Japanese semiconductor equipment and material companies are joining hands with Intel to begin full-scale technology development for semiconductor post-process automation, and the plan is to decentralize the post-process supply chain, which is concentrated in China and Southeast Asia, to the United States and Japan.

On April 16, Intel of the U.S. and 14 Japanese semiconductor equipment and material companies announced the establishment of SATAS (Semiconductor Assembly Test Automation & Standardization Research Association) to develop post-process automation technology for assembling semiconductors into final products.

The purpose of establishing this research group is to promote automation of post-processing that was previously performed manually and to stabilize the semiconductor supply chain by decentralizing the supply chain concentrated in China and Southeast Asia to the United States, Japan, and Europe.

Participating companies include Intel in the U.S., and Omron, Sinfonia Technologies, Daifuku, Hirada Kogaku, FUJI, Miraial, Murata Machinery, Yamaha Motor, Lotze, Mitsubishi Research Institute, Semi Japan, Shin-Etsu Polymer, Resonac, and Sharp in Japan.

SATAS was developed jointly by Intel with Japanese semiconductor equipment and material companies, and it is known that Japanese companies possess the technology required for automation.

SATAS plans to operate a demonstration line in Japan within several years, commercialize the technology by 2028, introduce it to factories, and promote international standardization of the technology.

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