Situation

STMicroelectronics Rousset, France, is a fully integrated semiconductor production site with a workforce of more than 2’700 people. It hosts front-end manufacturing, research and development, product design, sales and marketing operations as well as central and corporate functions. The site has an automotive-grade 8-inch manufacturing facility as well as 8- and 12-inch silicon wafer testing capabilities.

Before the implementation of LotTrack, STM Rousset already had a tool automation, tracking and operator assistance system in place. Since the obsolete infrared-based system no longer achieved the required performance, STM was looking for a new, state-of-the-art solution to replace it.

Solution

Intellion realized a seamless migration from the existing system in place to its smart material handling solution LotTrack, while the fab was in full operation. The implementation goal, meaning minimal impact on daily operation and zero downtime of production equipment, was achieved successfully.

TVSud Provence was permitted to enter the fab with a camera team. Please see in the video below an excerpt of their coverage after Intellion’s implementation of LotTrack:

The operational objective of the LotTrack implementation was to increase the speed and safety of the automatic start of the plant and to assist operators in a much better way than previously possible:

• Gobal localization (< 0.5 m) of all SMIF pods that are equipped with a DisTag, regardless if they are stored in racks or transported on trolleys, provides real-time material flow transparency throughout the fab
• Operator assistance: The DisTag enables paperless production by displaying all relevant production information on the large LC display. Also, its bi-color LED supports pick-by-light workflows, reducing search times for lots to a minimum. Smart energy saving mechanisms lead to long battery lifetime of 2-3 years.
• Load & Go Workflows are achieved with Intellion’s Load Port Identifier (LPI). If a SMIF pod is placed on a load port, the LPI engages real-time authentication with the DisTag, providing instant feedback to the MES. Last but not least, the LPI can work in parallel with existing IR devices during the migration phase.

LotTrack is implemented in 12 European and Asian plants of Infineon Technologies, ST Microelectronics and Osram. The system has proven its high availability for more than 15 years in 24/7 productive operation. The solution has received several awards and is unmatched in the semiconductor industry.