semiconductor industry

Ride the Wave of Smarter Manufacturing The year 2020 sparked a tremendous acceleration in the digital transformation worldwide, driving a sharp rise in demand for semiconductors and escalating pressure on chip factories to reduce manual functions on the shop floor. The mindset of the semiconductor industry saw a remarkable shift as it recognized with heightened urgency the need to deploy data-driven visualization, analysis, scheduling and dispatching solutions to increase automation to improve production speed and efficiency. Amidst the new excitement around Industry 4.0, chip manufacturers are rapidly deploying new technologies including IIoT, big data, machine learning and Autonomous Intelligent Vehicles (AIVs). Yet for many chip manufacturers, the path to building a smart factory is far from clear because they lack an overall digital transformation strategy. Smart manufacturing is a broad concept covering an array of technologies and solutions, making a holistic, mid- to long-term digitalization strategy rooted in the overall business strategy crucial. There are no shortcuts that can move a manufacturer instantly to Industry 4.0. Instead, this transformation is a step-by-step undertaking with a natural evolution. Some Factory Tasks Must Remain Manual – For Now The semiconductor industry has reached a point where manual processes are no longer efficient enough to support mass chip customization and remote operations. The many technological and standardization advances behind automation can help streamline some of a factory’s most labor-intensive tasks including the loading or unloading of machines or lot tracking and data collection while reducing operational costs. Still, some tasks remain very difficult to automate. For example, handling errors and exceptions presents the greatest challenge since some errors are hard to anticipate. What’s more, the cost of automating error handling can be prohibitive. Eliminating Gaps in Connectivity Often, critical data sources aren’t available due to lack of equipment integration, incomplete product quality monitoring or gaps in material tracking. Closing these gaps in connectivity enables the collection of data and provides rich, reliable information for analysis and reporting that can drive continuous operational improvements, optimizations and efficiencies throughout a factory. But keep in mind that data integration alone can be a challenging task. The selection and proper enrichment of relevant data is, in many cases, not just a technical problem but requires a detailed and in-depth knowledge of the manufacturing steps to be analyzed and optimized. Even when data is available, it might be still difficult to make decisions or implement improvements if it is in siloed systems that require manual processes to integrate and translate into useful information. Problem solving at this level is possible but extremely time-consuming. Manual integration is not only ineffective but costly, draining time, human resources and money from the factory. The right contextual information for the data is vital to unleash its potential and make improvements possible. Dispersed solutions cannot control processes because they span functional areas and people, physical and business entities. Backbone software for shop-floor operations that controls all other applications is central to smart manufacturing. Data-Driven Manufacturing The semiconductor industry is expert in data collection and leads many other industries in this area. The problem is often that chip companies use only a fraction of the information they collect for the analysis and insights needed to improve operational efficiency. By comprehensively integrating all distributed data into a single version of truth – in one location where it is always available – companies can make data analysis and problem solving almost frictionless. Keep in mind that data platforms and edge solutions, within the context of manufacturing, will not be adopted as part of a greenfield initiative. Building a solid automation architecture is only feasible and beneficial by deploying new technologies such as machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI). Analysis of historical data provides important context and reveals deviations such as unexpected process time, uncommon material accumulations or issues with material transport. By integrating swift control actions for new data point collected, manufacturing operations can shift from reactive problem-solving to proactive analysis and operational improvements. The tremendous increase in interest and investment in AI for manufacturing automation only became possible with the availability of low-cost sensors that generate huge volumes of data and solutions for storing and processing that at low cost. AI and other leading-edge technologies transform the tedious but critical process of extracting insights from data, making it instantaneous, streamlined and achievable for every manufacturer. The maturity of smart manufacturing hinges on the extent to which a factory is data-driven. This requires foundational investments to improve traceability, connectivity and real-time operations – and finally making sure that data helps us what to do and when to do it. Ricco WALTER is managing director of SYSTEMA Automation in Singapore.

This February, the U.S. celebrates the 45th anniversary of Black History Month, which highlights the achievements and contributions of Black Americans to our country. It is an important celebration, since those contributions have been historically ignored, marginalized or simply unknown. Their stories, however, abound. Black Americans have contributed tremendously to the technology industry, from Garrett Morgan, who invented the gas masks that protected our soldiers in World War I, to James West, who co-invented microphone technology that is ubiquitous in our electronics.Black History Month is also a complicated celebration, and long criticized for its limited scale. Why would we highlight Black contributions for only one month a year, and why would we separate Black contributions from American contributions? As Morgan Freeman famously said, “Black history is American history.” As a country, we should be elevating the stories and achievements of Black people year-round and using those stories to move our country toward more equity and justice for Black Americans.The origins* of Black History Month are grounded in good intentions. It’s expression, however, can be divisive. But there are many ways we can counteract this.First, we can commit to elevating and celebrating the work, stories, and advancements of Black Americans year-round. Second, we can immerse ourselves in Black history and culture through the eyes of Black Americans. There are extraordinary writers to read – Colson Whitehead’s The Underground Railroad is a masterpiece. Poets like Amanda Gorman are top of mind. And consider artists like Kehinde Wiley, whose portraits hang in the Smithsonian. We can seek out Black voices on our social media feeds and look for Black writers and directors when we next binge on Netflix.We can also consider the experience of Black people within SEMI, and our industry. Black people comprise less than 5% of the U.S. tech workforce, and there are zero – yes, zero – Black CEOs of Fortune 500 tech companies. While this lack of Black representation and leadership undercuts our industry’s capacity for innovation, creativity, and productivity, it is, more importantly, unjust. We will explore the reasons behind this in future blogs.There are extraordinary Black leaders and others in our industry who are leading the charge to create greater diversity, equity and inclusion, but that work should be shouldered by the people who have benefitted from these inequities, not the people who have been held back by them.This February, for Black History Month, I invite you to discover and explore the work of Black creators and thinkers. I also invite you to consider the structures and systems that have led to the inequities in our own industry – and how you can be part of dismantling and rebuilding those systems to create a more just workplace and society.A great place to start is exploring the resources on the Crucial Conversations on the SEMI website. And then, I invite you to consider how we as individuals and how our industry can practice acknowledging and celebrating the contributions of Black Americans throughout the year.* Impactree.com has an excellent short version of the events:“In 1915, historian Carter G. Woodson was frustrated with the underrepresentation of Black Americans in university history classes. Woodson knew Black people had tremendous influence over the infrastructure, culture and history of America, yet their role was solely relegated to that of enslaved people. Along with Jesse E. Moorland, Woodson founded the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History – now called the Association for the Study of African America Life and History (ASALH) – to motivate the inclusion of Black Americans in historical textbooks and discussion. 11 years later, Woodson and the ASALH proposed the second week of February be declared Negro History Week, coinciding with the birthdates of Fredrick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln.50 years later, during the United States’ 1976 Bicentennial, President Gerald Ford recognized Black History Month as a nationally celebrated event to be observed every February. Growing from Negro History Week, Black History Month’s goals echo Woodson’s desire for a more inclusive version of history. In Woodson’s own words, ‘What we need is not a history of selected races or nations, but the history of the world void of national bias, race hate, and religious prejudice.’”Michelle Williams is deputy director of the SEMI Foundation.

