: High-volume manufacturing is the only reason these complex devices are affordable. For example, in the early 1960s, a single circuit cost $1,000; by 1963, mass production for the Apollo program dropped that price to $25.
The decision to buy rather than build ICs is driven by the sheer scale of the semiconductor industry. While an individual can technically design an IC in a personal lab, the costs are prohibitively high and the yields are poor compared to mass production. buy integrated circuits
We are entering an era where the traditional boundaries of purchasing "hardware" are shifting. : High-volume manufacturing is the only reason these