Printing a Better Semiconductor Future

As the world has embraced everything smart it has become strikingly clear that semiconductors are a crucial component. And, as the pandemic intensified the need and desire for more smart devices, unfortunately, the fragility of the semiconductor supply chains surfaced. Unfortunately, the issue is sure to continue as the demand for 5G phones, smart automobiles, and even seemingly simple consumer goods like air fryers continues to escalate. As supply chains ground to a halt globally, the entire chip manufacturing industry was among the affected. There are adjustments existing chip producers can make to ease the pain and get essential production environments back up and running. However, as Intel’s CEO explained recently, a true solution to the current supply constraint is going to take time. Specifically, 2-3 years. The reason is simple. Sustainably addressing the demand surge dictates more capacity including facilities, talent, and an array of custom capital equipment.