The next time you are on a Microsoft Teams call or write a group email that includes a female colleague, consider this: The next time you pick up the phone to contact her, she might be gone. According to the Women in the Workplace 2020 study by McKinsey Company and LeanIn.org, one in four women are considering leaving their workplaces or downshifting their careers due to work-life challenges stemming from COVID-19, leading to the potential loss of two million women from the American workforce. What is making work so untenable for many women?First, consider the overall U.S. workforce, across all sectors: The industries hardest hit by the pandemic are those dominated by women and people of color: healthcare, retail and hospitality, notably restaurants. These two demographics have been losing their jobs in staggering numbers. In December 2020 alone, according to the National Women’s Law Center, women accounted for 100% of the 156,000 jobs lost that month in the U.S. Second, the double whammy of the closure of daycares and the shift to remote schooling saddled mothers with overwhelming responsibilities. In the tech industry, women faced significant challenges before COVID-19 hit. Although women represent about 47% of entry-level workers in tech, that number dwindles to 20% in C-Suite jobs, with women of color accounting for just 2% of these executive roles. This leads to the challenges of being an “Only” – the only woman or person of color in a team, department or meeting. “Onlys” experience isolation, disengagement and pressure to out-perform male, white colleagues simply to be seen as equals. Women report feeling more exhausted, burned out and excluded than their male colleagues.Layer on the pressures of a pandemic and you’ve got a seriously overstressed female workforce at the breaking point. Fathers and partners are not taking on a fair share of the burden. Fully 40% of working mothers are spending 15+ more hours weekly on household duties than they did prior to the COVID-19 crisis and are more than twice as likely as fathers to worry that their performance at work is being negatively judged because of their caregiving responsibilities. And a survey by Chief, a private club for women executives, reports that, irrespective of added responsibilities at home, 70% of women report that they have taken on more duties at work since the COVID-19 crisis began. So, on top of the anxieties around keeping themselves and their families healthy during a worldwide pandemic, women are simultaneously working more, and doing more at home.Women are critically important in workplaces for a host of reasons. Women in senior-level roles have a profound effect on workplace culture. According to the McKinsey study, women are more likely to embrace and champion employee-friendly policies and programs and to take a stand for gender and racial equity at work. Women also mentor and sponsor other women more than men. If senior-level women leave the workforce, women at all levels will lose their strongest allies. Research also shows that gender-diverse teams – and companies – are more innovative, creative and productive. Inclusive workplaces tend to have higher retention rates and better recruitment rates. To sum up, companies where women are well-represented in leadership are 50% more likely to outperform their peers.As indicated by McKinsey, companies are at a critical crossroads. The choices managers, teams and companies make now will influence the workplace for decades to come. The authors of the study say it best: “If companies recognize the scale of these problems and do all they can to address them, they can help their employees get through this difficult time and even reinvent the way they work so it’s more flexible and sustainable for everyone. If not, the consequences could badly hurt women, business and the economy as a whole. This moment requires long-term thinking, creativity, strong leadership and a laser focus on the value of women to their organizations.”What can managers, teams and companies do? Women in the Workplace 2020 features an excellent Framework for Action, which includes everything from making work more sustainable, to minimizing gender biases, to strengthening employee communications. It is an important resource for any individual, team or company that wants to strengthen their support and retention of women. And – small steps can make a big difference. McKinsey encourages companies to ask a few important questions:Consider the workflow of your team: Is it flexible in a way that supports working parents and care-givers?Are performance expectations equitable across genders?Do the women on your team feel as though they can express difficulties or take PTO if they need to in order to take care of family obligations?Finally, simply acknowledging the realities women are facing is a great first step. For instance, if there are women on your team, you could forward them this article and say, “I didn’t realize how significant this issue was. If there are ways I can further help you navigate this time, please feel free to talk with me about it.” None of us want to find out what happens to our companies if we lose 25% of our female colleagues. We have the opportunity and obligation to reverse this troubling trend, if we act deliberately and intentionally to support the women around us. I invite you to dig into the Women in the Workplace 2020 study, to discuss it with your colleagues, and to determine how all of us can make our workplaces more supportive and inclusive for everyone, for the benefit of female workers and their employers everywhere.We encourage your company to participate in McKinsey’s 2021 Women in the Workplace study and make your voice heard. To enroll, visit Women in the Workplace.For information about the SEMI Foundation’s work in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, or if your team would like to support the industry in creating a more equitable workplace, please visit us at www.semifoundation.org, or contact Michelle at [email protected] Williams is deputy director of the SEMI Foundation.

