Actalent Oversees Metrology Lab and Increases Capacity in Process Technology Lab

The Client

A U.S. semiconductor equipment manufacturer.

The Challenge

Maximizing tool utilization time is critical to success in the semiconductor industry.

To that end, our client needed to increase the efficiency of their R&D labs.

Specifically, they wanted to:

• Add a third shift to their newly built processing technology lab (a “Class A” clean room facility where they test, prove and run all of their semiconductor tools that are in development or production). This would allow them to process more tasks and more quickly develop viable R&D prototypes and ensure that products were properly functioning.
• Outsource the management of their metrology lab to maximize cost savings and keep their internal talent focused on core R&D activities.

Due to talent scarcity, however, the client was struggling to source engineering expertise and services that suited their purpose. Without the right solution, the client risked losing ground in the race to stay ahead.

The Actalent Solution

Actalent customized a support structure for implementing a third shift within the process technology lab.

First, we looked at the number of test tickets and leveraged industry-best practices to determine the right size and mix of capabilities that would optimize use of the third shift. Using labor market data, our proprietary skillset database and expert recruiting strategies, we then sourced and built a team of 25 highly qualified process technicians. All are familiar with ALD, PECVD and associated semiconductor tools, giving them the expertise to execute tasks with minimal input from our client.

Next, we developed a solution to assume management of the metrology lab.

Again, we started with determining the appropriate team size and mix, assessing the average number of tickets, applying industry best practices and relying on the client’s overall expectations for the lab. Thereafter, we sourced, screened, selected, onboarded and trained each of the new metrology lab team members. This absorbed many hours of effort from our client’s internal management team, allowing them to focus on core R&D activities.

Obtaining knowledge transfer from the client was a critical part of the transition process as we assumed oversight of the metrology lab. Leveraging existing talent within the metrology lab and Actalent’s internal Learning and Performance Solutions team, we created job guides for nine of the most frequently used tools in the lab. And, because physical USBs are used to transfer test results from tickets, we also added a general education piece on data security to onboarding (keeping the USBs protected is vitally important to keeping the labs running free of viruses or disruption).

Under Actalent’s management, our client submits tickets directly to the metrology lab via an internal tool that assesses priority based on the requestor. Based on the priority and quantity, team members and shifts complete tickets using the first-in, first-out (FIFO) method. Higher priority tickets (those pertaining to requests for live demos of a test) are completed ahead of all others.

Actalent’s team lead plays a crucial role in these solutions. Their job ranges from communicating to the client when a ticket is completed, to helping determine when to increase the number of shifts or when to focus the team on backlogged activities as workloads rise and lower. The team lead meets with the client bi-weekly to assess workload and address any possible issues. If any issues are identified, Actalent performs a root cause analysis to determine if it’s the result of a tool operating incorrectly or due to a lack of knowledge. If the latter, the issue is remediated and reported on at the next touchpoint.

During bi-weekly meetings with the client, we also discuss upcoming spikes and any changes in team size or mix to handle the influx. As needed, Actalent can source, hire, onboard, train and have new hires at steady state within two months on average.

Lastly, additional touchpoints are held every six months, wherein deliverables and targets are adjusted as needed.

The Results

Actalent’s third shift support in the process technology lab and our management of the metrology lab reached steady state within a year.

The process lab expanded the number of tools supported during the night shift and increased the overall throughput of the process technicians.

In the metrology lab, approximately 1,600 tasks are runs per week. We’re operating twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, with an active team of three technicians always. Most notably, over the last six months our error rate has been less than 0.125%, well below our standard threshold of 0.2%.

Three years into the engagement, Actalent has increased the client’s tool utilization, absorbed non-core managerial activities, helped scale operations to optimize the client’s newly built process tech lab, and built a team of over 40 supplemental technicians representing an array of industry experience.