It’s uncommon to see a know-how big open its doorways to showcase the way it actually operates. However that’s precisely what Intel had in thoughts when it invited world press and media representatives to go to its factories in Malaysia. As part of its Tech Tour 2023 occasion, the chip maker gave us an in depth perception into how precisely a CPU is made. I realized so much, however earlier than I share my expertise, right here’s a short in regards to the firm’s historical past and future plans in Malaysia.
Intel established its first offshore facility in Malaysia in 1972 with a complete of 100 workers. Right now, there are two main services in Penang and Kulim that develop near 900,000 sq. ft. with 15,000 workers.
With rising calls for, and to maintain up with its IDM 2.0 technique, Intel is already increasing the protection of its services. A brand new superior packaging facility referred to as Pelican and an meeting check facility referred to as Falcon are at the moment beneath development and are anticipated to be operational within the coming two years. The corporate has additionally envisioned a complete of seven million sq. toes built-up space, with over 2 million sq. ft. manufacturing area all expanded over 16 buildings sooner or later.
Visiting Intel Malaysia
The tour was break up into two days the place we first visited the the Penang Meeting and Take a look at (PGAT) facility. That is the place the silicon dies are assembled, validated, and examined for errors. However it’s the Kulim facility the place the magic begins. The Intel Kulim Die Type Die Prep or KMDSDP is a state-of-the-art facility for processing silicon wafers, the uncooked materials that makes up the perfect processors.
This manufacturing facility receives the silicon wafers from fabrication vegetation, conducts die preparation processes, and subsequently categorizes them for package deal meeting and testing at numerous Intel meeting/check services all over the world. The KMDSDP facility is positioned on the mainland, in contrast to the Penang facility which is on the island itself, which meant an extended bus journey crossing a gorgeous-looking bridge over the ocean.
As soon as we reached Kulim, we got a short and had been requested to put on particular bunny fits with further headgear and beard safety earlier than we may step in. This was obligatory because the manufacturing areas are supposed to be dust-proof. In fact, that additionally meant we weren’t allowed to hold something inside together with telephones, cameras, or different recording tools.
Die prep, die kind
The KMDSDP facility is chargeable for two essential operations – die preparation and die kind. Within the die preparation section, full 300mm wafers are acquired from the fabrication services and hooked up to a versatile mylar. These are semi-transparent sheets and are obligatory to make sure that every die stays in place after it has been reduce and separated.
Relying on the kind of processor, these wafer sheets undergo a number of processes together with grinding, laser scribing, and mechanical chopping to create particular person chips. Subsequent, utilizing a particular vacuum and UV mild mixture, the chips are separated from the mylar. These particular person chips are then positioned into trays utilizing robotic arms and are slotted into bigger plastic packing containers earlier than carrying them to the next sorting operation.
Subsequent, every of those chips bear testing to determine any defects and are sorted on the identical time. To perform this, Intel makes use of huge sorting modules that are as huge as a bus having a complete of 20 particular person check cells. Every check cell weighs roughly 1,000 kilos, and to maneuver these, there’s a specifically designed lifting mechanism that hovers above the ground utilizing a cushion of air identical to a hovercraft. It felt virtually magical to maneuver this gigantic piece of transport with only one hand.
Trays are loaded on one finish and are then distributed amongst numerous check cells. Since every check cell operates independently, staff can entry a check cell from a sorting module for upkeep functions. Every chip is examined utilizing a probe card outfitted with hundreds of tremendous needles, thinner than a human hair, which connects to the built-in circuit throughout the testing tools. This probe card measures {the electrical} traits of the chip circuits to judge reliability and determine defects. The entire testing is completed mechanically whereas a employee retains a watch on the whole course of utilizing numerous displays.
There have been additionally some particular automated steerage automobiles (AGVs) that caught everybody’s consideration primarily as a consequence of their ice cream truck-like tone. Their essential activity is to deal with the motion of heaps between the storage areas and the check tools. They require virtually zero human intervention and hover across the facility alongside devoted paths.
As soon as a tray has completed going by means of the check and characterization section, they’re returned to the world the place the wafer was reduce into particular person chips. The chips that don’t move the testing section are collected individually and are both discarded or recycled. The trays with chips which have efficiently handed all testing are sorted and assigned to a sure SKU (Core i9, Core i7, and many others.). Every chip is taken out of the tray and sealed between two layers of movie that are then rolled onto a reel, to allow them to be transported to the Meeting and Take a look at services located across the globe, for additional processing.