SEMI spoke with Andreas C. Zimmer, Executive Search and Selection Consultant at ZIAN Co industrial consulting and recruitment, about strategies for attracting and retaining talent and promoting careers in semiconductor industry. Zimmer shared his views ahead of his presentation at the SEMI Fab Management Forum, 17 February, as part of the SEMI Technology Unites Global Summit, 15-19 February 2021, an online event. Join us to meet experts from ZIAN Co. and other key industry influencers. Registration is open. SEMI: What makes the semiconductor industry such a great career destination? Zimmer: The semiconductor industry is an interesting world for anyone involved in or just fascinated by high-end technology. But if we think about our mobile phones, personal computers or cars, we should all ask ourselves what technology is behind these devices we use in our daily life. The classical Newtonian physics does not reveal the source of the pixels in our mobile phones or why a navigation system knows where I currently am and how I’m supposed to drive to avoid the traffic jam ahead. The semiconductor industry truly is the technological pacesetter. The technologies and applications developed by SEMI and its members are the multipliers directly impacting our daily life. Moore's law not only affects the development of chips themselves, but also how we use the applications and devices they enable. Think about the size-performance ratio of modern smartphones compared to the first- and second-generation devices in the 1970s and 1980s, or compare today's BMW with one from the 1960s. The problem is that the industry is too hermetic. We perceive a lack of willingness to go out and tell in a generally understandable way what this industry is all about! Everyone knows Apple, Samsung, Nokia, but who, besides the specialists, knows NXP, Infineon, TSMC or LFoundry? Many companies are largely unknown to the general public! So why should a graduate from a technical university choose a company such as Applied Materials, TEL or ASML? During their studies students will inevitably have come in touch with IC or MEMS companies, but do they also know what is behind them? Do they really know the value chain that leads to the end product? SEMI: What can the chip industry do to better attract talent? Zimmer: Our industry is extremely attractive for anyone who is interested in technology and would like to push things ahead, but unfortunately access to this industry is almost reserved to the initiated who, in whatever way, came in touch with the industry at some point. Let me get this straight: This is not a conscious, willful attitude. It is just the result of our industry’s hermetic attitude. In my opinion, there is no overarching, uniform strategy in marketing, communications or advertising to promote the potential of the semiconductor industry to a wider audience. That’s why SEMI and the cooperation of its members in attracting talent is essential. SEMI: What concrete actions do you suggest for attracting and retaining talent? Zimmer: In German there is the saying “Do good and talk about it!” – and this is exactly what should be implemented. It is not enough to place an ad when necessary, to promote something here and there, perhaps to sponsor a chair or to provide a device free of charge. These are certainly all reasonable actions, but rather random and not long-term or strategic. Furthermore, these actions will reach only a relatively small group of people. The industry should organize structured recruitment activities under a long-term plan, over 10 years or even extending to the next generation. This shouldn't be a rigid corset, but rather a guideline closely informed by the chip industry’s technology roadmap and companies across the supply chain. If it is the task of an organization’s board and the management to define the strategic direction and to set specific goals, it should be the task of technical management to ensure that these goals can and will be achieved. However, this will only succeed if human resources is involved from the very beginning and can plan appropriate personnel resources accordingly. Employees retire, quit and change employers. New materials, technologies, applications and processes are being developed and require new, specific knowledge. Market requirements change. All of these components need to be recognized and considered in early planning. SEMI: What is your experience as a consultant? Zimmer: As consultants, we experience how organizations literally fall out of the clouds when the situation within the organization itself drastically changes, because a strategically important colleague is retiring or suddenly leaving the team for whatever reason. Then, quite surprisingly, the question “Where and how quickly can we find the suitable replacement?” arises. Instead, that departure should be considered as a possible development up front in overall talent planning – a plan B to keep in the drawer. Developing and implementing a long-term HR development roadmap, aligned with the technology roadmap, enables a company to anticipate when specific resources are needed, identify the right people and get them onboard without gaps. It is also important to keep your team informed and involved in all decisions and process changes, and to make sure they get the respect and appreciation they deserve. Employer-employee cooperation over the long term only works when the relationship is a win-win for both parties. If an organization sees the relationship as one-sided to its exclusive benefit, sooner or later the worker will be terminated or quit at the expense of the organization. Truly live the statement “Our people are our best and most valuable resources!” SEMI: When should organizations start attracting young talent? Zimmer: The sooner, the better! Communications aimed at attracting future employees should be designed to reach people of all ages and levels of education. For many years, the tobacco industry targeted young people by demographic, considering their age, education and cultural mindset to ensure they perceived cigarettes as cool. The result? Many people became addicted, mostly for life, just because some clever communications expert touched the right spot! Our industry will not attract teenagers like tobacco corporations did, but the strategy is basically the same: arouse the curiosity of your target group and speak their language. A possible scenario: A company starts and establishes a relationship with neighboring technical, middle and high schools by providing equipment, documentation, and employees who serve as teachers or coaches, and organizing guided tours, seminars and workshops in coordination with the school management. The cooperation continues with the university, where the respective chairs are supported and financed. With a little creativity there are endless possibilities! In our day-to-day business, we observe that large, well-known companies such as Bosch and Daimler are practically sitting on the lap of students in key universities and institutes, yet are unable to identify talent very early and bind them to their company. SEMI: How can organizations capitalize on shifting retirement patterns to help narrow their talent gap? Zimmer: The answer to this arises from considerations related to personnel planning in connection with a company’s technology roadmap. If the roadmap is linked to HR plans, you