U.S. government chip shortage report exposes one big bottleneck across the tech industry

The U.S. Department of Commerce has released its report detailing the findings of the Request for Information (RFI) it kicked off in September 2022. That request caused a scrap of a kerfuffle with semiconductor manufacturing giants such as TSMC.

Since then, the key bit players have forked over the info, and the U.Southward. government has a report to share with the world. It contains a lot of useful information, so you'll want to scan the whole thing when you go the chance, only in brusk, it substantiates a few key findings and company claims we've reported on throughout the shortage. For instance, a 2022 report indicated many Taiwanese companies pinned the shortage blame on Texas Instruments' inability to ramp up analog flake production, citing information technology equally the root of the semiconductor crisis. And now, the U.South. regime has stated that, indeed, a lack of analog fries appears to be one of the biggest contributors to the worldwide situation. Legacy logic and optoelectronics chip shortages are also referenced every bit being part of the problem.

Here are a few other key findings from the report:

Median demand for fries highlighted by buyers was every bit much as 17% higher in 2022 than 2022, and buyers aren't seeing commensurate increases in the supply they receive. This is a major supply and need mismatch.

The median inventory of semiconductor products highlighted past buyers has fallen from 40 days in 2022 to less than 5 days in 2022 (come across Figure 2). These inventories are even smaller in key industries.

The principal bottleneck across the lath appears to exist wafer production capacity, which requires a longer-term solution.

Commerce Report Chip Shortage Figure Figure two. Source: U.S. Department of Commerce

Right there lies the big issue, according to the report: Wafer production isn't keeping up with demand. For what it's worth, the large industry players are working overtime to gear up that, though solutions involve a lot of planning and development over the grade of years.

Over again, be sure to check out the U.S. Department of Commerce'south full report for the in-depth scoop on every facet of the RFI findings. Also peruse the adept indications that the bit shortage's end may be in sight (at least, an finish for the worst parts of it).

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