CEPT-a computer aided manufacturing application for managing equipment reliability and availability and maintainability in the semiconductor industry

The need for a comprehensive equipment information management system is crucial for driving high equipment reliability/utilization in manufacturing. The authors describe the features of one such system developed and implemented at Intel´s factories. This equipment management system was layered on top of the preexisting shop-floor computer-aided-manufacturing (CAM) system, Workstream. Focus areas of the system are tools for managing total productive maintenance (a precursor to total quality control); statistical process control on equipment monitors; features for total paper elimination and thus reduced particle generation; predictive maintenance; and reliability and maintainability analysis modules using Weibull theory. A key by-product of this functionality introduction is a vastly improved user interface to Workstream. The authors also discuss the joint efforts by Sematech and Intel to develop an analysis system which sets the foundation for an industrywide standard for the first time. Numerous shop-floor application examples are highlighted, with the focus on methodology of end user involvement and factory implementation