On to meeting and testing
The following a part of the tour included a go to to the Penang Meeting and Take a look at (PGAT) facility, which is located on Penang Island. This manufacturing facility focuses on assembling and testing numerous chips by the hundreds of thousands each day. Primarily all of the reels are acquired at this facility, after which every die is eliminated, packaged, and examined earlier than they’re able to hit the shops.
The meeting and check course of at PGAT has six key levels. All of it begins with the Chip Connect course of the place the die or the chip is hooked up to the substrate — the bottom materials of the CPU. That is performed utilizing the Foveros face-to-face (F2F) chip-on-chip bonding course of which was first launched in 2019. The method requires a excessive quantity of precision as any imperfections could cause extreme injury to the chip. An extra layer of epoxy underfill is utilized evenly to take away any microscopic gaps between the die and the substrate.
The following step is to connect the Built-in Warmth Spreader (IHS) or the lid of the CPU. This helps in environment friendly warmth dissipation in end-user methods. A machine is used to first apply a specific amount of thermal interface materials to the die, adopted by the adhesive in order that the IHS lid may be put in place. We now have a completed product that’s prepared for motion. However earlier than that, it has to undergo some rigorous testing.
As soon as the CPU is prepared, it has to undergo numerous assessments to make sure that the product works as meant. That is performed on the Design And Growth Lab at PG16 in Penang.
First up is the burn-in check throughout which Intel exposes the chips to excessive temperatures and voltages to determine and eradicate any defects. Chips that efficiently move this check then proceed to electrical testing, which incorporates testing of all electrical traces and in addition to performance. Lastly, the chips must undergo the PPV testing section which is to validate platform product screening to substantiate performance in precise buyer laptop methods operating Home windows, Linux, or different working system environments. Primarily it’s a course of that mimics a buyer surroundings and moreover assessments numerous features like reminiscence, PCIe lanes, and many others.
The ultimate stage of the tour included a go to to the System Integration and Manufacturing Companies (SIMS), a particular manufacturing facility that manufactures tools to check and validate CPUs throughout their manufacturing. Not solely does this facility make testing tools for Intel Malaysia, but additionally ships them to varied different Intel services all over the world.
We had an opportunity to take a look at a few of the testing tools together with the Excessive Density Burn-In (HDBI) tester, the Excessive Density Modular Tester (HDMT) tester, and the System Stage Tester (SLT). The HDBI tester is used to carry out burn-in stress testing on excessive temperature and voltage on Intel CPUs whereas the HDMT supplies the potential to carry out class or backend testing. Intel says that this tester is used of their factories and labs for brand spanking new product growth and CPU manufacturing ramping. Lastly, the SLT is used to substantiate Intel merchandise will perform in a customer-like surroundings. Each tester is designed to align with the options and exact necessities of the CPU, guaranteeing enough check protection and, sustaining product high quality.
An unparalleled expertise
All the expertise of witnessing and comprehending the CPU manufacturing course of was genuinely unparalleled. I used to be completely impressed by the immense scale of operations and the intricacies concerned in producing a single unit of the ultimate product. All the manufacturing facility features like a well-oiled machine, but it’s underpinned by numerous complexities and tireless dedication of the corporate’s workforce.
Navigating by means of numerous sections of the manufacturing services not solely offered me with a deeper understanding of how the corporate crafts its top-tier chips but additionally supplied a transparent glimpse into Intel’s future. Its dedication to introducing 5 nodes throughout the subsequent 4 years might seem as a advertising and marketing technique, nevertheless it appears solely possible, particularly given the spectacular capabilities of its manufacturing vegetation. These vegetation additionally be certain that the corporate is on monitor with its IDM 2.0 technique for manufacturing, innovation, and product management.
Nevertheless, it’s necessary to acknowledge that Intel received’t have an unobstructed path to success. There’s fierce competitors from rivals like AMD and different chip producers, and solely time will reveal whether or not Workforce Blue can keep its management within the trade.
For now, we expect Intel to launch new cellular chipsets later this 12 months beneath the 14th-gen ‘Meteor Lake’ moniker. It’s anticipated to be an necessary milestone for the corporate as it is going to make use of the Intel 4 course of making it the primary chip lineup to make the most of the 7nm course of. Quickly after that, there are rumors that the next-gen desktop processors may even be arriving as a refresh to the present Thirteenth-gen Raptor Lake lineup.
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