Universal architecture to improve equipment maintenance work

This paper introduces a way to build a system that supports maintenance work in the most suitable and efficient way for future semiconductor factories with changing technologies. This system not only has improved the working efficiency of a maintenance section greatly, but practical use of the proposed system attained a greater rate of equipment availability, and improvement in maintenance costs. For future growth of the semiconductor industry, greater cooperation between the semiconductor manufacturer, components maker, and equipment maker will be indispensable. We wish to promote cooperation for improvement in the equipment operation rate, including the formation of data sharing schemes using Internet technology and an intranet between semiconductor manufacturer, equipment maker, and material supplier, and common analysis, and the practical use of existing data for a new line with the assistance of this system.