Published On: June 21, 2025

4o What Is Happening? The semiconductor industry has always grappled grappling with a persistent and intensifying equipment shortage. What began as a supply chain issue has now become a long-term structural constraint. Lead times for advanced manufacturing tools, particularly those essential for next-generation process nodes, have extended to 12 to 18 months or more. At the same time, even equipment supporting mature technologies, such as 200 mm wafer processing, is experiencing delays. This highlights the broad and systemic nature of the problem. Why Equipment Shortage Becomes A Big Deal? Semiconductor manufacturing is deeply dependent on a highly specialized class of equipment. Unlike general-purpose tools, these machines are purpose-built, node-specific, and often come from a limited number of suppliers. When lead times stretch or tool availability drops, it […]