automatically have an overview of the time-critical moments when personnel gaps might arise. Then you can easily close these gaps, for example by arranging the onboarding of a successor for a specific position long before the job holder leaves. Considering notice periods and approval processes, a period of at least two years should be planned in order to be prepared for personnel changes. Of course, much of this varies depending on the importance of the position to the organization and the size of the talent pool. For example, it will probably be easier and faster to hire and train a sales engineer than the successor for a development manager, when you know there are maybe only 10 people worldwide who are, professionally speaking, at his level. And this is equally true for internal promotions: Always keep an eye on your own people and try to discover their greatest talent! Senior people tend to look outside the organization rather than just around the corner. Maybe the right talent is sitting next to you. Stay tuned and talk to your people to implement a strategic knowledge transfer as part of your organizational culture. Another aspect that is often overlooked is the deputy function: We often find functions in organizations that literally have a unique selling proposition. But there is no deputy, no one who can step in case of an emergency, because no other colleague possesses the knowledge and information to take over if necessary. Usually this is not a problem during a vacation or illness, but what do you do if a key job holder suddenly cannot work from one day to the other? SEMI: What is the role played by artificial intelligence? Zimmer: AI is both a risk and an opportunity. A new technology can always mean danger if it is used incorrectly, and I am not talking about job losses! This has always proven to be a mistake in the past. On the contrary, new technologies create new jobs! New technology accelerates communication, creates new platforms for interaction, shortens decision-making processes, and turns the world into a small village. In your interview with David Meyer CEO of Lynceus, he hits the nail on the head: The great advantage of AI in our industry is likely to be the management, handling, analysis and drawing of conclusions from an incredible amount of information at an unbelievable speed. Without AI, information cannot be controlled to this extent, not to mention accurately evaluated in real time. The mastery of these processes and the learning curve that results from them – for example for the determination of quality levels – should set completely new manufacturing standards. SEMI: How can technology unite us? What do you expect from your participation at SEMI Technology Unites Global Summit? SONAR GmbH has been in this industry as a personnel and business consultant firm for 25 years now. We have experienced many pig cycles since 1995 and accompanied our customers through all the ups and downs, only to have learned one thing in the end: The semiconductor industry is unfortunately still too fixated on technology and overlooks the fact that this technology is made by people for people. The EU's latest Pact for Skills, which was presented at end of November 2020 by Commissioners Schmidt and Breton, foresees 2 billion € investment to generate 250,000 new jobs in the electronics industry throughout Europe! In 2013, we aimed to sensitize semi industry executives, managers and CEOs to the importance of human resources to the well-being and success of organizations. It’s vitally important to invest in day-to-day relationships with your employees to foster their careers and address their needs. The SEMI Fab Management Forum will feature leading game changers of semiconductor operations to highlight best practices for achieving sustainable operations beyond 2020 and exploring the latest solutions for smarter tools and smarter processes. Andreas C. Zimmer is executive search and selection consultant at ZIAN Co industrial consulting and recruitment, specializing in recruiting talent for high-end technologies in areas such as LED, PV, semiconductors, electronics, and test and measurement. A personnel and industrial consultant with more than 20 years of experience, Andreas is active throughout Europe, the United States and Asia. For more insights about workforce and skills strategies, please see SEMI Workforce Development activities and the European METIS project. Serena Brischetto is senior manager of Marketing and Communications at SEMI Europe.

The turn of the New Year means new opportunities for the microelectronic industry as SEMI continues to focus on a top priority for companies across the microelectronics design and manufacturing supply chain and SEMI members – supporting the development of the talent pipeline. Regardless of a member company’s role within microelectronics, ensuring a continued, robust flow of qualified talent for what is a cross-cutting, foundational industry sector is of high strategic importance. Skilled workers are essential to advances in areas such as artificial intelligence (AI), smart manufacturing, medtech, transportation and communications. In order to satisfy the world’s insatiable appetite for technology, we need a qualified workforce that can design and manufacture cutting-edge microelectronic devices. Launched in 2019 by SEMI’s Government Programs Office, SEMI Works™ is a holistic approach to developing and maintaining the talent pipeline. 2020 focused on building the all-important infrastructure, engaging member companies to identify required skills and developing a Unified Competency Model to catalog these workforce requirements. SEMI Works™ accomplished several firsts for the microelectronics industry: First dynamic, data informed workforce training standard adopted and published by the U.S. Department of Labor Employment Training Administration (USDOL-ETA) First SEMI Certified college program for technicians First Industry Approved Apprenticeship Program for Technicians, adopted and endorsed by the U.S. Department of Labor Member inputs anchor the SEMI Works™ portal, which enables connections among talent, employers and training/education providers. The portal’s initial phase of development is on track for completion in the first quarter of this year, marking the point when it will begin to be populated with specific job information, individual (talent) profiles and applicable training courses. Once SEMI Works™ is fully operational, it will be optimized to further support talent development and acquisition, providing a comprehensive platform for learning management, e-learning and career advancement. Throughout 2021 SEMI will be engaging members, training providers and job seekers to ensure the portal’s capabilities and user interface meets their needs. We’ll also move forward with several other SEMI Work’s programs including the Curated Content Initiative, which will enable SEMI members to identify non-proprietary courses, a SEMI member job board and an interactive career map to help job seekers plan their future in the industry. The microelectronics industry will only fulfill its tremendous promise for innovation and growth with the right talent. SEMI looks forward to working with members in 2021 to expand SEMI Works™ and help lay the groundwork for the next wave of technology advances. Mike Russo is vice president of Industry Advancement and Government Programs at SEMI.

