semiconductor industry

Europe is facing an acute shortage of skilled microelectronics workers that undermines the growth potential of not only the electronics industry but the European economy as a whole. Nearly 1.1 million job advertisements for electro-engineering workers were placed in the EU between mid-2018 and the end of 2019 (CEDEFOP, 2020). The shortfall looms large as a skilled and diverse workforce that can continuously innovate is the oxygen of microelectronics. In light of the critical importance of microelectronics to Europe’s ability to fulfill its growth potential, SEMI Europe participated in the high-level roundtable hosted by Commissioner Nicolas Schmit and Commissioner Thierry Breton on October 5. The discussion’s key takeaway: The skills challenge facing the microelectronics industry is too complex for one organization to tackle, and reskilling and upskilling its workforce should be a common priority for Europe. Only with a diverse, substantial and skilled microelectronics workforce can Europe achieve its R D, design and manufacturing ambitions while ensuring its sovereignty in the digital age. The roundtable highlighted the EU Pact for Skills as a key means to narrow the industry’s skills gap.An ever-growing part of our lives, microelectronics, with their ability to run billions of computations per second and store vast quantities of data, are the brains of modern technology. The digital sovereignty of nations around the world today relies on advanced microprocessors to collect, transfer, analyze and store immense amounts of data used in key end-user sectors such as mobility, telecommunications, energy, security and healthcare. Information and communication technologies (ICT) enabled by microelectronics are helping much of the world’s population to work and study from home and remain safe during the COVID-19 pandemic.According to the Smarter2030 Report, further deployment of ICT, including electronic components in critical sectors such as transportation, manufacturing, agriculture, construction and energy, could eliminate the equivalent of 12.1 billion tons of CO2 per year globally. These are some of the reasons why nations worldwide are making large-scale investments to advance a homegrown microelectronics R D, design and manufacturing base. It is no surprise, then, that semiconductors are now at the center of the so-called global techno-trade wars.Clearly, Europe urgently needs to mobilize and pool resources to develop effective lifelong learning programs for all workers and continue investing in microelectronics innovation. We need to instill the passion for creating technology among current and future workforce, in particular women and people with challenged backgrounds, and build a highly diverse talent pool. Working together, we can better demonstrate how computing technologies, including quantum, high-performance and edge AI, provide solutions to grand societal challenges and attract talented people to the fascinating world of electronic components and systems.Against this backdrop, the microelectronics industry finds the Pact for Skills very timely and crucial to advancing the talent pool underpinning Europe’s deep digital ecosystem. The Pact will play an instrumental role in improving the scope and the quality of training partnerships at regional, national and European levels, sharing best practices and helping the microelectronics industry and workforce adapt to the effects of COVID-19.The microelectronics industry is committed to building on the momentum created by the METIS Erasmus+ collaborative project and to mobilizing our ecosystem and education partners for a successful Pact for Skills in Microelectronics starting this year.The High-Level Roundtable: Skills for Microelectronics was hosted by Commissioner Thierry Breton and Commissioner Nicolas Schmit. Participants included Paul Boudre, CEO, SOITEC; Lars Reger, CEO Germany and CTO, NXP; Frits van Hout, Executive Vice-President and Chief Strategy Officer, ASML; Françoise Chombar, CEO, Melexis; Emmanuel Sabonnadiere, CEO, CEA-Leti; Luc Van den hove, President and CEO, imec; Sabine Nietzsche, Board member, Silicon Saxony and Vice President, GlobalFoundries; Laith Altimime, President, SEMI Europe (coordinator of METIS); Yolande Berbers, President, European Society for Engineering Education (SEFI); James Calleja, President, European Forum for Technical Vocational Education and Training (EFVET); Ludovic Voet, Confederal Secretary, European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC).Emir Demircan is director of Advocacy and Public Policy at SEMI Europe. To learn more about SEMI Europe advocacy, contact Emir at [email protected].

