Optimized the robot scheduling algorithm using Two Phase simplex method so that cooling chambers and heating chambers could be used more efficiently, thereby reducing the overall cycle time.

Customer

Leading Semiconductor Equipment Maker in Japan.

Business Situation

Longer wafer cycle times were affecting the production output. The robot scheduling needed to be optimized.

Solution:

Optimized the robot scheduling algorithm using Two Phase simplex method so that cooling chambers and heating chambers could be used more efficiently, thereby reducing the overall cycle time.

Key features are:

• Enhancement to optimize Robot Scheduling algorithm for transferring wafers between heating and cooling chambers
• Determine optimal heating and cooling time for better recipe management
• Algorithm to handle multiple constraints including as heating time, cooling time, robot movement time and the delay time
• Constraints were converted to inequalities and solved using Two Phase Simplex method
• Achieved productivity gains up to 42% as a result of the optimization
  

Benefits derived by the customer:

• Better resource utilization
• Reduced cycle times
• Better throughput