Intel Wins 1-Year FCC Waiver for Foreign-Made Robots in US Fabs
Updated
Updated · Ars Technica · Oct 23
Intel Wins 1-Year FCC Waiver for Foreign-Made Robots in US Fabs
3 articles · Updated · Ars Technica · Oct 23
Summary
The FCC on Oct. 22 let Intel keep using certain foreign-made robotic vehicles in its US semiconductor plants for one year, after the chipmaker sought relief to avoid disruption.
Intel said it was unclear whether the automated guided vehicles were even covered by the agency’s foreign-robot ban, but asked for a waiver out of an abundance of caution.
The order also lets Intel make hardware, software and firmware changes needed to maintain the machines, which move materials on predefined paths in fabs and warehouses.
The case highlights uncertainty in FCC rules that mainly target new mobile robots, while still allowing previously approved devices but limiting major modifications to them.