Qualification management with batch size constraint

Qualification and batch size constraints are two important characteristics of many toolsets in semiconductor manufacturing. In this paper, we consider the impact of batch size constraint on two flexibility measures used for qualification management. We propose several solution approaches that consider batch sizes when balancing the workload on machines in terms of number of products or process time. Using numerical experiments conducted on real fab data, the solution approaches are compared and the solutions are analyzed. Conclusions are drawn on the impact of batch size on qualification management.