Like TEL, many SEMI member companies have a long history of hiring veterans. We all have done a good job of hiring military personnel who possess the obvious semiconductor industry-related job skills and experience (e.g., avionics, hydraulics, mechanics, and radio frequency (RF)). But as an industry, are we doing enough? Are we missing out on the next employee of the year because we aren’t thinking broadly enough about our workforce? Five years ago, I met a young soldier at a military job fair. The interaction with him was a defining moment for me personally and it inspired me to commit to do more to translate military experience to the civilian workforce. Soldier: “What does TEL do?” Me: (Industry has a bright future, chips are in essentially everything including your military gear, etc.) Soldier: With disappointment, “Well, I don’t suppose I’m qualified to work at your company – since its technology.” Me: “Please stay for another moment, tell me your MOS (Military Occupation Specialty code) and job duties.” Soldier: “Ma’am, I’m a bomb specialist. I disable bombs.” Me: “Okay, let’s see if I get this right. You work with electrical schematics. It’s a given you follow instructions and guidelines, consider safety a p-r-e-t-t-y big deal, work under pressure, and you work with a team. Right?” Soldier: With excitement, “Yes, ma’am. And we have a squadron motto: “We have NO bad days!” Me: “Well then, you have the PERFECT background!” This conversation changed this soldier’s outlook on his career possibilities after exiting the military. He never imagined that the specialized training and experience he received as a bomb specialist would lead him to a role in the high-tech industry. He honestly believed he possessed no value to a civilian employer. It was moving to experience this gap of understanding face-to-face. Yet, this is a typical conversation between recruiters and hiring managers and military members. I could have easily let him walk away. Instead, I chose to invest 10 more minutes to learn more about what this soldier had to offer TEL. What is the key challenge around hiring military veterans? Disconnect. 90% of veterans surveyed faced challenges seeking civilian employment. According to Pew Research Center, only 1% of the entire U.S. population is qualified to join the U.S. military, and .5% (yes, that’s ½ of 1%) serve. This means 99.5% of the U.S. population has no direct working experience with the military. Civilian employers (recruiters, hiring managers, or employees) do not understand what the military does, the technical nature and responsibility of each role, or the extensive training each military member receives. And, veterans do not understand the civilian workspace. We truly have a gap translating military experiences and skills to the civilian workforce and vice versa. What are the benefits hiring military veterans? There are numerous benefits to hiring military veterans. Veterans are well-versed in cutting-edge technology. Today’s military is high-tech, state-of-the-art, and computer-based. Veterans are uniquely matched to our industry. Their jobs are highly technical and soldiers are extremely safety-conscious; they appreciate guidelines, follow directions, and possess a strong sense of team. Veterans are global citizens. Many military veterans have lived and worked in more than one country and speak more than one language. They tend to be culturally astute. Veterans have a winner’s psychology. Military members receive hundreds of hours of professional and technical training. They focus on a higher purpose and win as a team. Veterans practice accountability and leadership. Personal accountability is highly promoted. There is no room for excuses or acceptable reasons for mission failure. Everyone has the opportunity for a leadership role at some level and has modeling of what good leadership looks like. Hiring veterans aid diversity program issues over time. The military is a diverse group with 16% females and 44% people of color. Military personnel come from a wide variety of experiences – from across all 50 U.S. states with a variety of cultural and economic backgrounds. How can SEMI member companies truly effect change? Considering over 200,000 men and women exit the military annually, we have a significant opportunity to effect change by offering careers to those who serve while expanding our industry’s talent pool. Here are some initial ideas to get your company moving towards a more robust military outreach: Participate in the SEMI Foundation’s VetWorks Program: The Foundation is creating a toolkit to help member companies engage, hire, train, and retain veterans. This includes support for veteran-friendly messaging and recruiting, internships, training programs, and job fairs. This work will launch in Q2 of 2021 – contact Margaret Kindling at SEMI for details ([email protected]). Have a smart plan – Determine what positions make sense to focus on for veteran hiring. Start simple and grow your efforts over time. Set metrics for what percentage of your hires will be veterans. Recruiters can use simple key word searches to pull veteran resumes. Your company can attend military job fairs (in person or virtual) either at military installations or hiring events by organizations like Hiring Our Heroes, RecruitMilitary, etc. Offer diversity training related to hiring military veterans that focus on military vs. corporate cultures. Additionally, Society for Human Resources Management (SHRM) Foundation offers a Veterans at Work Certification Program available for all interested participants. Soldier For Life – This is an official U.S. Army program created to help connect current soldiers, retired soldiers, veterans, and their families with education, employment, and health and wellness resources and opportunities. If you are near a military installation, get to know the transition assistance program (TAP) officer or the base commander. You have to be persistent – the relationship will be worth it. Ask your network, including SEMI member companies, if they would share their military installation contacts. This is not a closed talent competition amongst our industry partners. Many companies who have a robust military outreach program are eager to share their stories to help you get started. It is simply the right thing to do to help each other make a difference for those who served. Internships/Mentorships/Fellowships. Ask your local military installation if they offer direct mentorships or internships. A great way to get started with internships is partnering with NAM’S Manufacturing Institute – Heroes MAKE America. Hiring Our Heroes is another great resource for fellowships. Let’s do more for those who served. Interested in starting an industry veteran network to share best practices? Please contact [email protected]. We can do this! Kathy Garner is Manager, Talent Acquisition, Global Mobility, and Contingent Worker Management at TEL. References Bradbard, D. (Institute for Veterans and Military Families, Syracuse University) Schmeling, J. (Student Veterans of America). The Recruitment, Hiring, Retention Engagement of Military Veterans. Retrieved from https://www.shrm.org/foundation/ourwork/initiatives/engaging-and-integrating-military-veterans/pages/veteransguidebook.aspx Parker, K., Cilluffo, A., Stepler, R. 6 Facts about the U.S. Military Changing Demographics. Pew Research Center. Retrieved from https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2017/04/13/6-facts-about-the-u-s-military-and-its-changing-demographics/ Reynolds, G. Shendruk, A. (2020, July 13). Demographics of the U.S. Military. Council of Foreign Relations. Retrieved from https://www.cfr.org/backgrounder/demographics-us-military Shifting Forward Consulting. Shift to the Civilian SUIT: How Veterans Can Successfully Navigate 3 Job Interview Challenges. (10/17/18). Retrieved from https://cherriedavis.com/veterans-successfully-navigate-3-job-interview-challenges/ SHRM Veteran Panel 2018. Retrieved from https://youtu.be/rgDUAALxTRg SHRM Veteran Panel 2018 Resources Bureau of Labor Statistics https://www.bls.gov/home.htm Heroes MAKE America http://www.themanufacturinginstitute.org/Initiatives/Military-and-Veterans/Heroes-MAKE-America/Heroes-MAKE-America.aspx Hiring Our Heroes https://www.uschamberfoundation.org/hiring-our-heroes Soldier For Life https://soldierforlife.army.mil US Department of Defense https://www.defense.gov/Our-Story/Our-Forces/ USO https://www.uso.org/

