Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) will maintain its plans to begin trial production on 18-inch wafers in the 2013-2014 timeframe, with volume production slated for 2015-16, according to the foundry chipmaker.

TSMC expects to have about 95% of its 18-inch produciton equipment and facilities installed in 2014, and start small-volume production on the larger wafers in 2015. Currently, the move to 18-inch wafers still faces technical barriers that have to be solved in collaboration with equipment and material suppliers, TSMC pointed out.

Without support from makers of equipment and materials, no foundry can build and ramp 18-inch product lines on its own, TSMC claimed.

The transition to 18-inch wafer production is aimed at creating more powerful chips, and also enabling a more cost-effective manufacturing method, TSMC said. It is not just having larger wafers, but adding more value to customer products.

TSMC previously revealed plans to conduct R&D for 14nm process technology starting 2012, and begin volume production on the node in 2015. It would use 18-inch wafers to process 14nm chips, the foundry noted.