A framework for effective wip flow management in semiconductor frontend fabs

Automated WIP Flow Management (WFM) is an essential factor for semiconductor fabs to maintain a competitive position in a cost-, time-, and quality-sensitive market. WFM comprises capabilities like dispatching, scheduling, material flow prediction, capacity planning and optimization. In this paper, we present a framework for setting up effective WFM mechanisms in a frontend fab. The framework assures the interaction of the individual WFM components and that the overall goals of WFM (e.g. cycle time reduction, capacity optimization) are achieved as a concerted effort of these components.