behavior of their physical counterparts, enabling collaborative design and process development by engineers and researchers nationwide.
The funding is part of the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022, which includes $11 billion for semiconductor research and development. The CHIPS Manufacturing USA institute will focus on research related to semiconductor digital twin development, establishing shared physical and digital facilities, industry demonstration projects, and workforce training.
According to Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo, this investment will help make America a leader in developing digital twin technology for the semiconductor industry and train the next generation of American workers and researchers.
Under Secretary of Commerce for Standards and Technology and National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Director Laurie E. Locascio stated, "This historic investment in the CHIPS Manufacturing USA institute will help unite the semiconductor industry to unlock the enormous potential of digital twin technology for breakthrough discoveries."
The CHIPS Manufacturing USA institute is expected to use integrated physical and digital assets to tackle important semiconductor-industry manufacturing challenges. Funded activities will include operational activities to run the institute, basic and applied research related to semiconductor digital twin development, establishing and supporting shared facilities, industry-relevant demonstration projects, and digital twin-related workforce training.
The Biden administration will hold briefings with interested companies this month to discuss funding opportunities. The CHIPS for America Program anticipates up to approximately $285 million for this first-of-its-kind institute focused on the development, validation, and use of digital twins for semiconductor manufacturing, advanced packaging, assembly, and test processes.