Fluctuation Smoothing Production Control at IBM's 200mm Wafer Fabricator: Extensions, Application and the Multi-Flow Production Index (MFPx)

To increase the flexibility of existing production control algorithms and reduce the variation and mean of fabricator cycle times, a fluctuation smoothing for the variation of cycle time (FSVCT) policy was implemented at IBM's 200mm semiconductor wafer fabrication facility. Extensions allowing for products with different cycle times and enabling the change of cycle time targets during production were developed. The policy was named the multi-flow production index (MFPx), reflective of its capabilities. Increased production agility and a controlled variation of cycle time resulted from the implementation