Tsunami Phenomena Identification by Visualization Technology for Manufacturing Fluctuation

Abstract

Semiconductor manufacturing is expected to change its policy for high product mix and low production volume conditions so as to respond the tremendous growth in home information appliances. Under the condition, rapid productivity improvement activities are needed to establish agile manufacturing operations. In this research, Visualized Coefficient of Variation Analysis (VCVA) is applied to measure material flow fluctuations in a manufacturing system on a time-line basis. Based on this approach, a monitoring tool was developed and implemented in a wafer manufacturing system to find manufacturing productivity detractors from a crow's nest view of the whole manufacturing system. Results show the effectiveness of the method by visualizing "tsunami" phenomena in the material flow fluctuation, and by identifying the root cause equipment as the source of the productivity detractor.