TSMC “to build 7 more semiconductor factories this year”
Taiwan’s TSMC, the world’s largest foundry (semiconductor consignment production) company, announced that it will build seven additional semiconductor factories this year to strengthen production capabilities.
According to Taiwanese media, including the China Times, on the 24th, Huang Yuan-kuo, senior plant manager of TSMC 18B Fab (semiconductor production plant) in southern Tainan, said this at a technology symposium held in Taipei, Taiwan the previous day.
He explained that in order to meet customer demand, the company plans to build a total of seven factories this year, including two overseas fabs and advanced packaging processes at home and abroad.
Plant Manager Hwang said, “This year, TSMC’s 3nm (nanometer, 1 billionth of a meter) process production capacity has tripled compared to last year, but supply is still not keeping up with demand.”
SKC receives 100 billion won in semiconductor subsidies from the U.S. government…”The first The first material, parts, equipment”.
SKC’s semiconductor glass substrate subsidiary Absolix has received a subsidy worth $75 million (about 102.3 billion won) under the Chips Act from the U.S. government.
It is reported that it is the first time that a subdivision (materials, parts, and equipment) company other than a semiconductor chip manufacturer will receive a subsidy under the Semiconductor Act.
On the 23rd (local time), the U.S. Department of Commerce announced plans to provide a subsidy of the same size to Absolix’s recently completed factory in Covington, Georgia, which produces glass substrates for high-performance semiconductor packaging.
Hanmi Semiconductor Protects TC Bonder Technology…Won ‘Prohibition of Unfair Competition’
Hanmi Semiconductor won both the first and second trials of a lawsuit against former employees of Hanwha Precision Machinery to prohibit unfair competition.
Mr. A, a former employee of Hanmi Semiconductor, moved to Hanwha Precision Machinery in 2021 after working in the R&D department of core equipment such as TC Bonder and Flip Chip Bonder. As a result, Hanmi Semiconductor filed a lawsuit to prohibit unfair competition. This is due to concerns that the ‘heat pressed (TC) bonder’ equipment technology, which is essential for the manufacture of high-bandwidth memory (HBM) for artificial intelligence (AI) semiconductors, may be leaked. Hanmi Semiconductor won the lawsuit in the first instance on August 23 last year and won the second trial this year. At the second trial held at the Suwon High Court on the 2nd of this month, the court finally ruled that Mr. A was prohibited from using and disclosing Hanmi Semiconductor’s technical information at Hanwha Precision Machinery.
Chinese semiconductor company SMIC ranks third in the world with a 6% share in the foundry sector
SMIC, China’s largest semiconductor manufacturer, has emerged as the world’s third-largest foundry (contract manufacturing) company by revenue.It is followed by Taiwan’s TSMC and South Korea’s Samsung Electronics. Market research firm Counterpoint reported that in the first quarter of this year, SMIC accounted for 6% of global foundry revenue, surpassing GlobalFoundries, a subsidiary of AMD in the United States, and UMC in Taiwan for the first time.This is up from 5% in the first quarter of last year. Currently, the No. 1 company in the global foundry market is TSMC with a market share of 62%, and the No. 2 is Samsung Electronics with a market share of about 13%.
Qualitas Semiconductor Develops Intel AI CPU ‘Luna Lake’ Compatible PHY v1.5a
Qualitas Semiconductor, a company specializing in the development of high-speed interface IP (IP IP), announced on the 23rd that it will release a receiver PHY IP that meets the new eDP (Embedded DisplayPort) v1.5 standard.
The receiver PHY IP uses a 14nm process to support high-speed data reception of up to 8.1Gbps per lane. One of the key features of receiver PHY IP is panel self-refresh. The power consumption of the display system can be minimized.
Qualitas Semiconductor’s eDP v1.5a receiver PHY IP has passed rigorous CTS certification tests. It will be mass-produced at TCON SoCs this year.