Nexperia became a standalone company about four years ago after our divestiture from NXP Semiconductors. Last year we started our journey towards smart manufacturing at our back-end factories in Asia by developing a roadmap to help steer us in the right direction.Our first step to creating a convincing and workable smart manufacturing roadmap was to define the very meaning of smart manufacturing to Nexperia. Since the definition of smart manufacturing varies widely, we started by looking at two different and distinct technology adaptations: Physical automation Data-driven manufacturing, or using analytics at the core to develop and adopt machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI) models It is important to find the right balance of investments between physical automation and data-driven manufacturing to steer clear of deployment inefficiencies since only connected solutions deliver full value. Our approach involved the following high-level steps. Meeting with internal management teams for their inputs and examining factory needs and maturity Meeting with other semiconductor factory operators, subcontractors and partners to review their smart manufacturing approaches and challenges Evaluating our needs and status against the Singapore Smart Industry Readiness Index model Physical AutomationEvaluating the maturity of available solutions and adaptions by the industry and our own shop floor helped simplify the thought process quite well. Logistic automation is not new. Very mature solutions, even for custom layouts and preferences, are readily available. Shop floor automation is far more difficult than logistic automation since variability is simply too high. Traditional shop floor investments were always driven from quality or OEE perspectives and not necessarily very well connected. Our approach is outside-in – deploy logistic automation first and then move to the shop floor.Data-Driven ManufacturingHow smart manufacturing becomes depends on the extent to which a factory is data-driven. Enabling data-driven manufacturing requires foundational investments to improve traceability, connectivity and real-time operations. We believe real-time awareness can drive machine-level and closed-loop process control critical for predictive, cognitive control of the shop floor.Real-Time Awareness and Traceability is at the CoreDeveloping real-time awareness requires wide-ranging manufacturing protocols. The following focus areas have helped us simplify the challenge: Connectivity Core systems for areas including MES, quality and SAP Analytics and AI Digital shop floor featuring one operator interface with real-time control systems Readiness of engineers, technicians and managers Each of these pillars has different level of complexity due to legacy equipment and systems, legacy processes and inexperience of engineers with automation. This makes deployment of data-driven operations a complex challenge. We looked at different project approaches for each of the focus areas: Core Systems – Build additional technology enablers and roll them out with prioritization planning. Analytics – Focus mainly on OEE and yield with automated root cause analysis and predictive approaches. Real-Time Control – Merge the initiative with factory-level programs to improve productivity and quality. With a strong smart manufacturing roadmap, the next challenge is to secure long-term buy-in on the plan and required investments from executive management. Visiting and otherwise connecting with peer sites that have already deployed smart manufacturing infrastructure is vital in this effort. Thanks to SEMI members, we were allowed to visit their factories with our management team for go-and-see tours since seeing is believing in the smart manufacturing journey. Our executives also met with subcontractors and vendors to better understand the value of this transformational undertaking.A long-term outlook is necessary to successfully develop a smart manufacturing roadmap, and executive commitment goes a long way to ensuring its success. We are excited about our smart manufacturing journey and believe it is a game changer for our factories.Adarsha MARPALLI is director of Factory Automation at Nexperia B.V.

Semiconductors play an essential role in modern society by enabling ground-breaking technological advances. The manufacture of high-volume and advanced semiconductors requires the use of fluorinated chemicals known as PFAS. Representing the voice of SEMI members, I explained the important role of these substances and their “essential use” in the semiconductor manufacturing supply chain at a Chemical Watch conference for industry and European Union decision-makers on 3rd of December 2020.In order to achieve the European Green Deal’s zero pollution ambition for a toxic-free environment, the European Commission announced in its recently published Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability its intention to restrict the use of the most harmful chemicals, except in cases where they are deemed essential for society. Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances – known as PFAS – are the first group of chemicals facing regulatory scrutiny on this basis. This begs the question: What chemicals should be characterized as essential for society and what uses will they encompass? The key and enabling role of semiconductors in modern lifeSemiconductors are essential and ubiquitous in our lives. They are integral to enabling modern society to function – driving advancements in mobile communication technologies for the smartphones and computers that help us work more efficiently and connect us with our loved ones. These benefits have never been more evident than in 2020 with billions of people finding themselves working and studying remotely and safely from home.At the same time, technologies relying on semiconductors have been vital in the effort to combat COVID-19 – in ventilators, medical imaging devices and digital healthcare solutions. In addition, semiconductors will also enable the next leap in society to Industry 4.0 and as essential building blocks in connected and electric vehicles, artificial intelligence (AI) and quantum computing.The Commissioner for Internal Market, Thierry Breton, has highlighted the strategic importance of semiconductors in achieving European digital sovereignty (for instance, in his speech at Hannover Messe Digital Days), and the EU’s New Industrial Strategy[1] also points to the importance of semiconductors and microelectronic systems. What must also be appreciated are the cost and complexity of producing these valuable technologies. Setting up a cutting-edge fabrication plant with the hundreds of pieces of semiconductor manufacturing equipment typically required can cost around €15 billion.[2] A single semiconductor manufacturing tool typically consists of millions of articles, and a typical fab may house several hundred pieces of equipment. Furthermore, according to SEMI estimates, the fabrication of semiconductor wafers requires approximately 500 highly specialized process chemicals. In many cases, these processes, equipment and facilities rely on the unique properties offered by PFAS.