Simulation-Based Framework to Automated Wet-Etch Station Scheduling Problems in the Semiconductor Industry

AGUIRRE, ADRIÁN MARCELO; CAFARO, VANINA GUADALUPE; MÉNDEZ, CARLOS ALBERTO

Phoenix, Arizona

Conferencia; Winter Simulation Conference '11; 2011

S. Jain, R.R. Creasey, J. Himmelspach, K.P. White, and M. Fu

This work presents the development and application of an advanced modelling, simulation and optimization-based framework to the efficient operation of the Automated Wet-etch Station (AWS), a critical stage in Semiconductor Manufacturing Systems (SMS). Lying on the main concepts of the process-interaction approach, principal components and tools available in the Arena® simulation software were used to achieve the best representation of this complex and highly-constrained manufacturing system. Furthermore, advanced Arena templates were utilized for modelling very specific operation features arising in the process under study. The major aim of this work is to provide a novel computer-aided tool to systematically improve the dynamic operation of this critical manufacturing station by quickly generating efficient schedules for the shared processing and transportation devices.