Semiconductor equipment spending is mounting a strong recovery on the strength of explosive chip demand for work-at-home and study-at-home electronics fueled by the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite the growth, the 2017-2018 memory boon that triggered a critical subsystems shortage is still fresh on the minds of equipment suppliers as they worry whether critical subsystem providers can keep pace with the rebounding chip industry while managing the fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic.Hideyuki Koishi, president of HORIBA STEC, Co., Ltd., a leading supplier of mass flow controllers (MFCs), one subsystem critical to semiconductor production, recently spoke with SEMI about the company’s response to the COVID-19 outbreak, the pandemic’s impact on the global supply chain and the company’s ability to meet the demand for MFCs. SEMI: What COVID-19 countermeasures has HORIBA STEC taken?Koishi: To ensure employee safety and security while maintaining a stable supply of products to our customers, we started to deploy company-wide countermeasures when the Japan government declared a nationwide state of emergency to curb COVID-19 infections on April 16.HORIBA STEC and the entire HORIBA group formed a global COVID-19 task force and centralized all local outbreak decision-making to drive a rapid and effective global response. We quickly implemented work-at-home practices for our office staff and provided a safe environment for our factory workers, who are essential to maintaining product supplies, by establishing social distancing protocols and restricting site visits to essential workers. We also distributed face masks to all employees and placed disinfectant dispensers near the door of every room so employees could wash their hands before entering.To help on-site employees follow our social distancing guidelines, we reduced seating at cafeterias and converted meeting rooms to offices to give employees ample work space. We also established invisible walls in manufacturing facilities with multiple collocated divisions to restrict workers to their assigned areas, a containment measure that helps with social distancing while minimizing the risk of an entire factory shutdown if a worker contracts the virus. SEMI: Have you experienced supply chain disruptions due to COVID-19 outbreak?Koishi: Even though our supply chain extends overseas and includes China, fortunately we have not experienced any significant disruptions thanks to the broad geographic distribution of our supply chain. In addition, because many of our critical components are sourced in Japan, pandemic-related impacts to our business have been limited.Long before the COVID-19 outbreak, we organized a community called Rakuraku-kai with our suppliers in Japan to build and maintain close relationships. Although the community name suggests it is exclusive to Kyoto-based suppliers, its reach is a nationwide. After the declaration of state of emergency in June, the supplier community gathered for an ad hoc meeting to exchange information and share perspectives on the COVID-19 crisis.SEMI: Did you have any pandemic protocols in place before the COVID-19 outbreak?Koishi: In 2014, HORIBA group launched Stained Glass, a project designed to increase workforce diversity at HORIBA group companies through initiatives such as placing more women in decision-making roles and encouraging working at home to help employees better balance job demands with their family lives. As part of Good Place, the project’s program to increase the work-at-home rate, HORIBA group deployed a web-based meeting system and encouraged workers to transition from physical to online meetings. Good Place has helped our IT team and workers smoothly implement our work-at-home practices.Working at home is a beneficial practice regardless of its effectiveness in curbing infections. Employees can reduce commute time, increasing their quality. And it’s much easier and more affordable for international participants to join meetings since they’re spared the time and cost of travel. This year HORIBA group also moved its three-day bi-annual global meeting online to make them safer and more economical. The meeting is attended by about 100 leaders of group companies and business units.SEMI: Do you have any concerns about meeting demand for mass flow controllers?Koishi: We doubled the capacity of our main mass flow controller factory in Kumamoto prefecture in 2018 and with more floor space available for further expansion, we see no major barriers to meeting the growing demand from international customers in 2021 and beyond. Nonetheless, we must sustain the best possible COVID-19 countermeasures to maintain production while ensuring the safety of our employees.SEMI: Are you make any social contributions to combat the virus?Koishi: Semiconductors are not only indispensable for the electronics behind remote work, education and healthcare but they also play a critical role in developing COVID-19 therapies and vaccines. Thus, at HORIBA STEC, we believe our most important contribution is to maintain steady a supply of our mass flow controllers and other key semiconductor equipment components.HORIBA group also participates in two important pandemic initiatives. The Open COVID-19 Declaration program calls on intellectual property owners to make their patent rights, utility model rights, design rights and copyrights freely available in the fight against COVID-19. The program’s sole purpose is to stop the spread of COVID-19. HORIBA is among the 20 founders1 of this initiative.In June, HORIBA joined a push by the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST) to develop a simple and rapid COVID-19 antibody test chip system. We’re contributing our expertise in immunoassay analysis and clinical laboratory equipment to help develop the system. SEMI: What have you learned from the COVID-19 outbreak?Koishi: The COVID-19 crisis has posed unprecedented challenges. Everyone hopes to return to normal soon but in reality things will never be exactly the same as before the crisis.Japan might have lagged other countries in its use of IT to improve business efficiency, but as we deal with the new coronavirus, both companies and their employees have been tirelessly considering reforms to the way we work through digitalization. I believe it will be difficult for companies to survive in the new normal unless they can incorporate these types of changes into their operations.On the other hand, I've also been reminded of the importance of traditional, analog communication. While we conducted all of our hiring interviews online this year, face-to-face meetings are a much richer experience that gives the prospective employee and the hiring company a much better sense of each other. In addition, as a company we need to continue to improve our ability to supply products so we can overcome challenges like the pandemic. COVID-19 has taught us our change needs to be more robust. We also need to evolve our business continuity plan to extend well beyond countermeasures to natural disasters such as typhoons and earthquakes. What matters most is that we apply the lessons of COVID-19 to make our business more resilient.[1] Ajinomoto Co., Inc., Canon Inc., Chanel G.K., GenoConcierge Kyoto, Inc., Honda Motor Co., Ltd., Horiba, Ltd., Konica Minolta Inc., Kyoto University, LSI Medience Corporation, Mitsui Knoledge Industry Co., Ltd., NEC Solution Innovators, Ltd., Nikon Corporation, Nissan Motor Co., Ltd., Rohm Co., Ltd., SRL, Inc., Shimadzu Corporation, Teijin Limited., Toyota Motor Corporation, Tsubakimoto Chain Co., and Yahoo Japan Corporation.Yoichiro Ando is a marketing staff member at SEMI Japan.

