US 6,415,260 B1 · Dynamic capacity demand forecast system

Abstract

A dynamic-capacity-demand-forecast system in the manufacture of semiconductor integrated circuits includes several steps. N types of products and m types of processing steps are in a processing line. The turn ratio of each products at each stages on a specified working day is calculated and the work-in-process (WIP) of every product at each stages on the same day is determined. According to these two numbers, the WIP on the next working day can be calculated, and then the move on the next working day is determined. Using this formula, the move of each product at each stage in future is obtained. Also, the summation the moves of all products at all stages on a working day are equal to, the capacity demand of the processing line on that day. The quantity of the throughput of the wafers may thus be determined and the supervisor can decide how to vary the parameters of the processing line.

Claims10

Dependent claims

A dynamic forecast method of capacity demand for providing tool capacity demand on a processing line by daily stage moves forecast, said method comprising the steps of:

a. assigning a work in process Wijk (WIP) of product i at stage j in said processing line in day k, said processing line including n numbers of stages, said stage having a turn ratio Tijk;
b. determining a stage move Mijk of the product i at the stage j in the day k by the steps of:
i) multiplying a decimal of said turn ratio by a work in process of every stage from stage 1 to stage j;
ii) calculating the summation of each term multiplied by step i);
c. revising said stage move Mijk to determine an actual stage move M′ijk according to said Wijk, wherein said actual stage move M′ijk is less than or equal to the stage move of previous stage Mi(j−1)k plus said Wijk;
and
d. determining a work in process Wij(k+1) of the product i at the stage j in day k+1 by calculating the summation of said Wijk and an actual stage move M′i(j−1)k of previous stage minus said actual stage move M′ijk.

4 more elements

A method of dynamic capacity demand forecast for providing tool allocation instructions on a processing line by using actual stage moves and WIP profiles, said method comprising the steps of:

a. assigning a work in process Wijk (WIP) of product i at stage j in said processing line in day k, said processing line including n numbers of stages, said stage having a turn ratio Tijk ;
b. determining a stage move Mijk of the product i at the stage j in the day k by the steps of:
i) multiplying a decimal of said turn ratio by a work in process of every stage from stage 1 to stage j;
ii) calculating the summation of each term multiplied by step i);
c. revising said stage move Mijk to determine an actual stage move M′ijk according to said Wijk, wherein said actual stage move M′ijk is less than or equal to the stage move of previous stage Mi(j-1)k plus said Wijk;
d. determining a work in process Wij(k+1) of the product i at the stage j in day k+1 by calculating the summation of said Wijk and an actual stage move M′1(j-1)k of previous stage minus said actual stage move M′ijk;
e. determining a daily move M′ik of the product i in the day k by calculating the summation of said actual stage move of every stage from stage 1 to stage n;
and
f. determining a capacity forecast demand in the day k by calculating the summation of the moves for all the products at all the stages in the day k.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Dynamic capacity demand forecast system

Life of this patent

Dynamic capacity demand forecast system

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims10