Posted by Rich Hueners on Fri, Aug 27, 2010 @ 11:57 AM
Advanced Packaging Software is arguably where a die or wire bonder is enabled to stretch and accomplish some extraordinary application challenges. We'll be discussing 2 software applications that have elevated complex packaging production efforts to increase yield and lower production costs: Automated Data Management and Analysis (ADMA) and Bond Data Miner (BDM).
ADMA: Global Paperless Production Management
The term "paperless laboratory" was mentioned to me earlier this year during a meeting with an engineer. He was describing the new software architecture that was being implemented in Palomar's contract assembly lab...called Automated Data Management Analysis or ADMA (trademark).
In describing ADMA, he got right to the point he said "a lab's biggest contaniment is people...the majority mistakes come from human error...to the world's manufacturing companies are only spreading out more, and doing so globally...in these far away factories, with management/engineering 10,000 miles away, really good packaging process know how is rarely on the factory floor". By eliminating dirty notebooks and pencils, inputing data into a controlled and clearly mapped out database (via PC), and working through a smart system of work order flow tags, a networked paperless production operation is achieved.
In addition to working with wire and die bonding systems, complementary equipment such as dispensers, inline handlers, magazine hanldlers and test equipment can be included into the ADMA infrastructure. ADMA started out as a solution for Palomar's Microelectronic's lab (the Contract Assembly division of Palomar Technologies). In starting here, it was concieved in real world production environment, not some theoritcal product concept brainstorm. Today ADMA goes beyond Palomar Microelectronics - it is implemented on islands of automation (single bonders) on factory site as well as on multiple systems in multiple locations.
Think of the "Command Center" at NASA. See all the screens and monitors, each tracking different aspects of the space shuttle's lift off: charts on one, goegraphical maps on another, a live feed on yet another, an interactive database on another, and up to the moment information pouring in through each channel... this is an image of how ADMA works, put in the microelectronic packaging context of course. 
Take company "XYZ LED": a technician in the Phlippines is operating a 5 machine ultra high accuracy pick and place system, Management is in Washington D.C, Process Engineers are in Germany, the Engineering Manager is traveling in Turkey. Each, from their PCs can enter into the ADMA enviornment remotely and manage the production:
- Management can pull yield data from their desks in the USA
- the Process Engineers can input work orders from Europe
- the Engineering Manager, from his hotel room in Turkey, can closely monitor the System's uptime and provide direction to the Process Engineer
- the Techician in the Phillipines recieves his/her order and simultanously tightens the feeback loop through site ID tracking (finding the error site on 3000 site wafer is a tedious process without this tool)
Bond Data Miner: just what is says
Bond Data Miner or BDM was developed first as a tool for Palomar Model 6500 die bonder. As the accuracy of this machine is so precise (1.5 micron), there was a need to find errors that amounted to as .1 micron. Additionally it became clear that both Palomar Microlectronics and our customers needed a way to track trend and machine calibrations, aggregate run data and time stamp data sets. Bond Data Miner was concieved and then created. The result was a much more comphrensive, centralized data management and analysis system (BDM works in concert with ADMA, as a part of ADMA).
Bond Data Miner is also unique in that each machine has its own BDM. In the case of multiple machines, data is pulled from local machines and into the Factory BDM database. The Factory BDMdb would reside on a seperate server, along with ADMA. Data can be analyzed locally or by the Factory BDMdb. Like most data software, the information can be copied on a scheduled basis in duplicate or deleted, and be burnt to other hardrives or CDs. All of Bond Data Miner databases are stored on RAID drives.
The benefits of this software include on-demand working knowledge Uptime, Trends and Yield.
- Has the calibration drifted?
- Is the machine performing baseling tests with the same result as before?
- What parts, by identifier, went into what assembly?
- What parts had assembly errors? (and will skip in later processes)
- What was the calibration status during a part build?
- What consumables, by identifier, were used during the parts assembly?
- Is the process trending towards Yield loss?
Smart Software = Increase Yield
Why is Yield important? Lets look at what the value of 1% yield is in the following example:
- 12,000 die bumped/year
- $0.50 cost per die
- 1% yield improvement = $60,000 in savings/year
+1% delta Yield = $300,000 in cost savings over 5 years!
Posted by Rich Hueners on Fri, Apr 23, 2010 @ 01:57 PM
This is Part 3 of our series on Manufacturing in North America. The following case study is an excellent example of North America's low cost manufacturing status played out in an actual business setting.
Case Study #1 - Who is the Lowest Cost?
In 2007, a U.S. hybrid microelectronic packaging firm lost its Asian high volume assembly partner. The timing was terrible for the U.S. manufacturing firm: they were in the middle of work with a customer building a complex LED module and was ready to transition out of the prototype phase and into the high volume production phase. The U.S. firm was running against time to find a new partner and a new source to do the high volume production for these highly unique and complex LED modules. The firm's U.S. management took a pause to look at what assets existed - what was in house to make this work? How could they solve this problem without fumbling around and wasting time? For one, the U.S. firm was a 35 year steady supplier of premier ultra high accuracy automated microelectronic assembly systems. With this, they had relationships in place to quickly identify prospective high volume suppliers. In order to find the right supplier from the list generated, they defined a generic microelectronic assembly: 35mm x 30mm assembly with 30 LEDs that required <13 micron accuracy, several discrete and passive components, 73 32 micron Au (Gold) wires and encapsulation.
Prospective suppliers where looked at in Asia and North America. Following the first down select based on a questionnaire, the U.S. manufacturing firm asked the remaining suppliers to quote the assembly cost (of the above stated generic microelectronic assembly) for quantities of 5000, 10000, and 20000 per month. The U.S. firm saw a paradigm shift in the world of on-shore vs. off-shore high-tech complex manufacturing with the surprising results:
1) Mexico (Tijuana) was the lowest cost
2) China (Guangdong) was a close second to lowest cost
Below is the graph generated from the study, showing the end results.
To put these results in context, the data showed that if there is a high degree of automation in the process, labor costs became less important (more automation, fewer operators, less need for labor). It's important to note that automation is the cornerstone in most complex automation because it is the ONLY way to ensure a repeatable, consistent, measurable process. When a part becomes more complicated, the time factor to produce it expands, therefore labor costs increase. Not so with automation. With automation, processes can be done simultaneously and rapidly with little operator intervention and less operator task time.
Defining Complex
The word "complex" describes both the type of package or assembled product as well as the procedures and processes involved in designing and manufacturing the product. With automation making labor it a much less significant factor, the full cost of bringing a complex product from design to market-ready, take center stage. There are many steps between design and market-ready; each step must be accomplished on schedule without sacrificing quality. Delays during any part of the process can prove very costly. Each complex module carries an expensive price tag. Better said, the stakes are higher when dealing with complex modules. So, with the failure of a complex module the cost is greatly magnified. Moral of the story: if you are contracting work out on complex modules, find the manufacturing/assembly firm that has the highest success rate of working parts over the long run.
Why Mexico is Important
The U.S. firm discussed in the above case study is located in San Diego county. Tijuana is approximately a 45 minute drive from their U.S. headquarters. This is a significant aspect in regards to cost, efficiency, time to market, and product quality: the U.S. firm's engineers and management are geographically close the the high volume production site and have hassle free access to crossing the border. The cost of flying around the world to do common tasks are completely eliminated. These tasks include fixing a minor problem, getting a machine back up and running and/or making a small change in the application process.
If you are considering a change of local in your contract manufacturing, consider sense to manufacture in North America today.