“SEMI has worked diligently to highlight the strategic importance of semiconductors in achieving European digital sovereignty, and we are pleased that the critical role of microelectronics has been fully recognized by the EU and Member States. Fluorinated chemicals are essential for semiconductor manufacturing. "These specific chemicals are necessary due to their unique properties, and no alternatives are currently available that can adequately provide the functional properties required in semiconductor manufacturing. The essential use concept, therefore, must enable technological innovation, must apply across the entire supply chain, and must enable EU’s critical infrastructure and strategic objectives.” What are PFAS, and why and where are they used in semiconductor manufacturing?PFAS are a broad and highly diverse group of substances with unique properties and characteristics. The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) has compiled a list of approximately 4,700 substances,[3] a handful of which are used in the semiconductor manufacturing industry. These very specific chemicals are necessary due to their unique and unparalleled properties that enable them to be used in the demanding conditions of semiconductor manufacturing.Semiconductor chemicalsAt the very core of semiconductor manufacturing is the photolithography process, where microscopic geometric patterns are transferred onto a film or substrate. Photolithography specialty formulations containing fluorinated compounds are used in various steps of this process to ensure quality and reduce the probability of defects. PFAS must be used due to their low surface tension and compatibility with other chemicals. PFAS are typically no longer present in the finished product. However, there are applications where PFAS are present in the final semiconductor device, particularly in imaging semiconductors used in cameras, displays and some medical devices, amongst others. Semiconductor manufacturing equipmentPFAS are also essential to semiconductor manufacturing equipment and factory infrastructure. The exceptional combination of their heat and chemical resistance and their chemical inertness allows fluoropolymers to be used both in equipment components (tubing, gaskets, containers, filters, etc.) and lubrication (such as various oils and greases). These same properties are also needed to ensure the functioning of the surrounding infrastructure. Finally, some fluorinated gases, which are already regulated by specific legislation,[4] are used as refrigerants and to clean the facilities.These are a handful of examples of how PFAS are used in semiconductor manufacturing. Today, there is no other way to undertake these processes or to build semiconductor manufacturing equipment without PFAS. No alternatives are currently available that can adequately provide the functional properties required. Even if alternative chemicals and technologies were discovered today, due to the extremely complex qualification process throughout the value chain, it would take another 15 years to deploy them in high-volume manufacturing. Therefore, continued access to PFAS is a prerequisite for high-volume and advanced semiconductors. Lack of continued access to PFAS could lead to an inability to produce and supply the EU with semiconductor manufacturing technology.How should we think about essential uses?Regulators have started to think about what uses of PFAS are essential and in which cases their use should be allowed. In developing this concept, there are a few aspects to keep in mind.Essential use must enable, not hinder, technological innovationFirst and foremost, the essential uses concept should enable continued technological innovation instead of acting as a hindrance. Semiconductors and manufacturing technology are constantly evolving and becoming more diverse to help meet increasing societal demands. What we see as innovative today may be commonplace in the future, while future innovations may be unimaginable today. We must therefore be careful not to accidentally limit our future potential for innovation.Essential use must apply across the entire supply chainSecondly, classifying a use as essential should apply throughout the entire supply chain. We must, for example, avoid defining semiconductors as essential while classifying the semiconductor manufacturing equipment and chemicals used to produce semiconductors as not essential. In the semiconductor manufacturing supply chain, where one manufacturer can have up to 16,000 suppliers, this risk is evident.[5]Essential use must enable critical infrastructures and the EU’s strategic objectivesFinally, we should keep Europe’s societal priorities in mind. The EU needs to be able to maintain and protect its critical infrastructures. Similarly, we should not lose sight of the EU’s strategic objectives of a green and digital Europe.Semiconductors, in conjunction with their corresponding manufacturing equipment and chemicals, are essential technologies in everyday life and the backbone of the EU’s strategic value chains. Manufacturing semiconductors is a very expensive and complex process that would not be possible without the unique properties of PFAS, making them essential to achieving the EU’s strategic objectives today – whether the European Green Deal or digital autonomy – and in the future. Therefore, we must ensure that essential uses will enable the continued use of PFAS in semiconductor manufacturing.The SEMI presentation delivered at the Chemical Watch event can be accessed here.Emir Demircan is director of Public Policy and Advocacy at SEMI Europe.[1] “The EU will also support the development of key enabling technologies that are strategically important for Europe’s industrial future. These include robotics, microelectronics, high-performance computing and data cloud infrastructure, blockchain, quantum technologies, photonics [etc.]”[2] Emerging technologies in electronic components and systems (ECS) Opportunities Ahead – A study by DECISION, 2018 for the European Commission[3] Available here[4] Regulation (EU) No 517/2014, “F-Gas Regulation”[5] SIA Nathan Associates, 2016, https://www.semiconductors.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/SIA-Beyond-Borders-Report-FINAL-June-7.pdf

If you think the world is flooded with a mind-boggling volume of digital content, then you might be just a amazed to learn about the sheer wealth of information and business opportunities that will be uncovered at this year’s SEMICON Japan as the event goes full digital.To start, more than 160 companies will exhibit their semiconductor manufacturing gear and services on the virtual show floor of Japan’s premier event for the semiconductor manufacturing and design supply chain. Add to that over 80 presentations and panels that feature global industry executives, visionaries and experts offering insights into the latest microelectronics developments, trends and technologies, and it’s easy to see how SEMICON Japan 2020 Virtual is designed to help attendees grow their businesses and the industry drive the next wave of innovations that promise to address some of the world’s greatest challenges across healthcare, the environment, transportation and other industries.Best of all, it will all be available at your convenience from your office or home 24 hours a day, making it safe and easy for you and others from all over the world to attend. Following is what’s in store at SEMICON Japan 2020 Virtual to help lead you into the future.Leading Japanese Securities Analysts to Weigh in What’s Ahead for the Chip Equipment Sector in 2021 For the first time, SEMICON Japan will feature Bulls Bears as Japan’s’ five top securities analysts focus on the 2021 outlook for the global semiconductor equipment sector. The December 17th event will include discussions on the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on