(Image credit: Getty / Anabelle Chih)

TSMC, the world's largest contract chip manufacturer, is seeking alternative machinery without rare-earth components to reduce its dependence on China-dominated materials and avoid disruptions to factory operations caused by the country's export controls. According to a Reuters report on October 22 citing people familiar with the matter, the Taiwanese company has begun approaching its equipment suppliers to explore whether they can provide factory automation equipment equipped with motors that don't require rare-earth materials.

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Etiido Uko is a news contributor for Tom's Hardware covering the latest updates in big tech and the PC industry. He is a mechanical engineer and senior technical writer with over nine years of experience in documentation and reporting.…