The latest news and information on semiconductor fab facilities, including manufacturing automation, e-manufacturing/e-diagnostics, chemicals/chemical management, gases/gas management, ultrapure water, vacuum systems, and waste treatment.
IEDM Panel: Processing Costs Headed Up David Lammers, News Editor - 12/17/2008
With more expensive tools and new process modules coming, IC manufacturers will struggle to maintain the cost-per-function reductions that have broadened the market for semiconductors. The likely introduction of 3-D interconnects, vertical transistors and EUV lithography all will add pressure on wafer processing costs, experts said at an evening panel discussion at the International Electron Devices Meeting going on in San Francisco this week. More
M+W Zander to Build Thin-Film Solar Factory Staff - 12/12/2008
Construction engineering firm M+W Zander said it will design and build a solar module factory for an affiliate of Q-Cells AG in Germany.
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European Executives Put on Fresh Push for Support of Chip Industry Staff - 12/11/2008
Europe’s semiconductor industry will continue to see declining market share unless European governments increase subsidies and change taxation and labor policies, executives said at the SEMI Brussels Forum this week. While in Brussels, executives fanned out to lobby members of the European Commission and the European Parliament.
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Fab ESH: Prepare Better, Minimize Impact Sally Cole Johnson, Contributing Editor - 12/01/2008
The latest emphasis on green building and manufacturing, more efficient use of resources and preparing better for necessary changes makes for a safer, more environmentally friendly operation.
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Eco-Efficient Solutions Reduce Energy, Costs Andreas Neuber and Parth Sethia, Applied Materials Inc., Santa Clara, Calif. - 12/01/2008
Besides pushing the technology, chipmakers must also drive down the use of energy and other resources in the fab — for environmental and conservation reasons, but also for cost. This article recommends some best practices.
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China’s Chip Industry Facing Challenges David Lammers, News Editor - 11/06/2008
China’s semiconductor industry has reached a plateau, with local design houses finding it hard to reach the critical mass enjoyed by U.S. fabless companies such as Broadcom, speakers said at the SEMI International Trade Partners Conference this week. On the chip manufacturing side, competition is getting tougher, analysts said, leading China’s government to favor subsidies for solar companies.
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TI Blitzes to Improve Fab Productivity David Lammers, News Editor - 10/29/2008
Texas Instruments Inc. has used rapid improvement events, or kaizen blitzes, to sharply improve productivity at the DFAB in Dallas. TI also incorporated a “5S” program to “get the junk out,” fab manager Steve James said in a keynote speech at the ISMI Symposium on Manufacturing Effectiveness. Other speakers at the annual symposium detailed the importance of preventive maintenance techniques.
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Views on News David Lammers, News Editor, Semiconductor International October 31, 2008 Three Innovations to Watch
Innovation is the fourth great economic input, along with labor, capital, and machine... More
Views on News David Lammers, News Editor, Semiconductor International October 23, 2008 When Is No Really a No?
An executive at a major IC manufacturer likes to tell the story about a meeting in 19... More
Views on News David Lammers, News Editor, Semiconductor International May 28, 2008 Tom Ortman and a Re-Energized Austin
The energy crisis presents opportunities to the long chain of the IT industry, and eq... More
Fab ESH: Prepare Better, Minimize Impact Sally Cole Johnson, Contributing Editor, 12/01/2008
The latest emphasis on green building and manufacturing, more efficient use of resources and preparing better for necessary changes makes for a safer, more environmentally friendly operation....
Eco-Efficient Solutions Reduce Energy, Costs Andreas Neuber and Parth Sethia, Applied Materials Inc., Santa Clara, Calif., 12/01/2008
Besides pushing the technology, chipmakers must also drive down the use of energy and other resources in the fab — for environmental and conservation reasons, but also for cost. This article recommends some best practices....
Keep Rolling With New Bearing Technologies Andreas Nobis, Christine Kessler and Johannes Kreuser, Cerobear GmbH, Herzogenrath, Germany, 09/01/2008 Because of growing process demands, standard bearings are more rapidly reaching their limits of employability. With the proper choice of bearing technology, lubricant and fit, failures can be minimized and lifetimes extended....
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Fab ESH: Prepare Better, Minimize Impact