the semiconductor industry, the continuing geopolitical tensions that are forcing the industry to reconfigure its supply chains, the fast-growing China market and cutting-edge applications that are powering industry growth. The perspectives from Japan’s investment community are sure to be compelling as the region supplies one-third of the global semiconductor industry’s chip manufacturing equipment.Moderated by Akira Minamikawa of OMDIA, the panel will include these experts:Three Visionaries to Explore the Digital TransformationPowered by semiconductors, the fourth industrial revolution is driving digitalization globally, remaking societies to bring more efficiencies and conveniences to our work and home lives and help more people prosper. But the flip side of those tremendous benefits is the risk that wealth will be concentrated in the hands of people in positions of power, companies and nations. Democratizing economic development remains a serious challenge worldwide.Addressing this pressing issue, the Opening Panel on December 11 will feature prominent visionaries from political, academic and industrial communities including the following:Sony’s Leading-Edge Electric Car and Nissan’s Driver Assistance System to Highlight Automotive InnovationsCars are becoming more like smartphones on wheels, rapidly filling with more and more semiconductor chips every year with electrification and electronic driver-assisted systems to key drivers of this growth. At the SMART Mobility 1 session on December 14, two pioneering companies – Sony and Nissan Motor – will focus on both areas of semiconductor innovation.Sony’s Vision-S concept car, exhibited at CES 2020, astonished many in the electronics ecosystem and the automotive industry. What is Sony’s vision behind the vehicle? Izumi Kawanishi, Senior Vice President, AI Robotics Business at Sony will share the latest on the initiative.Nissan, maker of the pioneering LEAF electric vehicle, is the first Japanese carmaker to equip a car – its new Skyline – with the ProPILOT 2.0 driver assistance system for hands-off highway driving. Nissan Executive Vice President Asako Hoshino will provide an update on the company’s driver assistance system strategy and plans.Quantum Computing Meets Chip Manufacturing for the First Time at SEMICON Japan In contrast with current computer systems that use bits (binary 0 or 1 state) for computing, quantum computers leverage quantum superposition (0 and 1 states exist at once) to quickly solve highly complex problems that might take traditional supercomputers hundreds or even thousands of years to tease out. American physicist Richard Feynman promoted quantum computer as early as 1982, but it wasn’t until nearly two decades later and long after his death that quantum bit circuits emerged for use in superconductive materials.With quantum circuits and devices requiring state-of-art semiconductor processing technology, The Era of Quantum session on December 15 at SEMICON Japan 2020 Virtual will discuss necessary advances in chip manufacturing technology to enable the next generation quantum computing. The session will be the first time SEMICON Japan connects the semiconductor manufacturing and quantum computing communities.The program will feature the following experts:Strategies for Sustainable Semiconductor Industry GrowthSemiconductors are giving rise to a hyper-connected world that is fueling demand for staggering volumes of chips, pressuring the electronics industry to uncover new ways to increase manufacturing efficiency while reducing power consumption in a bid to help combat climate change. The Grand Finale Panel composed of executives from Japan’s semiconductor supply chain and a supervising ministry will gather for the Grand Finale Panel on December 18 to discuss ways the industry can achieve sustainable growth through innovation with a focus on energy savings and an new process technologies such as extreme ultraviolet lithography (EUV), which promises to enable electronics devices that are more power powerful, cheaper and more energy-efficient.Panelists include the following:Register TodayThe SEMICON Japan 2020 Virtual All-In Pass provides online access to all 80 presentations and panels, which will be available on-demand for replay until January 15, 2021. What’s more, all eight keynote programs will feature English subtitles. For complete information of the exposition, programs and registration, visit the SEMICON Japan website.I look forward to seeing you virtually at the event!Jim Hamajima is president of SEMI Japan.

The semiconductor industry must do far more to educate the electronics supply chain on the subtle differences among various fluoropolymers, 30 SEMI member companies learned in an October 13 webinar organized by SEMI to help maintain a unified voice on the critical importance of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in semiconductor manufacturing. At the same time, producers and customers of the substances used in chipmaking should work more closely together to steer clear of adopting policies that could limit the availability of safe fluoropolymers and the semiconductor industry’s ability to use them in the future.The insights were offered by representatives from the Performance Fluoropolymer Partnership – a group within the Washington, D.C.-based American Chemistry Council – on per- and poly-fluorinated substances including fluoropolymers. The Council is an industry trade association representing American chemical companies. Following are other key takeaways from the webinar. Fluorinated polymers and non-polymers are commonly found in components used in semiconductor manufacturing such as fittings, valves, tubes, O-rings, wafer carriers, filtration media, high purity air filters, greases and lubricants. The substances are ideal for use in corrosive chemicals, high temperatures and other harsh environments and are found in a variety of electro-technical components such as potentiometers, wiring, printed circuit boards and Lithium-ion batteries. Fluoropolymers are a diverse family of plastics also widespread in modern life, with applications ranging from food packaging and non-stick coatings on kitchen pans to rechargeable batteries for electric vehicles. The term PFAS (per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances) covers more than 4,700 chemicals with diverse physical, chemical, environmental and biological properties and impacts. There are also significant differences among their chemical compositions. A careful appraisal of their risks and impacts should take into account any potentially hazardous properties, toxicity levels, their prevalence in the industry, and whether substitutes are readily available. Growing pressure from regulators worldwide threatens future access to fluorinated chemicals, increasing the importance of raising awareness on how to distinguish groups of chemicals and encouraging a measured approach towards eliminating only chemicals carrying the greatest risk. Fluoropolymer producers and opponents of the chemicals must look past their divergent interests to work together to voice common concerns to regulators. Various SEMI working groups respond to public consultations when opportunities to present the semiconductor industry’s position arise. Individual group members communicate both among each other regarding new regulatory developments and also with external constituents through SEMI about the importance of chemicals to chip manufacturing. As with other sectors, the semiconductor industry continuously seeks to “green” its manufacturing processes. SEMI believes the commitment of the supply chain to these efforts is crucial to protecting the industry’s interests and driving innovation.Olivier Corvez is senior manager of Environment, Health, Safety and Sustainability at SEMI.