Human Factors in Automation Software

The semiconductor industry offers some of the most advanced manufacturing environments featuring sophisticated automation and cutting-edge process controls. A typical day in a fab revolves around the production of billions of highly complex, extremely small structures where even the tiniest variations can impact device performance. Even though these production processes are highly automated, technologists still play a large role in the fab, adding another layer of complexity: human variability. This unique type of variability stems from differences in the way humans interpret process violation sources. Applied Materials has been looking closely at ways to handle this issue.

In this video clip, I discuss why the complexity of manufacturing advanced designs is driving the need to adapt a workflow system that reduces human variability to improve problem solving and bring new levels of efficiency and quality to the fab.

This is part of a new video series, focusing on Applied’s SmartFactory® Automation Software ,全面控制和名单tivity suite in manufacturing. Additional details are provided in my article published in Applied’s Nanochip Fab Solutions magazine.