Semiconductor Part Routing by Building Capacity Occupancy
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
The existing manufacturing processes in semiconductor plants face inefficiencies in routing semiconductor parts, such as wafers, between different buildings, due to suboptimal transportation planning, which leads to increased production time and transportation costs, and congestion in the rail-based transportation system.
Innovation Solution
A Manufacturing Execution System (MES) with a part routing decision component that calculates and issues instructions to route wafers or wafer lots based on the ratio of waiting parts to processing capacity across different buildings, optimizing the transportation route by determining the building with the least capability occupancy ratio, thereby reducing transportation trips and congestion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If semiconductor parts are transported between buildings using the existing rail-based system, then the parts can be moved to different fabrication machines, but the system experiences congestion and increased production time due to suboptimal routing
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary routing calculations and capability assessments before transportation occurs. The MES evaluates the capability occupancy ratios of target buildings and determines optimal routes in advance, allowing parts to be transported efficiently without congestion and reduced production time
Solution Approach 2:
The routing system is dynamic and adaptive, continuously monitoring the capability occupancy ratios of different buildings and adjusting transportation routes in real-time. This dynamic optimization ensures that parts are always routed through the most efficient available paths, minimizing transportation time and preventing system congestion
2Productivity
If more transportation trips are made to move parts between buildings, then all parts can be delivered to their destination, but the transportation system becomes congested and operational efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements continuous feedback by monitoring the capability occupancy ratios of target buildings and using this information to dynamically adjust routing decisions. This feedback mechanism prevents overloading of transportation routes and maintains optimal system efficiency by distributing parts across buildings with available capacity
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the routing parameters based on real-time capability assessments. By calculating and comparing capability occupancy ratios across different buildings, the system dynamically selects optimal destination buildings for each part, thereby balancing the transportation load and preventing congestion while maintaining high operational efficiency
Data Source
AI summary
A system and method relating to determining, by a processing device, a first number of parts waiting to be processed in a subsequent step by a plurality of machines housed in a plurality of buildings interconnected by rails, determining a second number of parts that the plurality of machines housed in the plurality of buildings is capable of processing in the subsequent step of the manufacture process over a determined period of time, calculating a capability occupancy ratio based on the first number and the second number for each one of the plurality of buildings, determining a target building of the plurality of buildings based on the capability occupancy ratio, and causing to dispatch the part to the target building via the rails.