Naver and Samsung are fighting to develop ‘Mach’… Changing the position “no more than a relationship”
There was a noise between NAVER, which is jointly developing the AI (artificial intelligence) semiconductor chip “Mach”, and Samsung Electronics. However, Naver is in the position that it is just a simple happening, and there is no problem with the cooperation with Samsung Electronics.
The incident began when an official of Naver Cloud, which is in charge of Naver’s generative AI development, said on SNS on the 23rd, “It was Naver that proposed to make (Mach) first, and it was Naver that planned to make it like this,” adding, “I don’t know how to understand Naver’s name because it’s missing.” This article has since been deleted.
The noise between Naver and Samsung Electronics dates back to the Samsung Electronics shareholders’ meeting at the end of March. Samsung Electronics unveiled its plans for the development of Mach 1’s next project, Mach 2, at the shareholders’ meeting. At this time, Naver’s name was not mentioned. Mach 2, unlike Mach 1, is the part where Samsung Electronics can be seen as leading the development.
KRM, AimFuture and AI NPU IP Global Partnership
KRM announced on the 21st that it has signed a global partnership agreement for AI (artificial intelligence) NPU IP (intellectual property rights) and a strategic collaboration using the quadrupedal robot ‘Vision 60’ with AimFuture, a neural network processing unit(NPU)developer.
According to the company, AimFuture is an NPU development company founded in 2020 by LG Electronics as a strategic investor and a spin-off of researchers who were researching core AI technologies at LG Electronics’ Americas Research Institute. Through its own design-based NPU IP ‘NeuroMosAIc’, it provides NPUs for edge computing in the fields of mobility, robotics, and smart homes.
Mid-30 million won range, 500km full charge… Kia launches EV3 to popularize electric vehicles
KIA first unveiled the EV3, a compact electric SUV priced at 30 million won on the 23rd. It is the smallest and cheapest electric vehicle model released by Hyundai Motor Group. It can run up to 501km on a single charge, and considering electric vehicle subsidies in Korea, the car is planned to be priced in the mid-30 million won range.
In addition, ‘Kia AI Assistant’, which applies generative AI (artificial intelligence) technology based on ChatGPT, was installed for the first time. When a person gives a command using words they use in everyday life, voice recognition technology can be used to perform navigation or search for information and activate some vehicle functions. We plan to continuously update SW (software) online.
Tesla’s SK Signet… No. 1 in the U.S. electric vehicle charging supply
SK Signet, an electric vehicle charging infrastructure company, announced on the 23rd that it has surpassed Tesla in the United States to become the No. 1 charger supplier in the country.
SK Signet secured 75 projects out of 537 sites selected for the U.S. EV Charging Infrastructure Subsidy (NEVI), accounting for 14 percent of the market. Francis Energy, a charging operator (CPO) that has signed an exclusive supply contract with SK Signet, has received approval for the project at a total of 65 locations, and SK Signet’s chargers will be supplied to a total of 75 locations, including the sites of other CPOs who participated in the project with SK Signet’s products, such as Apple Green and Electric Era.
In comparison, Tesla only secured 70 locations. A Korean company has surpassed Tesla, one of the world’s largest electric vehicle makers, in the United States.
Xiaomi raises its EV target…”We will sell 120,000 units this year”
On the 23rd, Chinese media Zheng Quanshibao, citing sources, reported that orders for Xiaomi’s first electric vehicle “SU7” series are continuously increasing, and the annual delivery target for new vehicles this year is 120,000 units.
This means that the target has been raised again in just one month, which means that the order volume is showing good performance despite various issues such as system failures immediately after delivery.
Earlier, Xiaomi CEO Lei Jun said at an investor conference on the 23rd of last month that Xiaomi’s SU7 orders exceeded 70,000 units as of the 20th of last month, and the delivery volume of SU7 this year will exceed 100,000 units.
