# Prior Art, Wafer Fabs and Guns - Whimsical Wafer Waffling

- Show: [The Amp Hour](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour)
- Published: 2013-10-09
- Length: 1h 27m
- Episode: 166
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2013-10-09-prior-art-wafer-fabs-and-guns-whimsical-wafer-waffling
- Listen: https://theamphour.com/166-prior-art-wafer-fabs-and-guns-whimsical-wafer-waffling/

## Summary

Chris Gammell, who worked in semiconductor fabs, and Dave Jones of EEV Blog discuss the complexities of wafer manufacturing, including the necessity of wafer-level testing to reduce feedback cycles and the impact of mergers like Tokyo Electron and AMAT on equipment costs. They critique crowdfunding projects that prioritize marketing over engineering, such as the ICE ID tag, and analyze the evolution of the Arduino platform with new Intel and TI boards. The conversation also covers ethical patent concerns, the use of Upverter for rapid prototyping, and recent regulatory changes allowing electronics use on airplanes.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2013-10-09-prior-art-wafer-fabs-and-guns-whimsical-wafer-waffling#t=0) Introduction: Dayton Hamvention and Guns
- [5:48](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2013-10-09-prior-art-wafer-fabs-and-guns-whimsical-wafer-waffling#t=348) Amp Hour Merchandise and Fab Life
- [9:32](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2013-10-09-prior-art-wafer-fabs-and-guns-whimsical-wafer-waffling#t=572) Wafer Fabs: Memory vs Logic and Yield
- [15:01](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2013-10-09-prior-art-wafer-fabs-and-guns-whimsical-wafer-waffling#t=901) Wafer-Level Testing and Cycle Time
- [21:42](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2013-10-09-prior-art-wafer-fabs-and-guns-whimsical-wafer-waffling#t=1302) Chip Mergers and Equipment Costs
- [27:08](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2013-10-09-prior-art-wafer-fabs-and-guns-whimsical-wafer-waffling#t=1628) Crowdfunding Critique: ICE ID Tag
- [32:25](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2013-10-09-prior-art-wafer-fabs-and-guns-whimsical-wafer-waffling#t=1945) Rapid Prototyping with Upverter and LPKF
- [38:28](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2013-10-09-prior-art-wafer-fabs-and-guns-whimsical-wafer-waffling#t=2308) Ethical Patent Questions and Prior Art
- [45:04](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2013-10-09-prior-art-wafer-fabs-and-guns-whimsical-wafer-waffling#t=2704) Die Bonding, Soldering, and Materials
- [55:06](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2013-10-09-prior-art-wafer-fabs-and-guns-whimsical-wafer-waffling#t=3306) Arduino Platform Evolution and Intel Boards
- [1:05:49](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2013-10-09-prior-art-wafer-fabs-and-guns-whimsical-wafer-waffling#t=3949) Government Shutdown and FCC Impact
- [1:08:58](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2013-10-09-prior-art-wafer-fabs-and-guns-whimsical-wafer-waffling#t=4138) New Analog Parts and Airplane Regulations

## Topics

- [Chips, FPGAs & semiconductors](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/chips-and-fpgas)
- [Crowdfunding & preorders](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/crowdfunding)
- [Microcontrollers & dev platforms](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/microcontrollers-and-platforms)
- [Intellectual property](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/intellectual-property)
- [Materials & manufacturing processes](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/materials-and-processes)

## Most relevant to

large enterprises

## Mentioned

- Tokyo Electron (company)
- AMAT (company)
- Arduino (product)
- Intel (company)
- TI (company)
- Upverter (tool)
- LPKF (tool)
- Linear Technology (company)
- Maxim (company)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [026 - You Can Lose in so Many Colors!](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/unnamed-reverse-engineering-podcast/2019-08-31-026-you-can-lose-in-so-many-colors) (Unnamed Reverse Engineering Podcast)
- [S4E28 Kevin Distelhurst | Semiconductors – What They Are & How They’re Manufactured](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2023-07-28-s4e28-kevin-distelhurst-semiconductors-what-they-are-how-theyre-manufactured) (Being an Engineer)
- [TSMC Scraps a Batch of Wafers | AI Limitations | ISSCC](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ee-times-current/2019-02-22-tsmc-scraps-a-batch-of-wafers-ai-limitations-isscc) (EE Times Current)
- [322: Learn Assembly Code](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2020-02-28-322-learn-assembly-code) (Embedded.fm)
- [100: Unintentional Radiator](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2015-05-06-100-unintentional-radiator) (Embedded.fm)

## Citing this page

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