Defending Musk's 'no custom equipment': how standardization inertia slows chip fab innovation
jwt0625 · x · 2026-10-11
- The author pushes back on mockery of Musk's "no customized equipment" remark: manufacturing spans a full spectrum between "everyone gets the same setup" and deep customization, and many incumbent tools/materials are suboptimal but entrenched.
- Example 1: photoresist developer has been 0.26N TMAH in water since the dawn of patterning—not ideal for all resists, but as a bulk facility chemical shared across many resists, fabs never changed; TEL's on-the-fly dilution attempts failed because resists were designed around the standard.
- Example 2: CMP polishing shows similar lock-in. Fresh eyes on these processes are welcome.
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