February 15, 2012 — Tool obsolescence is increasingly important to semiconductor manufacturers running 200mm wafer fab lines, reports ISMI, semiconductor supply chain consortium. ISMI has chartered an Equipment Obsolescence Forum for alternative source solutions for wafer fabs and semiconductor fab equipment manufacturers.
The first forum meeting will be held May 21-22, in San Jose CA.
Replacement parts for 200mm equipment are scarce because the 200mm wafer size has lasted "well beyond its original life term." ISMI identified "a critical vulnerability" for these toolsets still in operation, said Bill Ross, Forum Chair at ISMI.
Also read: Secondary semiconductor equipment: Who’s using 200mm, 300mm tools
The new Equipment Obsolescence Forum will help the semiconductor industry identify and implement ways to locate and replace mission-critical parts. Device and equipment manufacturers will work with ISMI to develop an alternate supply chain for difficult to source or obsolete parts. Equipment manufacturers will come together to avoid equipment obsolescense through innovative ideas, and will examine the financial impact posed by tool obsolescence, and the rate at which it accelerates over time.
The Obsolescence Forum expands on ISMI’s extensive Alternate Parts Sourcing Database, which centralizes information about products and capabilities for voluntarily registered suppliers. It offers data on supplier types, locations, R&D capabilities, repair and refurbishing availability, factory module and other focus areas.
For more information on ISMI’s Alternate Parts Sourcing Database or for general information on Equipment Obsolescence Forum workshops in 2012, contact Bill Ross, [email protected].
ISMI stands for International SEMATECH Manufacturing Initiative. SEMATECH is an international consortium of leading semiconductor device, equipment, and materials manufacturers. Information about SEMATECH can be found at www.sematech.org.