The utter variety and varying necessities of MEMS devices and the one creation, one procedure approaches are the source of most MEMS fabrication trials. While a sole method will not suit all businesses, forming an ecosystem leveraging different companies’ expertise is perhaps the best way to address these challenges. Though, joining together this system is difficult since it has many partners in the mix only works if the whole supply chain follows basic design rules and a common highest tech expansion roadmap.

Since starting these commonalities needs effort, numerous medium and large companies prefer to own their supply chain, irrespective of the costs. In contrast, developing companies that cannot support heavy investments for new equipment will unavoidably find foundries that have all the apparatus in place, along with a varied diversity of MEMS processes, a more striking option. As you embark on a MEMS fabrication journey, which choices should you deliberate to have their noses in front?

Finding ecosystem partners

Since there are a number of different technology selections that make process integration challenging in MEMS fabrication, technical expertise is the key to evolving unique products in time. If you can’t have your supply chain, it is better to find partners whose know-how matches and foils your technology.

 Own Supply Chain

There are many benefits of owning the whole supply chain, all the expertise will be inside the company, IP is fairly easy to protect, and managing the supply chain is simpler. Though, this model requires significant funding in tools and, ultimately, considerable effort and finances to remain technically competitive in every part of the supply chain.

Outsourcing of the ASIC

You may choose a fully possessed supply chain, subcontracting only ASIC fabrication and perhaps ASIC enterprise and assembly. This option needs momentous know-how in MEMS technology, liberating you from the limits of a fabless working model as there is more control of MEMS fabrication procedures. It also offers further IP defense than what you will have with a foundry. The process of outsourcing will curtail the procedure flow and decrease the total capital needed.

Foundry Models

While most companies still have their own supply chain or farm out the ASIC portion of their instrument than make use of MEMS foundries, MEMS foundry solution is especially good for the companies, more concerned about cost. If you can’t afford the considerable investment required for novel tools and cutting-edge materials or the product needs fast scaling-up for the reason of having short lifecycles, foundry solutions should be considered. 

There are two key types, pure-play foundries and one with design services and its own IP. Pure-Play foundries are an excellent choice for a MEMS design-based company not having its fabrication line. Though, if your company lacks detailed knowledge of MEMS design, the other kind of foundry will give you design support and perhaps some IP too.