SAN JOSE, April 29 (Reuters) - Intel ( INTC ) said on

Tuesday several of its contract manufacturing customers planned

to build test chips for the company's forthcoming advanced

manufacturing process that is currently still in development.

The embattled chipmaker indicated it had received interest

from customers at the company's Direct Connect conference for

its contract chip business, or foundry. Intel's ( INTC ) attempt to build

a foundry unit has hit snags but ultimately the goal has been to

rival TSMC.

Upon taking the CEO job in March, Lip-Bu Tan vowed to

reshape Intel ( INTC ) and at his first public remarks asked the

company's customers to be "brutally honest" when delivering

feedback. As part of his plans to remake Intel ( INTC ), Tan plans to

revamp the company's foundry operation.

The still-in-development manufacturing process known as 14A

had planned to introduce a new type of advanced chipmaking tool

known as a high-NA EUV machine. The 14A process also includes a

new technology for power delivery.

Intel ( INTC ) also said on Tuesday the company had distributed an

early version of the digital design kit that is necessary to

ensure Intel ( INTC ) can successfully transform a chip blueprint into a

working piece of silicon.

Typically chip companies build test chips to evaluate a new

manufacturing process ahead of committing to a complete design,

which is far more expensive and risky. Broadcom ( AVGO ) and

Nvidia ( NVDA ) have run tests for Intel's ( INTC ) current advanced

manufacturing process known as 18A, Reuters reported in March.

Intel ( INTC ) reiterated it was planning to ramp up the 18A process

to high-volume production this year. It plans to initially

manufacture chips with 18A at its research and development lab

near Hillsboro, Oregon. The company's factories in Arizona will

ramp up production this year, Intel ( INTC ) said.