The Idaho National Laboratory (INL) has been selected as the chief digital officer for the Semiconductor Manufacturing and Advanced Research with Twins USA Institute (SMART USA), a Manufacturing USA Institute launching in 2025 and funded by the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s CHIPS for America program. INL will leverage its expertise in digital twinning and high-performance computing to develop tools addressing semiconductor supply chain challenges, aiming to bolster domestic manufacturing competitiveness and national security. The laboratory will also lead the Rocky Mountain region’s Digital Innovation Semiconductor Centers, collaborating with universities, companies like Micron and Texas Instruments, and other national laboratories to build a skilled semiconductor workforce.
Idaho National Laboratory Appointed Digital Lead
The Idaho National Laboratory (INL) has been appointed as the chief digital officer for the Semiconductor Manufacturing and Advanced Research with Twins USA Institute (SMART USA), an initiative launched in 2025 and funded by the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s CHIPS for America program. INL’s selection reflects its established expertise in areas including digital twinning, high-performance computing, digital engineering, artificial intelligence, and advanced manufacturing, as stated by Chris Ritter, INL’s Division Director of Scientific Computing and AI, who will lead the laboratory’s contribution to the effort. The SMART USA program is partnering with the Department of Energy to address critical challenges within the semiconductor industry, leveraging the department’s existing investments in high-performance computing.
INL will be responsible for developing tools and methodologies to facilitate agile responses to supply chain disruptions, with the aim of ensuring continuous and efficient semiconductor production. This initiative will advance American digital twin technology, building a digital backbone and applying it to the semiconductor supply chain to reboot domestic manufacturing competitiveness and ensure both economic and national security. The laboratory’s experience includes the creation of the AGN-201 digital twin, the first virtual representation of an operating nuclear reactor, developed in partnership with Idaho State University and continuously updated with live data from the physical reactor.
Furthermore, INL will lead the Rocky Mountain region’s Digital Innovation Semiconductor Centers, collaborating with Boise State University, the College of Eastern Idaho, the University of Utah, regional universities, and Mountain West-based semiconductor companies such as Micron and Texas Instruments. This regional collaboration will also extend to nearby national laboratories, including the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, to build a highly-skilled semiconductor workforce. Todd Younkin, executive director for the SMART USA Institute, expressed enthusiasm for the partnership and the opportunities for innovation it will unlock.
Digital Twin Technology and Semiconductor Manufacturing
The application of digital twin technology will reduce the time and costs associated with chip design and production, according to the initiative’s objectives. A digital twin is defined as a virtual replica of a physical entity – encompassing machines, buildings, or entire systems – and is continuously updated with real-world data, enabling predictive analysis and informed decision-making. INL’s existing experience in developing digital twin technology extends to key areas including nuclear operations, energy systems, advanced materials, fuel cycles, and cyber-physical security.
INL’s leadership in the Rocky Mountain region’s Digital Innovation Semiconductor Centers will involve collaboration with Boise State University, the College of Eastern Idaho, the University of Utah, other regional universities, Mountain West-based semiconductor companies like Micron and Texas Instruments, and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. This collaboration is intended to build a highly-skilled semiconductor workforce, contributing to the growth of opportunities within the industry. Todd Younkin, executive director for the SMART USA Institute, expressed enthusiasm for the partnership with INL, anticipating significant opportunities for innovation and advancement.
A crucial aspect of this project is to bolster domestic manufacturing competitiveness and secure economic and national security interests, with the aim of returning semiconductor manufacturing to American soil. INL’s leadership is intended to position the Mountain West region at the forefront of these new technological innovations and the associated growth in workforce and opportunities within the semiconductor industry.
Regional Workforce Development and Collaboration
INL’s leadership of the Rocky Mountain region’s Digital Innovation Semiconductor Centers will involve collaboration with Boise State University, the College of Eastern Idaho, the University of Utah, other regional universities, Mountain West-based semiconductor companies like Micron and Texas Instruments, and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. This collaborative effort is specifically designed to build a highly-skilled semiconductor workforce, contributing to the anticipated growth in industry opportunities.
INL’s pioneering work in developing digital twins integrates physical assets with computational capabilities, and is poised to revolutionise semiconductor manufacturing processes. The laboratory’s experience in creating digital twin technology extends beyond semiconductors, encompassing key areas including nuclear operations, energy systems, advanced materials, fuel cycles, and cyber-physical security. This experience is evidenced by the AGN-201 digital twin, the first virtual representation of an operating nuclear reactor, developed in partnership with Idaho State University and continuously updated with live data from the physical reactor.
A crucial aspect of this project is to bolster domestic manufacturing competitiveness, securing economic and national security interests and aiming to return semiconductor manufacturing to American soil. INL’s leadership ensures that the Mountain West region will be at the forefront of these new technological innovations and the growth in workforce and opportunities the semiconductor industry will bring.
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