Intel Fab 52 Begins 18A Chip Production

According to reports, Intel has officially lifted the curtain on its Arizona Fab 52, signaling its role as a key driver of advanced chip production in the U.S. Located in the Ocotillo campus in Chandler, Fab 52 is already equipped with four ASML extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography machines, with space reserved for two more, allowing flexible future expansion based on demand. The fab has started mass production of Intel's latest 18A processors.

Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan recently visited the site, highlighting the company's ambition to attract additional external clients and reshape the global wafer manufacturing landscape, leveraging Intel's strong industry relationships.

Ocotillo has been a cornerstone of Intel's operations for over 45 years, from the early Fab 12 to Fab 52, which began construction in 2021. The $50+ billion investment is evident in Fab 52's advanced infrastructure: automated overhead transport (OHT) systems are running at high speed, producing next-generation Panther Lake and Clearwater Forest chips, while the three-story-high third-generation EUV machines are housed in specially elevated ceilings to accommodate their scale.

Industry sources note each EUV tool currently produces around 195 wafers per hour, with potential to reach 220 wafers. Intel plans to ramp up 18A monthly output from 1,000–5,000 wafers by year-end, aiming for 10,000–15,000 wafers in 2026 and up to 30,000 wafers post-2027, with room to install two additional EUV machines.

Completed wafers from front-end processes will be sent to Intel's New Mexico packaging facility for back-end production, achieving a fully "Made in USA" chip supply chain.