A 500,000 ft2 (~47,000 m2) state-of-the-art cleanroom facility still towers as the largest U.S. high-technology investment in Vietnam 10 years after starting operations in Saigon High Tech Park in District 9, Ho Chi Minh City. The structure built by Intel Products Vietnam (IPV) on the back of a $1 billion investment is the largest assembly and test manufacturing facility (ATM) in the Intel assembly and test network. IPV turns out products that are helping power cutting-edge applications along with the next wave of semiconductor industry growth as it homes in on 5G, Internet of Things (IoT), desktop and mobile. And it has been a boon to the local economy, generating more than 5,000 high-skill jobs across a number of assembly and test disciplines since launching operations in 2010. It has also contributed to over US$37 billion in exports from 2010 to 2019, accounting for over 60% of Saigon High-Tech Park’s annual export values in 2019. With its vision “to create the future of Intel and Vietnam,” Intel continues to be a strong long-term partner in Vietnam. I recently spoke with Kim Huat (KH) Ooi, vice president of Manufacturing and Operations and General Manager at Intel Products Vietnam (IPV), about the facility’s vital role in Intel’s overall manufacturing operations, its support for the E E ecosystem in Ho Chi Minh City, and measures it has implemented to reduce the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the facility and protect employees. Ooi leads and manages the site to support Intel’s business in Vietnam. His responsibilities include overseeing factory operations and employee relations; enriching the Intel image and brand; building strategic relationships with communities, media, governments, and local authorities; and working with the industry ecosystem and government. IPV employees celebrate Intel’s 50th anniversary in 2018. Ng: How does IPV campus complement the rest of Intel manufacturing sites and be nearer your customers and supplier base?Ooi: Intel Vietnam is an important part of Intel’s manufacturing presence worldwide. IPV has been operating for nearly 14 years in Vietnam and has celebrated multiple milestones along the way. As a site, we have matured and grown over the years. In March this year, we celebrated a proud milestone – the rollout our 2 billionth unit – that reflects the value of IPV to Intel Corporation as these Made in Vietnam products support its customers worldwide. One of our philosophies is to work with and grow local ecosystems in countries where we operate. In Vietnam, Intel has been offering technical and managerial expertise to many local suppliers in Vietnam to help them expand their business and services to other foreign direct investment (FDI) customers in the industry. Over the past 10 years, Intel’s supplier list has grown 10-fold from 20 in 2010 to about 180 suppliers in 2020.In today’s world of fast-changing consumer preferences and expectations, we need to help drive development of the latest products and technologies to support strong customer demand and new product portfolios such as 5G. To support evolving customer requirements, our workforce frequently upgrades its skills to work on new products and technologies.Intel as a company is also evolving as it transforms from a PC-centric to a data-centric organization, a shift behind the more than US$70 billion in record revenue Intel posted in 2019. Intel’s data-centric business accounted for more than half of that revenue. IPV plays a key role in Intel’s expansion into new market segments.Ng: What are the key differentiating elements (talent, tax, technology, trade, EHS) in Vietnam that have been instrumental in supporting the E E ecosystem in Ho Chi Minh City?Ooi: Vietnam’s stable political environment and increasingly liberalized trade and investment policies are great for businesses. The region’s young, talented workforce is also one of many competitive advantages that enables it to attract foreign investment. Intel’s announcement to invest in Vietnam in 2006 has played a large part in helping put Vietnam on the map of the global IT and semiconductor industry. The news helped attract industry suppliers and service providers, bolstering Vietnam’s economy and creating jobs. The Vietnam government also figured prominently in sparking the boon by establishing the right policies and incentives to attract foreign investment. Since starting operations, we have seen significant improvements in infrastructure such as roads, ports, airports, broadband and power supply. Vietnam’s standing in the global business community is even stronger today after the government successfully combatted the COVID-19 pandemic early on and introduced policies to help businesses restart operations. We expect all these factors to continue to make Vietnam an attractive relocation target for companies around the world. Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee Vice Chairman Mr. Duong Anh Duc (center) visited Intel Vietnam to tour the state-of-the-art facility. Ng: What measures have you implemented to reduce the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and protect employees? Ooi: COVID-19 has taken the world by storm and changed the way we work and live in many ways. It has unquestionably pushed the world to build stronger partnerships among individuals, organizations, businesses and communities. Intel’s manufacturing operations have continued to run at full capacity. Since the outbreak emerged, we have strictly followed required Intel safety measures as well as the Vietnam’s health guidelines. We have also implemented a number of other safety initiatives and protocols to ensure our business runs smoothly. We’re doing everything possible to ensure the well-being of our employees and help them better respond to the pandemic.In coordination with our strategic partners, we have been donating thousands of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to the Fatherland Front and Department of Health (DoH) since early March. Recently, in partnership with AmCham Vietnam, Intel donated an imported ambulance with built-in essential equipment to the Ho Chi Minh City 115 Emergency Center. Intel has also teamed with Saigon Hi-Tech Park management to donate two ventilators and N95 masks to DoH.Our employees are also helping out by donating to Vietnam’s Coronavirus Donation Matching campaign. We collected US$13,000 from Intel employees and included matching funds from Intel Foundation to support three non-profit organizations (NPOs) – Saigon Children’s Charity, Kidspire Vietnam and Teach for Vietnam. All told, Intel Products Vietnam has donated US$200,000 to COVID-19 relief efforts, demonstrating our long-term commitment to communities where we operate. Intel Products Vietnam teamed with AmCham Vietnam to donate a fully equipped ambulance to Ho Chi Minh City’s 115 Emergency Center, demonstrating IPV’s long-term corporate social responsibility commitment. In early May, Intel unveiled our 2030 Corporate Strategy and goals to accelerate progress against the world’s critical challenges and help drive positive global outcomes. Part of our 2030 goals, our RISE (Responsible, Inclusive, Sustainable, Enabling) strategy focuses on the company’s commitment to its corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives to create a more responsible, inclusive, safe and sustainable world through technology and collective action. IPV has also committed to implementing the RISE strategy in Vietnam with local community initiatives and technology interventions. Bee Bee Ng is president of SEMI Southeast Asia.

