The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 11 letter word LITHOGRAPHY
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Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "Chip manufacturing step" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case chip manufacturing step = lithography.The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does LITHOGRAPHY mean?
LITHOGRAPHY noun- The process of printing an image by drawing the image with a water-repellent material onto a hard, flat surface (typically metal), then copying the surface by applying water and ink (or the equivalent) to it and pressing another material against it.