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The worldwide semiconductor trade is increasing at an unprecedented charge. Our evaluation means that the trade will develop by 6 to eight p.c per 12 months by way of 2030, when it would hit the $1 trillion annual income mark.
Demand from finish markets—for makes use of equivalent to computing, knowledge storage, wi-fi communication, and AI—is answerable for about 60 p.c of this progress. The remainder comes from industries that require mature nodes (wafers lower than 200 millimeters [mm]), such because the automotive, industrial, and wired-communication segments. And whereas the dynamics in finish markets that require modern chips (equivalent to in computing and AI) might create minor fluctuations in demand, the semiconductor trade will develop total, not less than for the following decade.
The trade’s progress has been accompanied by funding. For the previous 20 years, we’ve seen the modern 300 mm wafer obtain beneficiant quantities of funding within the type of R&D and operational finest practices, which has made it comparatively straightforward to extend manufacturing capability. However for wafer platforms which might be 200 mm or smaller—that are steadily used for automotive, industrial, and wired communications—the story is completely different.
Generally known as “mature nodes,” chips made on these platforms have traditionally responded to mounted demand and flat progress. However that modified when roaring end-market demand pushed mature node–manufacturing services—often known as “fabs”—to their full capability.
Many fabs want a capability increase—and rapidly. Others want a efficiency increase to reduce the price of instruments being down for upkeep. However most fabs with mature nodes are not less than 20 years outdated, with the tools, processes, and productiveness to match.
On this context, fab effectivity takes on outsize significance for assembly market demand and value expectations. The potential is critical. In our expertise, enhancing tools reliability may also help a fab improve its software availability (the share of time {that a} piece of apparatus is able to course of incoming work) by greater than 15 p.c. When utilized to bottlenecks, about 70 to 80 p.c of this enchancment is remodeled into the general tools effectiveness (OEE) (an total measure of a producing operation’s utilization relative to its full potential) of the fab. Consequently, the fab can rapidly faucet into important latent capability—typically by greater than 10 p.c—with out including instruments or increasing its footprint.
Attaining this requires a big change in mindsets, processes, and techniques away from reactivity and towards prevention and advance planning. Fab leaders would want to prioritize tools restoration, conduct constant deliberate upkeep, and handle elements effectively. The insights on this article would carry probably the most profit to wafer platforms of 200 mm or much less, however the ideas are relevant to all semiconductor fabs.
Previous habits preserve fabs in reactive mode
Many fabs working mature nodes will not be but utilizing the most recent developments in knowledge administration techniques, lean manufacturing processes and practices, and Trade 4.0 instruments. Value discount over a interval of years and lack of institutional information by way of expertise attrition has weakened the potential of the manufacturing flooring. Taken collectively, these elements make responding to upkeep points tough—and inefficient when it does occur.
Over time, a scarcity of deliberate, structured actions creates a cycle of reactionary upkeep for a lot of fabs, leading to decrease availability and decrease wafer output for the fab total. In our expertise, some fabs’ upkeep ratios (M-ratios) have dipped beneath 1.0, which implies unplanned-maintenance time surpasses scheduled-maintenance time. Getting mired in this sort of firefighting diverts consideration and sources from planning and implementing a strategic upkeep program. If unplanned upkeep considerably surpasses deliberate upkeep, the instruments are successfully controlling the upkeep group, not the opposite manner round. Strain to hit quarterly cargo targets can heighten the strain on fab groups, which isn’t at all times conducive to rigorous drawback fixing. The result’s reactionary responses to points, which result in longer downtimes, reoccurring failures, and diminished software availability—finally affecting wafer output.
Device availability is likely one of the essential elements that impacts OEE apart from software efficiency, wafer loading, and high quality. Device availability typically dips, however resolution makers’ response to it are pivotal (see sidebar “Essential elements in total tools effectiveness”).
In principle, resolution makers and practitioners would put together and implement an efficient planned-maintenance schedule, tamping down the frequency of surprising upkeep over time. In follow, doing so is tough as a result of the steps in a wafer move (the trail a wafer takes within the chip-making course of) are interdependent and complicated—as is the tools. Consequently, we’ve noticed that managers concentrate on firefighting in 40 to 70 p.c of the situations through which a software goes down. This strategy essentially drives them to prioritize short-term wins. Within the remaining circumstances, managers might attempt to fulfil a plan, however these efforts are usually doomed as a result of firefighting consumes a disproportionate quantity of sources.
Remodeling fab availability for the higher
In our expertise, software availability will be improved typically by addressing unplanned upkeep. We discovered that an hour of deliberate upkeep can usually save three to 4 hours of unplanned upkeep.
A best-in-class upkeep program for semiconductor fabs consists of three overarching components: resolve issues rapidly with short-loop root trigger evaluation (RCA), construct a robust planned-maintenance basis, and handle elements effectively.
Resolve issues rapidly with short-loop RCA
Brief-loop RCA, an agile problem-solving method that may assist groups break down causes and generate options, may also help groups arrive at a shared understanding of the principle causes of software downtime and develop plans to handle them. The strategy can resolve reasonably advanced upkeep issues, which, in our expertise, account for about half of the problems that come up in corrective upkeep (see sidebar “Brief-loop root trigger evaluation in context”).