POSCO FutureM, Carbon Footprint Verification of International Standards for Positive and Cathode Materials
POSCO FutureM announced on the 23rd that it has received a carbon footprint verification certificate of ‘ISO14067’, an international standard for cathode materials PN6 and PN8 and natural graphite anode materials, from the Korea Foundation for Quality, an authorized verification organization. PN6 and PN8 are cathode materials manufactured by POSCO FutureM with a nickel content of more than 60% and 80%.
Carbon footprint refers to carbon emissions generated during the entire product life cycle, including raw material mining, transportation, and production. ISO14067 is an international standard for the objective measurement of carbon footprint. It was established by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) in 2018. The Korea Foundation for Quality evaluates a company’s or organization’s compliance with international standards ISO14067 in the process of measuring carbon emissions and issues a carbon footprint verification certificate.
Standard Energy supplies ‘vanadium-ion battery’ ESS to KAIST
Standard Energy, a vanadium-ion battery (VIB) company, announced on the 21st that it will supply energy storage systems (ESS) for development and experimentation to KAIST’s Munji campus.
In the experimental building of KAIST’s Munji Campus, where VIB ESS will be installed, devices and facilities have been built to conduct power grid-related experiments by linking ESS to various power devices.
Standard Energy explained that ESS system research was sluggish compared to cell-level research, and that it was difficult to find an ESS that could meet the requirements of development experiments, which required testing even in extreme situations. Unlike researching cell-by-cell batteries, ESS that connects and operates a large number of cells means that it is very important to maintain balance while monitoring the cells.
Glass Dome, Samsung SK, etc. are working on digital battery passports
Glassdome Korea, a carbon emission data management solution company, announced on the 21st that it has been selected as the host of the ‘Digital Battery Passport Project’ with the approval of the Global Battery Alliance (GBA). Glassdome Korea has formed a consortium with a total of 13 companies, including Samsung SDI, SK IE Technology (SKIET), Ecopro, and Lotte Infracell, and plans to implement a pilot project to preemptively respond to the EU’s Digital Battery Passport regulations.
The Global Battery Alliance (GBA) was established in 2017 at the World Economic Forum in collaboration with battery producers, raw material mining companies, energy companies, and government agencies. In order to achieve the goal of achieving carbon neutrality throughout the battery value chain by 2050, the concept of a “digital battery passport” was proposed.
Webasto expands its automotive battery pack production plant
Germany’s Webasto, a global mobility company, announced on the 21st that it expanded its state-of-the-art electric vehicle battery pack factory in Dangjin, Chungcheongnam-do, on the 22nd and held a completion ceremony.
As the demand for electric vehicles continues to grow, Webasto, an innovative system partner in the mobility industry, is expanding its activities in Korea by expanding its battery pack production plant to its existing factory in Dangjin, Chungcheongnam-do. The expansion comes just two years after Webasto first mass-produced EV battery packs in South Korea.
With the completion of the new plant with more than 15,000 square meters of production and storage space, the company has secured an additional 100,000 batteries per year. This will allow it to produce up to 300,000 batteries per year by 2025.
“The Japanese government considers the establishment of an independent agency to investigate traffic accidents involving autonomous vehicles”
“The government considers the establishment of an independent agency to investigate traffic accidents involving autonomous vehicles”
The Japanese government is considering setting up a body dedicated to traffic surveys for autonomous vehicles. The Asahi Shimbun newspaper reported on the 22nd that the Japanese government plans to hold an expert meeting soon to come up with such a plan.
The task force is investigating cases in which so-called Level 4 vehicles, which are driving autonomously without a driver occupy, are involved in traffic accidents. This is a discussion that corresponds to a higher level than the conditional automation level (Level 3), which requires the driver to intervene in the driving process if the system requests it. In the event of an accident, the purpose of the investigation mechanism is to find the cause through scientific analysis, clarify the scope of responsibility, and prepare measures to prevent recurrence.
There is also an intention to support companies so that they are not passive in developing and distributing vehicles for fear of excessive responsibilities such as administrative penalties.
In China, unmanned self-driving trucks can travel thousands of kilometers.