Like so much else these days, career mentoring in the semiconductor industry has gone virtual. And, among hiring managers, for good reason: Chip companies are facing a new urgency to hire skilled workers as recent SEMI forecasts spanning packaging materials and fab equipment spending show strong growth in 2021 – a trajectory that puts even more pressure on an industry confronted with a worker shortage to attract and recruit new talent.Enter SEMI Korea, which early this month gathered nearly 4,000 sheltered-in-place South Korea university students to offer tips from semiconductor industry insiders on how to kick-start their careers in the chip business. In 14 sessions over three days, industry powerhouses offered guidance across topics ranging from educational preparation and job skills to resume writing and interviewing. Like last year’s on-site event, students from Seoul accounted for the bulk of those online for Campus Outreach On-Air. But this year saw a far higher turnout of students in provincial cities thanks to the ease and convenience of virtual communications – a silver lining in the age of COVID-19.Establishing a successful career in the semiconductor industry starts with a mix of soft and hard skills, according to Changjin Kang, CEO of SEMES, one of the top 10 global semiconductor equipment companies. Keynoting the event, Kang pointed to six key attributes in particular – caring, resilience, execution, analysis, tenacity and experience – under the acronym C.R.E.A.T.E.Caring means empathy for colleagues, understanding their unique work environment and challenges, and building strong relationships. To help cope with the stress that can come with working in the industry, workers must be also be resilient by managing the emotional demands of a job and getting enough rest. Execution comes down to thorough, methodical planning. Carefully analyzing information to make data-driven decisions is a critical aspect of successful outcomes, while having the tenacity to push through difficult technical challenges helps engineers develop the right solutions. And getting out from behind the desk to learn from colleagues is important in building experience.Human resources representatives and engineers from Applied Materials, ASML, Dongjin Semichem, EO Technics, Jusung Engineering, KLA, Lam Research, Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, PSK, SEMES, SK Siltron, TEL and Wonik IPS shared with the students the key competencies needed to forge a career in the semiconductor industry. Engineers pointed to the benefits of improving their English skills through language training and continuing their education by pursuing engineering certificates. Human resources representatives stressed the importance of a global mindset since, as part of the global semiconductor ecosystem, engineers and other staff often communicate via conference calls with colleagues around the world.In a post-event survey, the students – all digital natives – awarded the event 4.3 out of 5 points for overall satisfaction and made clear that they prefer online Campus Outreach to the on-site event.“Thanks to SEMI and the companies for providing a great opportunity to meet experts and HR managers,” one student pointed out in the survey. “It was very useful because it opened up opportunities for many students to communicate with semiconductor companies.”“It was nice to know what works semiconductor engineers do,” said another, “and how as university students they prepared for employment.”SEMI Korea thanks the nine semiconductor companies that sponsored Campus Outreach On-Air to help build the industry’s talent pipeline and the students for their invaluable participation.Jaegwan Shim is a marketing specialist at SEMI Korea.

