Operational improvements in a factory of low volume and high mixture

Abstract

This thesis shows operational improvements for the assembly area of a semiconductor equipment manufacturer. High complexity and customization of machines and a low and fluctuating volume are typical challenges within the company. The aim of the research is to improve key metrics for operational improvements. These include lead time reduction, inventory management, floor space efficiency, testing operations, cross-training of operators, and volume flexibility. The current state of the manufacturing system is recorded. Driving principles for new floor layouts are identified in the areas of testing operations, subassembly build and inventory, and module build and inventory. Combinations of the principles lead to three different floor layout proposals. The first layout puts the assembly of modules close to test equipment to reduce movement effort. The second layout has consolidated inventory for each build area and allows a better management of inventory and higher space utilization. The third layout consolidates all inventories of the factory into one area and uses completely generic space for the build. This increases flexibility of both work force and space. A pilot layout is generated using a blend of these three layouts, and operational aspects of the pilot layout are examined. These aspects consider management of inventory, assembly tools, and time studies for the assembly operations, showing that the pilot can be implemented and performs better than the current operations. Key Words: Improvement, Factory, Operations, Low Volume, High Mixture, Inventory, Material, Handling, Test Equipment,