The effectiveness of variability reduction in decreasing wafer fabrication cycle time

Israel Tirkel

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contributionpeer-review

11 Scopus citations

Abstract

Fab operations management strives to decrease cycle-time (CT) for driving low inventory, improved quality, short time-to-market and lower cost. This work studies factors contributing to production variability, and evaluates the variability's influence on CT. It relies on queueing networks, CT and variability approximations, operational curve modeling, and common practice. It demonstrates that increasing variability drives longer CT at a growing pace, and has a larger effect on CT than utilization. Growing machine inventory weakens the impact of utilization on CT and almost eliminates it at high inventory, while the impact of variability on CT remains significant. Decline of machine availability prolongs CT at a growing pace, and is affected by variability more than utilization. Overall the primary factor of production variability is attributed to machine availability, and specifically to repair time. Reducing variability for achieving decreased CT is less costly and more effective than reducing machine utilization or increasing capacity.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationProceedings of the 2013 Winter Simulation Conference - Simulation
Subtitle of host publicationMaking Decisions in a Complex World, WSC 2013
Pages3796-3805
Number of pages10
DOIs
StatePublished - 1 Dec 2013
Event2013 43rd Winter Simulation Conference - Simulation: Making Decisions in a Complex World, WSC 2013 - Washington, DC, United States
Duration: 8 Dec 201311 Dec 2013

Publication series

NameProceedings of the 2013 Winter Simulation Conference - Simulation: Making Decisions in a Complex World, WSC 2013

Conference

Conference2013 43rd Winter Simulation Conference - Simulation: Making Decisions in a Complex World, WSC 2013
Country/TerritoryUnited States
CityWashington, DC
Period8/12/1311/12/13

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Modeling and Simulation

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'The effectiveness of variability reduction in decreasing wafer fabrication cycle time'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this