1. Purpose of the gate
The business commits the investment in MEMS process, ASIC, package, calibration and qualification, against an agreed development plan, cost target and reliability requirements.
Up to this gate, spending has been limited to definition and co-design. From here the business pays for mask sets, wafer runs, an ASIC tape-out, stimulus equipment, qualification and the people to run them. The gate checks that the concept evidence justifies that spend, that the plan includes every part of a sensor's development, calibration and stimulus equipment included, and that the target cost reflects calibration and test time as well as silicon.
It also fixes the qualification grade and compliance scope, because they change the plan: automotive qualification, production part approval and long supply commitments add work and time compared with a consumer product.
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