An optimization-based framework for the scheduling of Automated Manufacturing Systems

A. AGUIRRE; C.A. MÉNDEZ; C. DE PRADA

IFAC Proceedings Volumes

IFAC

Año: 2012; p. 780 - 785

Automated Wet-Etch Station (AWS) is a complex flow shop operation process in Semiconductor Manufacturing Systems. In this station, automated material-handling robots are used to move wafer lots across a lineal configuration of chemical and water baths. In every bath, limited processing times and complex storage policies must be assured. In this work, an optimization-based framework is developed to improve the operations of AWS. To do this, a sequential procedure based on mixed-integer linear programming (MILP) formulations is proposed. The aim of this work is to provide a robust approach to generate near-optimal results to industrial AWS scheduling problems with modest CPU time.