Constructing procedures of an effective production activity control technique for a wafer fabrication environment

Abstract

This paper presents a flexible production activity control (PAC) technique for a wafer fabrication factory. To resolve PAC problems in extremely complicated wafer fabrication processes, the proposed pull-based production control system (PPCS) integrates concepts of the conventional pull (kanban) system, push system, and drum-buffer-rope (DBR) scheduling technique. A kanban number calculating algorithm is also derived in which the kanban number calculated functions as an initial solution of the simulation run to obtain the optimal solution. Simulation results demonstrate that the PPCS yields a better performance than the conventional pull system and push system. Significance: Wafer fabrication is the most important but complicated process in the semiconductor manufacturing industry. The PPCS proposed herein simultaneously increases key machine utilization and decreases the WIP inventory level of a wafer fabrication factory, thereby fulfilling the PAC task.