An application of lean principles within a semiconductor manufacturing environment

Abstract

Intel Corporation's Fab 23 is committed to implementing lean manufacturing to reduce their production cycle times and cost. This thesis is focused around the development of the principles of lean that are most relevant to Intel's complex manufacturing flow and then the application of these principles to improve the operations in a focused area, the Sorting floor. Direct examination of the work in Sort raises the awareness of inefficiencies from overproduction and inventory; viewing this work as a series of structured activities, customer-supplier connections, and simplified flows further crystallizes the need for a structured approach towards WIP management. A pilot implementation of a CONWIP control of inventory demonstrates reductions in cycle time variability and provides a foundation for further improvements. In conclusion, the challenges experienced with changing the manufacturing systems in Sort were largely organizational and likely to be seen in many other operational areas at Fab 23.