The SMART USA Institute
The Semiconductor Manufacturing and Advanced Research with Twins USA Institute (SMART USA) is at the forefront of America’s efforts to reclaim global leadership in semiconductor manufacturing through the power of digital twin technology.
As a Manufacturing USA institute funded under the CHIPS and Science Act, SMART USA brings together a national community of industry leaders, academic institutions, national laboratories, small businesses, and workforce organizations to solve critical challenges facing domestic semiconductor production.
Digital Twins Innovation
Digital twins—virtual replicas of physical systems that enable real-time monitoring, simulation, and optimization—hold transformative potential for semiconductor manufacturing.
By creating digital models of manufacturing processes, equipment, and fabrication facilities, SMART USA is paving the way for American leadership in chips independence for decades to come.
How we do it…
Regional Focus, National Support
Led by the Semiconductor Research Corporation Manufacturing Consortium Corporation (SRCMCC), SMART USA operates through a comprehensive network of seven regional Digital Innovation Semiconductor Centers, or DISCs, spanning the nation. These centers serve as hubs for innovation, providing access to cutting-edge physical and computational capabilities that might otherwise be inaccessible to many organizations, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises. The institute’s work encompasses the entire semiconductor manufacturing process from design and fabrication to advanced packaging, assembly, and testing.
Securing America’s Technological Leadership
SMART USA is strengthening America’s independence in semiconductor technology during an era when AI’s rapid evolution demands ever-more advanced chips. We enable American companies to design, test, and perfect chip production virtually before building physically—dramatically accelerating development while reducing costs. This digital-first approach allows the U.S. to innovate at unprecedented speeds, outpacing global competitors and bringing critical manufacturing back to American soil. By rebuilding our nation’s capacity with these advanced capabilities, we’re securing our technological sovereignty in the AI-powered future that depends on these essential components.
Revolutionizing America’s Semiconductor Workforce
Our Country’s digital transformation starts with people. SMART USA is addressing critical workforce challenges facing the semiconductor industry with the power of digital twins. Digital twins not only improve chip production, they can be used to help workers understand the fab environment, wherever they are. We focus on bringing digital twin technologies to the classroom – physically and virtually – so that more Americans can participate in the microelectronics workforce.
Integration through a Technology Platform
At the heart of SMART USA is the development of the SMART Digital Backbone, a first-of-its-kind cross-functional platform that enables interoperability between digital twin models across the semiconductor manufacturing ecosystem. This infrastructure, combined with the SMART Marketplace where validated digital twin models, data, and tools can be shared securely, creates unprecedented opportunities for collaboration while protecting valuable intellectual property.
