Production Line Equipment Allocation for Demand-Driven Capacity Shifts
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing semiconductor production lines face challenges in efficiently increasing production capacity to meet temporary demand fluctuations, as transporting equipment across geographical areas can be time-consuming and costly, leading to decreased production capacity and increased costs.
Innovation Solution
An information processing method and system that assigns fixed equipment within a geographical area and supplements with mobile equipment to construct a production line, optimizing equipment distribution and reducing transport distances by deciding on the installation of mobile equipment in specific locations within the area.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If equipment is transported across geographical areas to increase production capacity, then production capacity can be increased, but transport time and costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The production line is divided into multiple process stages, with each stage assigned to different fixed facilities located in the same geographical area. This segmentation allows production to be distributed across nearby locations rather than requiring complete equipment transport, thereby increasing production capacity while minimizing transport time.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses a centralized information processing apparatus that can manage and coordinate multiple fixed facilities and mobile equipment universally. This multi-functional management system optimizes equipment assignment across different locations, enabling production capacity adjustment without requiring physical equipment relocation.
2Productivity
If equipment is transported across geographical areas to meet demand fluctuations, then production capacity can be adjusted, but transport costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The information processing apparatus pre-assigns equipment to production processes based on forecasted demand and current equipment locations. By making assignments in advance, the system avoids last-minute equipment transport, thereby reducing transport costs while maintaining the ability to adjust production capacity.
Solution Approach 2:
The information processing apparatus acts as an intermediary that coordinates between fixed facilities and mobile equipment. It optimizes the use of existing fixed equipment across different facilities before resorting to mobile equipment transport, thereby minimizing transport costs while achieving production capacity adjustment.
3Loss of time
If fixed equipment is used within a geographical area, then transport time is minimized, but production capacity adjustment becomes limited
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically assigns both fixed equipment at multiple facilities and mobile equipment to production processes based on real-time demand fluctuations. This dynamic assignment allows the system to maintain the benefits of using fixed equipment within a geographical area while simultaneously achieving flexible production capacity adjustment through mobile equipment deployment.
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure makes it possible to construct a production line of products using pieces of first equipment located in a geographical area and mobile second equipment. An information processing method tries to assign pieces of first equipment to a series of work processes to produce products based on the pieces of first equipment located in the geographical area and positions thereof, decides installation of pieces of second equipment to be assigned to a part of the series of work processes to which a part of the pieces of equipment cannot be assigned from among the pieces of first equipment when there is the part of the series of work processes to which the part of the pieces of equipment cannot be assigned from among the pieces of first equipment, outputs a request to transport the pieces of second equipment to an installation position in the geographical area.