As the semiconductor industry continues to grapple with the widespread effects of the COVID pandemic, at the SEMI Foundation we continue to build programs and initiatives that inspire the next generation of STEM workers and drive new and diverse talent to all of our member companies.Our work to build out the semiconductor workforce centers on creating more diversity, equity, and inclusion within the industry. We want everyone to win. We want students and workers to benefit from these excellent jobs. We want our industry to diversify to increase our productivity, innovation, and our bottom lines. And we want to fulfill the extraordinary potential of electronics to help people around the world in the way they work and live. COVID-19 is hitting certain populations – women, veterans, and Black, Indigenous and other people of color – particularly hard, so our work has never been more timely or important for local communities and the global economy.To that end, we’re going big by generating funding and designing initiatives that will benefit the industry over the long term. The SEMI Foundation’s SEMI VetWorks Program, currently in development, will help U.S. veterans better understand our industry, the careers available to them, and how their skills will transfer to working in microelectronics. The program also provides training portals and mentorship support to smooth their transition to the industry.We’re also working to fund our Women In Industry Network, a major new initiative designed with national partners to significantly increase the representation of women, who today account for just 10-25% of the semiconductor workforce across all roles and functions. What’s more, the SEMI Foundation’s global industry image and awareness campaign is inspiring more young people to enter high-school and university STEM programs and ultimately pursue careers in microelectronics while encouraging current workers to re-skill or up-skill and join the tech workforce.Meanwhile, your High Tech U team continues to connect semiconductor companies with students all over the globe. While we’re eager to get back on the road to meet and inspire students in person, we are excited to provide updates about two of our programs:HTU in the ClassroomWith the transition to online and hybrid learning classrooms, we seized the opportunity to combine STEM activities from SEMI High Tech U with discussion sessions and other projects to help students explore and deepen their understanding of the semiconductor manufacturing process. The 16-week pilot program, called HTU in the Classroom, will launch late next year to introduce high-school students to four key areas of chip production: patterning and layering, the chemistry involved in photolithography, logic gate systems, and computational thinking. These interviews with SEMI member companies will give students a chance to share their new knowledge gained from the class and to ask questions about what life is really like as an engineer, HR professional, or manager in industry.From Sand to SiliconWith silicon the lifeblood of our industry, it is impossible to understand what makes the semiconductor/microelectronics industry tick without knowing more about the companies, processes and technologies that all make it possible. That’s why we are developing a self-guided online journey through the chip manufacturing process for students and educators. This will go beyond reading like a Wikipedia site. Instead, the learning and exploration will feature interactive elements including company videos and links to resources such as fact sheets as well as university and company websites. At each stage, students will get details about the companies and individuals who do the work and the paths the professionals followed to these roles. The big-picture look will show how all the production stages come together to build working devices that power everything from smartphones to data centers.The SEMI Foundation is grateful for your support and partnership as we all work through these unprecedented times and roll out new programs to help build the talent pipeline. To learn more about or support our workforce development programs, please contact Shari Liss, SEMI Foundation’s Executive Director, at [email protected].

On 21 September, SEMI and a coalition of 40 industry organisations sent a letter to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen calling for decisive action to solve implementation issues within the European Union Waste Framework Directive, specifically the Substances of Concern in Products (SCIP) database.The signatories, who represent a very significant part of the European economy, are requesting urgent resolution of implementation issues for the SCIP database, which is designed to support the circular economy as defined in the European Green Deal. The database is required under Article 9.1 of the updated Waste Framework Directive.In the letter, the signatories ask President von der Leyen to take immediate action to: Postpone the SCIP notification deadline of 5 January 2021 to at least one year after finalization of the database; Conduct a study on the usefulness, feasibility, proportionality and impact of the database; Instruct the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) to adapt the SCIP database according to the outcome of the proposed study. ECHA failed to complete development of the database by the January 2020 deadline required by the Waste Framework Directive, leaving companies insufficient time to develop, test and adapt their own systems to meet the January 2021 SCIP notification deadline.Over the last two years, the signatories have repeatedly shared their serious concerns regarding the viability, proportionality and value of the SCIP database with the European Commission and the ECHA, yet those concerns remain unresolved.Contrary to the EU Better Regulation principles that call for open and transparent decision making, Article 9.1 was added to the revised Waste Framework Directive during the final stage of the co-decision process without any prior stakeholder consultation or impact assessment. A proper impact study should help shape the way forward to deliver on the EU ambition of driving a circular European economy.Coalition PartnersEmir Demircan is director of Advocacy and Public Policy at SEMI Europe.

