• Journal of Korean Institute of Industrial Engineers
• /
• v.36 no.1
• /
• pp.42-51
• /
• 2010

The semiconductor industry is highly capital and technology intensive. Technology advancement on circuit design and process improvement requires chip makers continuously to invest a new fabrication facility that costs more than 3 billion US dollars. Especially major semiconductor companies recently started to discuss 450mm fabrication substituting existing 300mm fabrication of which facilities were initiated to build in 1998. If the plan is consolidated, the yield of 450mm facility would be more than doubled compared to existing 300mm facility. In steps of this important investment, facility layout has been acknowledged as one of the most important factors to be competitive in the market. This research proposes a new concept of semiconductor facility layout using hexagonal floor plan and its compatible material flow pattern. The main objective of this proposal is to improve the productivity of the unified layout that has been popularly used to build existing facilities. In this research, practical characteristics of the semiconductor fabrication are taken into account to develop a new layout alternative based on the analysis of Chung and Tanchoco (2009). The performance of the proposed layout alternative is analyzed using computer simulation and the results show that the new layout alternative outperforms the existing layout alternative, unified layout. However, a few questions on space efficiency to the new alternative were raised in communication with industry practitioners. These questions are left for a future study.

• Journal of the Korea Society for Simulation
• /
• v.18 no.2
• /
• pp.65-75
• /
• 2009

The semiconductor manufacturing process normally includes a great number of complex sequential steps those are related with various types of equipment. Such equipments are installed with the mixed patterns of serial or parallel structures while considering a number of engineering or environmental factors at the same time. It is thus extremely difficult to change the layout after installation due to expensive costs and other related factors. Because of these reasons, a new investment or layout change, which is usually caused by the production policy such as product mix or production quantity, must be carefully considered. This case study introduces a simulation conducted in a semiconductor parts production company which produces the Board on Chip (BOC)-type of packaging substrate and has plans to change the facility layout. For this study, we used $QUEST^{(R)}$ for simulation modeling and evaluated various strategies which may cause layout changes. Further, the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) is applied to select the best strategy from several alternatives with multiple decision criteria.

• Proceedings of the Korea Society for Simulation Conference
• /
• 2001.05a
• /
• pp.31-35
• /
• 2001

Simulation --- The ideal tool for BPR. Work now and CASE tools are static modeling tools. Based on our own customers surveys, we have discovered that the use of process modeling tools thus far has focused on modeling the current(What-Is) state of a business. We have found that 90 percent of reengineering projects, the modeling tools of choice have been flowcharting tools. Static models offer help in understanding the overall nature of an existing process. However, static models can not really help you see the step by step motions towards completion of your goals. In static modeling, you see two pictures in time, usually taken at the current state and final state models of your reengineering project. Static models are usually not object oriented, therefore can not show facility or office layout and movement of entities and objects throughout the facility. However, this does not mean that static modeling does not have its application nor add value to the user as in a few success stories. Simulation helps the team analyze the complex aspects of the project. Many times a plan that looks good on paper might turn out entirely different when put into action. Therefore, simulation helps you look at how situations might work before actual implementation. In particular, computer simulation models help you view a reengineered condition before they are rolled-out. Items such as a lead time and resource allocation.

• Journal of Practical Engineering Education
• /
• v.15 no.1
• /
• pp.209-221
• /
• 2023

In the external inspection and packaging stages of products used in the semiconductor manufacturing process, there is a problem in which particles are adsorbed to the product itself or a carrying tool due to electrostatic discharge. This study presents a methodology that can improve the problem of adsorption of particles to a product by using a practical TRIZ technique. By applying the proposed practical TRIZ-based methodology, the problem was defined, and contradictions caused by product waiting time were derived. Among the derived contradictions, physical contradictions were set and the concept of 'space separation' was applied to derive solutions such as 'installation of Ionizer' and 'improvement of the layout of the workroom'. As a result of the experiment by applying 'Ionizer Installation' and 'Workroom Layout Improvement' derived through the application of practical TRIZ, it was confirmed that the particle adsorption problem that occurs during the waiting time of the product can be solved.Through this study, it is expected that workers, facility engineers, and technical engineers working at manufacturing processes will be able to effectively solve the problems they face through creative thinking and change of ideas by using practical TRIZ techniques, and contribute to innovative technology development and productivity improvement.