After a process flow such as 18A is established, the manufacturer may be locked into specific tools and cannot freely substitute other tools.

“Even though there are multiple providers of other tools, uh, you know, once you lock into a process flow-”

“... let's say 18A, right? 18A is a mature process now, so we need a specific tool. We can't just go out, go and get a different tool for the same-”

“... for the same. So, so therefore, we are locked into that one tool, one supplier, a-and, um, and so we rely on that.”