Improving wafer fab productivity with efficient floor layouts

As the cost of building a new fab approaches $2 billion, semiconductor manufacturers are analyzing all factors that influence profitability. Production floor layout design can significantly increase product fabrication and material-handling efficiency. Recent studies have estimated that a 10-30% reduction in manufacturing operating expenses can be realized through redesigning floor layouts [1]. In fact, if optimal layout designs were implemented throughout all industries, the annual manufacturing productivity in the US alone would increase approximately three times more than it has in any year over the last decade [2]. The semiconductor industry is no exception.