The costs of production are typically based on labor and materials and define manufacturing expenses. But is this approach accurate enough? What about the cost of poor quality and lack of efficiency in production? How is the pandemic impacting semiconductor manufacturing and what can we expect from the future?SEMI recently spoke with Dr. Eyal Kaufman, founder and CEO of QualityLine, a Kiryat Gat, Israel-based provider of smart manufacturing analytics solution, about manufacturing controls and how to select the best data source to improve product quality and yield. Kaufmann provided a snapshot of current best practices used by the company to improve manufacturing efficiencies and product quality while reducing costs. He also discussed the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on semiconductor smart manufacturing and how artificial intelligence (AI) can help keep factory workers safe.For additional insights on smart manufacturing, join the virtual SEMI Global Smart Manufacturing Conference, October 20 - 22, 2020. Registration is open.SEMI: Real manufacturing costs are calculated based on different aspects such as failures in production, repairs, products returned, scrap of components or late deliveries. Lack of quality and efficiency in manufacturing can undermine a business. How are you helping businesses overcome these challenges?Kaufman: To increase profit margins, it is essential to identify inefficiencies and what improvements to prioritize. Once manufacturing quality and efficiency deficiencies have been measured, the next step is to continuously collect manufacturing data in order to run the final cost analysis and use the analytics to improve the manufacturing process.Smart manufacturing makes it possible to detect anomalies in automated factories, improve production performance and increase profitability. Today, automated data are collected from every machine and piece of test equipment in the factory. Still, manufacturing data collection in many industries remains manual and expensive because of the time and human resources involved. A real-time analytics system can automatically collect all data sources and select the relevant data for analysis, which today is the most accurate and effective way of measuring and resolving quality and efficiency deficiencies.Data-driven decisions made by smart manufacturing reduce costs and improve manufacturing strategies, enabling factory operators to increase product quality, drive higher production capacity and enhance product design for manufacturability. Analytics solutions monitor shop floor operations accessing vendors and subcontractors’ products criterion to run root cause analysis. All those data will reduce the return rate of faulty products and accelerate return on investment. This is why we definitely need smart manufacturing technologies!SEMI: Data accumulated during the manufacturing process includes vital information about failures, anomalies and machine usability. What data are necessary to create the best analytics solution?Kaufman: Many companies today run data mapping and automatic creation of data capture. They often wonder if they need to use testing data, sensors data or product design data, or whether they should collect feedback from their customers and vendors. The best way to create an effective manufacturing analytics system is to use data sources such as: Feedback from customers (returned units, customers complaints, etc..) Testing data from automated test equipment and manual test activities Feedback from technicians repairing faulty units Analysis of testing processes done by vendors Sensors data Data from our ERP/MES systems Artificial intelligence enables any type and size of data structure, even accumulated data, to be automatically integrated and interpreted. AI-based analytics can also establish correlations between each manufacturing stage to help factory operators quickly conduct deep diagnostic and root cause analysis for problem solving and prevention – all while leaving intact a factory’s existing process, machinery and data output. Machine learning evaluates how a factory runs its database and puts all the information generated into an analytics solution that provides the know-how to continuously improve factory efficiency.SEMI: How do you select the best data source to improve manufacturing quality and yield? Kaufman: The accuracy and integrity of data accumulated in our manufacturing process is key to controlling and improving yield and quality while reducing manufacturing costs. Smart manufacturing is a technology-driven approach that uses digital and remote connected machinery to monitor the production process. The goal is to identify anomalies in manufacturing processes and leverage analytics to improve process yield and product quality.To select the relevant data, we collect each type and source of data that can improve the efficiency of a real manufacturing cell: Test data from Automated Testing Equipment Test data from Manual Testing Processes Analyses of repairing processes (failed units during the manufacturing process and units that were returned from customers) Once the data structure is collected, the next step is to turn it into actionable information in the manufacturing process. QualityLine smart manufacturing solutions provide a complete one-stop solution to interpret any manufacturing data structure. Our advanced manufacturing analytics solution detects quality and yield anomalies to reveal production line inefficiencies and opportunities to improve manufacturing quality and efficiency.SEMI: How would you describe your approach?Kaufman: Industry 4.0 in manufacturing claims to be the fourth generation of the industrial revolution. Advanced technologies like manufacturing intelligence and machine learning can efficiently achieve zero defects on manufacturing lines. Digital factories leverage technologies and methodologies including: Big data Self-optimization Self-configuration Self-diagnosis Cognitive and machine learning Smart manufacturing technologies enhance the manufacturing process by continuously collecting and analyzing data in real-time to achieve and maintain high quality performance. The goal is to achieve a significant increase in efficiency and yield while reducing waste and inefficiency.Until now, there has been no viable way to integrate all saved manufacturing data into a unified database. QualityLine advanced manufacturing analytics make it possible for any factory to become digital without installing new hardware, which can be expensive and require not only the extensive integration of existing data but investments in training. Our user-friendly solution integrates manufacturing data for industries with zero automation by first collecting and analyzing data from any type of manual test procedure and then integrated it into manufacturing analytics to improve efficiency.SEMI: Why are Pass/Fail criteria insufficient for controlling manufacturing yield and quality?Kaufman: Managing a mass manufacturing process is always a challenge because hundreds of tasks must be successfully completed before products can ship to customers. At QualityLine, we establish a test process for each stage of the production flow, from the incoming raw material to the final stage prior to the delivery of finished goods to the client. To prevent unexpected downtime incidents, waste and defective products, we collect and interpret every type of relevant data and turn it into meaningful information, setting up the following capabilities: Collection and interpretation of test and process data of each single unit and from each process and plant Automatic detection of quality and yield problems Accurate and quick root cause analysis process Automatic alerts to abnormal issues Prediction process potential and level of failures Measurement of key performance indicators Many manufacturers base their test criteria of each parameter on one key indicator – Pass or Fail. If the test result shows a Pass, then the unit is ready to move on to the next manufacturing stage. If the test result shows Fail, then the unit is sent to a technician for further