According to Chinese media outlet Yi Chexun on the 22nd, Chinese autonomous driving company WeRide obtained a long-distance test license and cargo loading test license in Guangzhou City.
This is China’s first unmanned long-distance test license for an L4 class (capable of autonomous driving without driver intervention in a designated section) autonomous cargo vehicle on open urban roads. It is also China’s first autonomous cargo vehicle test that supports 24-hour testing.
WeRide’s self-driving cargo truck ‘Robovan’ will conduct a self-driving urban cargo vehicle ‘pure unmanned test’ and ‘cargo loading test’ in Guangzhou. A truly unmanned test means driving in a completely unmanned state without a single person, including a driver or emergency personnel, on board.
C&I Alliance, SOS Lab Lidar-equipped ‘AI Traffic and Life Safety Integrated Solution’ Pilot Operation
C&I Alliance (CEO Park Jung-so) announced on the 24th that it will establish a system that predicts dangerous situations that may occur on crosswalks and roads with a lot of foot traffic with artificial intelligence and lidar technology and notifies drivers or pedestrians with apps, smartwatches, and dedicated mobile communication equipment, and will begin pilot operation.
C&I Alliance’s ‘AI Traffic and Life Safety Integrated Solution’ was installed in a three-way street in front of Yongmun Elementary School in Gunsan, North Jeolla Province. The deep learning-based AI solution overcomes the limitations of the existing intelligent traffic information system that transmits road conditions to drivers and pedestrians through electronic signs or speakers.
Samsung Display records cumulative shipments of 1 million QD-OLED for monitors
Samsung Display announced on the 23rd that shipments of quantum dots (QD)-organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) for monitors, which were launched in 2021, reached 1 million units as of May.
QD-OLED, developed by Samsung Display, is a self-emitting technology that produces color when light from the blue OLED passes through the QD light-emitting layer, and has characteristics suitable for large-scale devices such as fast response speed and high color reproduction. Samsung Display currently has a QD-OLED lineup for monitors consisting of 27-inch, 31.5-inch, 34-inch, and 49-inch.
To date, Samsung Display has collaborated with 10 global monitor brands to launch more than 90 types of QD-OLED monitors.
Samsung Electronics ranked No. 1 in the global TV market in Q1… LG Electronics leads in OLED
According to market research firm Omdia on the 21st, Samsung Electronics’ global TV market share in the first quarter was 29.3% in terms of sales and 18.7% in terms of volume, ranking first in both the market. LG Electronics’ OLED TV shipments were about 627,000 units, accounting for about 52% of the company’s market share in terms of shipments.
The second place in terms of sales is LG Electronics with a market share of 16.6%, and the second place in terms of volume is China’s TCL with a market share of 12.6%. Samsung Electronics ranked first in terms of revenue in both the premium TV market of $2,500 and above (53.2 percent) and the universal TV market of $1,500 or more (55.2 percent).
In addition, Samsung Electronics maintained its first place in the 75-inch and 80-inch and above markets, which are ultra-large markets, with a market share of 29.6 percent and 34.4 percent, respectively. LG Electronics recorded a shipment share of about 53% in the ultra-large OLED TV market over 70 inches, leading the ultra-large and premium TV market.
LGD accelerates premium OLED preemption with 10 years of painstaking technology
LG Display is expanding its supply of its new OLED technology ‘META Technology 2.0’ to TVs and monitors. It is analyzed that it is being installed in the products of leading global customers one after another, and is positioning itself as a premium OLED panel.
According to the electronics industry on the 23rd, it is known that more than 10 global gaming brands, including LG Electronics, have released gaming OLED monitors that apply ‘meta technology’. It’s been three years since LG Display mass-produced OLED for gaming monitors.
‘Meta Technology’ is said to be the culmination of LG Display’s OLED 10-year technology. 42.4 billion ‘ultra-fine lenses’ (MLAs) that are so small that they cannot be seen maximize the light emission of organic objects, and the ‘brightness enhancement algorithm’ analyzes images in real time to maximize image quality.
Source: kipost.net