Developing a decision support system for optimizing automated wafer fabrication

A decision support system (DSS) was developed to help managers and engineers select the most appropriate solutions to strategic and operational problems that are encountered when they try to automate wafer fabrication processes. The primary objective of the DSS was to help identify and select from among the many alternatives those options that provide the highest manufacturing improvements and cost effectiveness for automation. The DSS was developed by a project team drawn from various disciplines of design, manufacturing, automation and finance. The team first identified critical issues that influence manufacturing. A sensitivity analysis was performed on the influencing factors, and the variations in results were interpreted. The results were evaluated using risk analysis and value engineering principles, which caused some alternatives to be discarded. The team recommended manufacturing plans based only on the remaining, viable alternatives. The steps carried out for the development of the decision support system are explained