From: Seth <list@sysfu.com>
   On Tue, 28 Jul 2015 15:40:55 -0700, oshwm <[1]oshwm@openmailbox.org>
   wrote:
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   >
   >> So is anyone working on building an 'openfab' or is it such a big
   task
   >> that everyone just backs away in horror? :D
   >My understanding is that the capital costs involved with building and
   >operating a chip fabrication plant are astronomical, although the
   >situation may be getting better.
   >[2]http://spectrum.ieee.org/semiconductors/design/the-new-economics-of
   -semiconductor-manufacturing
   Even 30 years ago, there were custom fabs that were designed to allow
   small organizations to get chips fabbed.  This may be one of the modern
   version of them:
   [3]http://www.globalfoundries.com/manufacturing/manufacturing-overview
   In the mid 80's, they typically purchased older fabs (not state of the
   art) and allowed small companies to prototype their semiconductor
   designs.  Today, some of them apparently do near-state-of-the-art
   production.
                  Jim Bell

References

   1. mailto:oshwm@openmailbox.org
   2. http://spectrum.ieee.org/semiconductors/design/the-new-economics-of-semiconductor-manufacturing
   3. http://www.globalfoundries.com/manufacturing/manufacturing-overview