analysis.A simple Pass or Fail criteria for product quality is far from sufficient since it provides little or no information about edge cases, where one or more of the technical parameters of the unit under test is only within its allowed tolerance. Edge cases may lead to unit failure during operation such as in extreme environments (cold, heat, humidity, electrical overload, impact, etc.). In fact, when running a mass manufacturing line, it is impossible to continuously digest all the detailed information collected from testing stations. Data is analyzed in detail only when a critical quality problem emerges and further analysis is required to understand the root cause.Information overload and the disregard of important parameters makes it hard to control the process and improve quality and yield. New technologies make fast and scalable data integration possible so data can be collected in real time to detect quality issues early, identify complex process disruptions to avoid delivery delays and ensure the best possible product for customers. Only by accurately analyzing data as actionable information can factory operators control the manufacturing quality process.SEMI: How has COVID-19 impacted the smart manufacturing market? How has your technology helped factories remain online?Kaufman: Smart manufacturing is playing a significant role by helping manufacturers overcome COVID-19 challenges such as workforce reductions, social distancing, drops in sales for some specific products and extreme pressure to cut operational costs.Manufacturing leaders turned to us for a solution to the challenges of maintaining efficient factory operations with a limited workforce and reduced number of operating hours. Filling factory orders with fewer people on the floor is a struggle. Digital factory technologies enable remote monitoring of operations to increase efficiency and capacity. We are helping our clients improve efficiency while reducing costs. Our remote monitoring technology can provide the operational visibility to floor managers and engineering teams who cannot go physically to the factories due to safety restrictions. With our advanced manufacturing analytics, they have full end-to-end visibility and can remotely diagnose and solve production line issues. During this critical time, we are proud to be improving remote monitoring solutions to help the industry withstand the pandemic. Some of our clients would have closed their factories otherwise. We’ve been working to integrate manufacturing data in factories that were previously unautomated to drive high automation levels. Integrating processes with existing factory data, regardless of customer’s protocols or automation level, is our great technology advantage.SEMI: How will manufacturing and its supply chains look after COVID-19?Kaufman: Smart manufacturing is currently a necessity. We collect and analyze data not only to improve quality but to reduce client returns of faulty products by 50% and reduce waste by 22%, both critical points. Manufacturing challenges will continue to accelerate advancements in technology and improve efficiency, safety and productivity as more factory operators incorporate real-time data analytics and artificial intelligence (AI). SEMI: Will suppliers continue to explore new avenues for smart manufacturing technologies and what are their growth opportunities?Kaufman: Yes, definitely. The sector has already changed, with COVID-19 bringing both opportunities and challenges. Industry leaders are facing new pressure, with sudden materials shortages, drops in demand and worker unavailability. The growth opportunities for manufacturing are likely to be digital, as already evident in the immediate response to the crisis. Industry 4.0 solutions will be crucial to increase end-to-end supply-chain transparency, automation and data integration. QualityLine manufacturing analytics have improved key manufacturing performance metrics. For example, based on customer feedback, we’ve increased production yield by 30%, saving some of our customers millions of dollars. Improvements like this can help suppliers withstand pandemics.Dr. Eyal Kaufman, Founder and CEO at QualityLine, has senior management experience and over 25 years of expertise in business development, marketing, finance, operations, engineering and quality management at leading industrial companies. Prior to QualityLine, he served as VP of Mobileye, Cardo Systems, and Medisim Ltd., as well as CEO of OnTheGo Systems. Eyal holds a Ph.D. from California Intercontinental University, an MBA from City University of New York and a BSc. from the Technion in Israel.The SEMI SMART Manufacturing Initiative is a global effort to promote awareness and interest about smart manufacturing with focus on delivering industry-recognized best-in-class programs and services to enable members to maximize product quality, productivity and cost improvements through smart manufacturing. Activities are focused on building out core capabilities to enable smart manufacturing across the microelectronics supply chain.MADEin4 is a consortium of 47 partners from 10 countries connecting the full range of supply chain: from semiconductor equipment manufacturers and system-integrating metrology companies to RTOS and key applications such as the automotive industry. The MADEin4 Project develops next generation metrology tools, machine learning methods and applications in support of Industry 4.0 high volume manufacturing in the semiconductor manufacturing industry.Serena Brischetto is a senior manager of marketing and communications at SEMI Europe.

Although the semiconductor chip and capital equipment markets performed well in the first half of 2020, many of the electronic equipment end markets struggled globally. World electronic equipment sales declined almost 10% in 2Q’20 vs. 2Q’19.

Making Strides TogetherKnowledge is power – especially when it is shared. This principle formed the foundation for Micron’s Go and See virtual visit of its Singapore manufacturing plant on 26 August 2020 as 27 companies including GLOBALFOUNDRIES, ST Microelectronics, Infineon, TEL, ViTrox , IBM, HP and UTAC joined the first-of-a-kind virtual factory visit. The chip industry powerhouses gathered to see how Micron’s Lighthouse frontend wafer fabrication facility leverages Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies to drive new production and cost efficiencies.They saw clear markers of a transformed organisation and spoke with working-level staff, managers and front-line employees. Company representatives also met virtually with Micron management teams from organisations that led its digital transformation – from pilot programs to integration at scale – to realise significant financial and operational benefits. The mix of technologies they deployed to make it all happen included artificial intelligence (AI), big data analytics and the Industrial Internet-of-Things (IIoT).Micron’s Singapore-based fab facility earned Lighthouse certification earlier this year from the World Economic Forum’s Global Lighthouse Network. The Go and See tour was co-sponsored by SEMI Southeast Asia and McKinsey Company.Transformation is CrucialBy embracing Lighthouse principles, semiconductor sectors and companies can accelerate their digital transformation to boost operational and financial efficiency while helping increase productivity across the electronics supply chain. It will take time for Southeast Asia semiconductor manufacturers to transform to digital operations, though we’re seeing growing interest in Industry 4.0 practices as they begin to understand that the deployment of new technologies and applications will help them better understand real-world benefits of smart manufacturing use cases and solutions. SEMI believes shining the spotlight on companies like Micron can illuminate the way forward for other companies to help drive the industry’s digital transformation. We look forward to seeing companies build on this momentum as they start to leverage leading-edge technologies to improve efficiencies and promote sustainability.Bee Bee Ng is president of SEMI Southeast Asia.

