摘要: | 全球半導體市場持續成長,國內晶圓代工、IC設計業,兩者市場發展因各類應用熱潮,業績成長,表現亮麗。積體電路產業仍是國內的產業龍頭。晶圓代工先進製程技術進入28奈米以後的製程發展以及與IC設計業的配合策略是產業未來發展的重要指標。 晶圓代工製程技術將持續往前邁進,新製程開發費用將愈加高漲,但是產品市場的需求量所帶入的獲利還是足以支撐投資費用,關鍵在晶圓代工的市場需求是否達到規模數量? 依據全球晶圓代工公司的業績表現,估算有四家代工公司足以支持28奈米以及28奈米以下的製程開發,其他業者要審慎三思才可避免無謂的投資。 台灣設計業者應善用國內積體電路的產業優勢,藉台灣晶圓代工的強勢,在設計專業上與國內、外設計公司技術聯盟,開發明星IC產品,藉著攫取中國市場機會,擴大市佔,造就更多的聯發科公司,與美國設計公司競爭。對應先進製程的發展,IC設計公司要與代工公司密切合作,推出符合市場需求的新製程產品,發揮新製程技術的優勢。現今全球知名的IC設計公司,因為全球銷售量的規模,足以支持新製程的設計開發費用,形成精進製程-尖端產品設計-市佔提升的正向循環。 IC設計公司的設計環境是公司能否成功使用先進製程的關鍵要素,尤其是IC設計所不可或缺的元件資料庫與核心矽智財。晶圓代工、專業IC設計公司與設計服務公司對於設計環境處於競爭與合作的關係。代工公司與專業設計公司應充分利用IC設計服務公司提供的元件資料庫與矽智財,降低開發成本而且可以快速推出新製程的先進產品。三者公司的競爭合作關係正在產業間發酵,未來的演變值得觀察。The worldwide market of semiconductor continues growth. Taiwan foundry and IC design companies, due to marketing demand in many killer applications, such as tablet PC and smart phone.etc, all did good revenue in 2011. However, Semiconductor is still standing at leader position in Taiwan industrial. While IC process is moving to 28nm and 28nm below technologies, the future leading process development and the cooperation strategy with IC design companies will be the significant indicator for future semiconductor technology improvement. For sure IC process technologies of Foundry business should migrate to next generation with double developing cost together time to time. As long as the demanding volume for killer application products are higher than certain quantity, the profit gained from those products should be sufficient to support the process development cost. Does the total market demanding quantity reach to economic size is the key evaluation point to justify whether to invest in the leading edge technology or not. Based upon the current operating revenue and profit reports of worldwide foundry companies, we estimated at least 4 companies be able to manage 28nm and 28nm below processes development. The other competitors have to be very carefully to evaluate the returning to invest in this leading process. Taiwan has been built up an excellent semiconductor infrastructure as mention in this article. The design companies in Taiwan should take the advantage to enhance her products developing strength, especially cooperate with local professional foundry companies such as TSMC or UMC, adopting their leading processes to design own super products to fit customers needed. In the mean time, Taiwan design companies may consider alliance with system/design expertise in worldwide, especially from USA to develop new chips in the hottest application field. And then approach China market to gains the market share step by step. People expect more giant design companies like Mediatek be established in Taiwan. IC design companies must build up very closely relationship with foundry companies in the high-end process era. Design companies therefore are able to take the advantage of leading edge process to design her new application products. Now,those worldwide leading IC design companies such as Qualcomm and Nvidia in USA, anxiety to adopt the most leading process from foundry companies for her leading product lines, since their current worldwide selling volume are sufficient to support the new design cost. Obviously, this food chain reactive become a positive loop from process technology to product design and then to increase marketing share to bring the process in progress flow. Design environment is a key evaluation item for IC design company, who likes to adopt leading edge technology successfully. The deign environment includes the availability of design cell library and core IPs(intellectual properties) and the equipments..etc. Among foundry、IC design and IC design service companies, who open their own design environment solution to others based upon the mutual IPs alliance or competition strategy. We suggest either foundry suppliers or IC product design companies, both have to pay attention to the role of design service company and consider working with it closely. People will keep eyes on the future cooperation strategy among the tree solution players. |