Semiconductor fab groups can use short-loop RCA to seek out one of the best ways to resolve issues that come up with particular instruments (exhibit).
For every bit of apparatus focused for root-cause evaluation, groups would articulate the issue to be addressed and assess its frequency and impression. Groups would additionally establish the interior and exterior sources wanted to analyze the issue.
The subsequent step can be to gather historic knowledge on the piece of apparatus, reconfirm the character of the issue with the related machine technician, and establish any adjoining points.
To conduct the RCA, the working staff would collect in a devoted area to develop hypotheses, make use of five-why evaluation (a specific interrogative problem-solving method used to establish the supply of a problem), prioritize doable root causes, and brainstorm potential options. The result of this train could possibly be a plan of action that’s prone to succeed. If not, the staff may return to utilizing historic knowledge to generate insights that would translate into options.
As a closing step, the staff would implement their options and monitor their efficacy. Documentation right here will probably be essential, particularly if groups have insights about whether or not a specific piece of apparatus’s issues are systemic and whether or not they have implications for different areas of the enterprise such because the fab’s technique on spare elements.
Analytical frameworks equivalent to fuzzy logic (which makes use of an imprecise set of apparatus notes to establish key software downtime points) may also help groups acknowledge the most typical issues based mostly on downtime hours and frequency. Advert hoc groups—together with suppliers and gear distributors, if wanted—can then be assembled for workshops centered on pinpointing the foundation causes of every situation (see sidebar “Making use of fuzzy logic to upkeep in a semiconductor fab”).
In fact, implementing these habits requires the appropriate experience, sources, self-discipline, and enforcement. One profit of getting this constant framework is that fab groups can use it with the expertise they have already got. It could actually additionally assist offset the results of attrition of skilled employees. Fab groups may allocate sources towards totally resolving any issues groups establish so that every situation will be addressed solely as soon as. The information captured from the expertise can be utilized to coach employees and resolve points sooner or later.
Construct a robust planned-maintenance basis
In our expertise, efficient planned-maintenance applications enhance fab availability by 5 to 7 proportion factors. Though the rewards are important and the steps—planning, implementation, and steady enchancment—are simple, planned-maintenance applications are tough to ascertain constantly in lots of fabs. The established order of resource-sapping firefighting is one hurdle, as is outdated upkeep procedures.
Dedication from the highest down, accountability, and buy-in from the stakeholders main the hassle may also help a planned-maintenance program take root. The inspiration for a profitable planned-maintenance program is a chance for the fab staff to regularly undertake the appropriate practices. Every milestone permits groups to acknowledge the impression of their efficient preventive work. Requirements and scores, equivalent to bronze, silver, and gold, for various duties can encourage groups to enhance and obtain greater ranges of efficiency.
Essentially the most profitable applications have weekly staff conferences to evaluate progress measured by KPIs and to conduct suggestions that helps groups plan for additional enhancements. Planning in these applications includes scheduling upkeep prematurely and notifying the related stakeholders. The best groups schedule upkeep actions for the following two weeks and provides stakeholders not less than ten days of discover.
The implementation stage is targeted on checking in with stakeholders and eradicating hurdles to planned-maintenance actions. Greatest-in-class groups verify in on not less than two planned-maintenance actions on every shift and resolve roadblocks inside half-hour.
From there, steady enchancment is an ongoing means of adopting—or rejecting—doable enhancements. The best groups make adoption and rejection selections inside per week of receipt in order that new options are quickly built-in into the best way they work.
Handle elements effectively
Elements administration could be a silent killer of fab availability as a result of substitute elements will not be at all times related to acute issues. However an answer—on this case, an element—that’s delayed or unavailable prolongs or worsens the preliminary drawback. Procurement groups might must faucet alternate suppliers, elements might not be accounted for in stock, and a number of groups or staff members may match on the identical points with out coordination or clear strains of accountability.
In our expertise, a lacking or delayed half can create software downtimes which might be as much as six occasions longer than the anticipated downtime if the half was in inventory. Unfold throughout a complete fab, elements administration is an open-ended—and demanding—problem.
As a result of challenges associated to elements administration are variable and sometimes open-ended, a concentrate on figuring out the appropriate points is essential. Disconnects typically happen—for a lot of completely different causes. Consequently, procurement groups might find yourself specializing in sourcing nonpriority elements whereas inventories of essential, work-stopping elements stay unfilled.
A management tower—a cross-functional staff that makes use of real-time knowledge to make selections rapidly—may also help analyze issues and create and implement options concerning elements administration. The management tower can transparently resolve fast points and supply systemic fixes that later change into a part of a strategic software set to enhance processes and handle suppliers. And due to the complexity and regional specifics of the semiconductor provide chain, a elements administration threat staff can be an essential operator of the management tower.
Demand for semiconductors will proceed to develop, and fabs are feeling the strain. One solution to relieve the strain, significantly for fabs producing wafer sizes of 200 mm and smaller, is to shift from reactive firefighting to proactive administration of apparatus restoration, deliberate upkeep, and elements administration. Complete fabs—to not point out the worldwide semiconductor trade—stand to learn.
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