METIS, a Sector Skills Alliance project co-funded by the European Commission’s Erasmus+ Program and coordinated by SEMI, recently launched an online questionnaire aimed at gauging the skills and expertise the industry needs to drive continued growth over the next five years. The survey, which will stay online until 15 October 2020, is a part of the METIS project’s efforts to involve a broad range of stakeholders in the microelectronics industry to assess workforce, future technology and economic trends influencing talent development and the skills needed most today and in the next five years. The survey aims to highlight the skill mismatches in specific job profiles that are of increasing importance to the microelectronics industry. It elaborates on the upskilling and reskilling needs for design engineers. Given that semiconductor design is becoming increasingly crucial for Europe’s competitiveness and technological sovereignty, the new skills required from design engineers are a priority area for the METIS project. Other examples are the manufacturing and maintenance technicians, two job profiles that are currently experiencing significant shifts in their skillsets, as COVID-19 has thoroughly transformed their way of work.While the microelectronics industry has been very aware of the importance of the high level of investment in R D, it is equally crucial to ensure that the workforce of the industry is equipped with knowledge and skills for the rapid technological developments. Maintaining high levels of investment in workforce including attracting talent, updating their knowledge and skills with the latest technological development, and supporting them to lead innovations, is essential for this industry. There is a growing demand for specific requirements for this sector to support innovation in many other sectors such as automotive, energy, healthcare, and government, to foster benefits from emerging digital technologies such as Cloud Services, Internet of Things (IoT), Artificial Intelligence (AI), Digital Reality, and Blockchain.In addition to the online questionnaire, the METIS project consortium is interviewing top experts from leading microelectronics companies, education representatives from universities and training academies, and experts from government agencies and industry associations. The interview outcomes provide inputs on what kind of employee profiles are the most difficult to find, what skills this sector is looking for in a candidate, and what kind of training and policy frameworks are needed to improve employers’ skills. Those inputs are essential to develop the skill strategy and form recommendations on training modules.Furthermore, the METIS project consortium is organizing 10 focus groups. Each of the focus groups is dedicated to a key topic, such as SC design, SC materials, semiconductor manufacturing equipment, etc. For example, one of the METIS focus groups is dedicated to Edge AI, a top priority for the microelectronics industry. Strengthening the AI talent pipeline is essential to harness the potential of Edge AI in Europe and to facilitate the shift from the Cloud to the Edge when possible in order to meet specific demands (e.g. for autonomous driving), reduce energy consumption for data communications, and to increase efficiency. The EU’s White Paper “Artificial Intelligence - A European approach to excellence and trust”[1] , published this February, also emphasizes the importance of upskilling and reskilling to position Europe among the global leaders in AI. Hence, the focus group will work towards pinpointing the skills necessary for the semiconductor workforce to capture the potential of the trend.The results of the survey, interviews and focus groups will be used to form the Microelectronics Skills Strategy. Based on this strategy, the METIS project will design 43 training modules for 1,100 hours learning in four key areas of the microelectronics sector:Component designSystem designBasic of manufacturingKey competencies and innovative thinkingThe METIS project is planning to recruit 2,000 learners in companies and education and training institutes to participate in the trainings and validate the impact. The METIS project will also work with companies, education and training providers to ensure continuity of the initiative and foster cooperation.During the METIS project course (2019 – 2023), the Skills Strategy will be updated yearly to reflect the latest technology and market trends. To enable the Skills Strategy to continue serving the industry, METIS is working on forming a permanent instrument, named Observatory and Skills Council, to continue developing the skills strategy, update the training and facilitate cooperation between industry and education and training providers.Laith Altimime, president of SEMI Europe, and 50 members of the Microelectronics Training, Industry and Skills (METIS) consortium The METIS consortium invites companies and associations involved in microelectronics training and education provision, human resources and career services professionals, technology strategists and policy makers to complete the online questionnaire. Stakeholders are also welcome to subscribe to the METIS newsletter for the latest on METIS programs. For more details, please contact Yanying Li at [email protected].[1] EU’s White Paper on Artificial Intelligence available at: https://ec.europa.eu/info/sites/info/files/commission-white-paper-artificial-intelligence-feb2020_en.pdfDr. Yanying Li is senior manager of Collaborative Projects at SEMI Europe.