Daily target generation and machine allocation with priority

• US 5,826,238 A
• Filed: 04/02/1996
• Issued: 10/20/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 04/02/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited
• Inventors: Chen, Wen-Lin, Hsu, Yi-Chin, Huang, Sheng-Rong
• Primary Examiner(s): MacDonald, Allen R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Jeanty, Romain
• Application Number:
  US08/626,594
• Time in Patent Office: 931 Days
• Field of Search: 705/8, 705/29, 364/468.01, 364/468.05, 364/468.07, 364/468.09, 395/673, 395/674, 395/705
• US Class Current: 705/7.22
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/41865 characterised by job scheduling, process planning, material flow
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06312 Adjustment or analysis of established resource schedule, e.g. resource or task levelling, or dynamic rescheduling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06315 Needs-based resource requirements planning or analysis
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/02 Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS]

Abstract

A method and system are provided for operating a data processing system including a data base computer system and a resource allocation computer for control of resource allocation in a manufacturing plant with a manufacturing line comprising a plurality of stages with manufacturing machines, the resource allocation computer including data storage means. The method includes several steps including: deriving data from the data storage means and computing the targets for each of the stages; obtaining machine capacity data from the data storage means and employing the machine capacity data for allocating machine capacity proportionally and adjusting targets; adding limits to stages of penetration and adjusting targets; determining residual capacity and allocating the residual capacity of the manufacturing machines; and checking the convergence of targets and machine allocation until convergence is achieved.

Claims

1. A method of operating a data processing system including a data base computer system and a resource allocation computer for control of resource allocation in a manufacturing plant with a manufacturing line comprising a plurality of stages with manufacturing machines, the resource allocation computer including data storage means, the method including the steps as follows:

deriving data from the data storage means and computing the targets for each of the stages;

obtaining machine capacity data from the data storage means and employing the machine capacity data for allocating machine capacity proportionally and adjusting targets;

adding limits to stages of penetration and adjusting targets;

determining residual capacity and allocating the residual capacity of the manufacturing machines;

checking the convergence of targets and machine allocation until convergence is achieved,

determining the push target,

determining the pull target,

determining the upper bound target,

determining the capacity constraint and machine allocation,

limiting the stages of penetration,

iterating the Target Generation and Machine Allocation and PRiority (TG&

MA PR), and

executing the Stages Of PEnetrAtion (SOPEA) method.

2. A method in accordance with claim 1 including the steps of as follows:

determining the push target, wherein said push target is determined by computer using the equation as follows;

space="preserve" listing-type="equation">Push-Target.sub.j =max(0, wip.sub.j +flow.sub.-- in.sub.j -std.sub.-- wip.sub.j);

for j=1, . . . J (1) where;

flow_-- in₁ =r_o (wafer release) and flow_-- in_j+1 =Target_j (n-1);

for j=1, . . . J-1 and the superscript index (n-1) refers to the previous iteration, and

determining the pull target, wherein said pull target is determined by computer using the equation as follows;

space="preserve" listing-type="equation">Pull-Target.sub.j =max(0, flow.sub.-- out.sub.j+i +std.sub.-- wip.sub.j+1 -wip.sub.j+i) for j=J-1, . . . 1

where;

flow_-- out_j =d_j (demand for output wafers for the day), and flow_-- out_j =Target_j (n-1);

for j=J, . . . 2 and the superscript index (n-1) refers to the previous iteration.

3. A method in accordance with claim 2 including determining the upper bound target by computer using the equation as follows:

space="preserve" listing-type="equation">UB.sub.-- target.sub.j =max (Pull-Target.sub.j, Push-Target.sub.j).

4. A method in accordance with claim 2 including the steps as follows:

iterating the TG&

MA_-- PR method comprising;

Step 1. Prioritize Lots

High Priority Lot;

priority "1" in database management system

Low Priority Lot;

priority "2", "3", "4", "5" in database management system,

Step 2. Calculate Upper_-- Bound Target by technology, stage and priority,

Step 3. Apply TG&

MA_-- PR to high priority lots,

Step 4. Apply TG&

MA_-- PR to low priority lots using residual machine capacity,

Step 5. Apply SOPEA_-- PR to Compute Stages of penetration Flow-In, and

Step 6. Iterate from step 2 to step 5.

5. A method in accordance with claim 3 including the steps of determining capacity constraint and machine allocation by computer, as follows:

applying UB-Target to high priority lots (having a higher priority of "1" in database management system),

applying UB-Target to low priority lots (having lesser priorities of "2", "3", "4", "5" in a database management system) using the residual machine capacity,

considering a stage j, let the set S be the collection of stages competing for machine group Mj, ##EQU9## Otherwise the number of machines allocated to stage j in a day is ##EQU10##

space="preserve" listing-type="equation">Targetj=TGT.sub.HPL +TGT.sub.LPL

where

TGT_HPL ;

Target for high priority lots

TGT_LPL ;

Target for low priority lots.

6. A method in accordance with claim 3 including the steps as follows:

iterating the TG&

MA_-- PR method comprising;

Step 1. Prioritize Lots

High Priority Lot;

priority "1" in database management system

Low Priority Lot;

priority "2", "3", "4", "5" in database management system,

Step 2. Calculate Upper_-- Bound Target by technology, stage and priority,

Step 3. Apply TG&

MA_-- PR to high priority lots,

Step 4. Apply TG&

MA_-- PR to low priority lots using residual machine capacity,

Step 5. Apply SOPEA_-- PR to Compute Stages of penetration Flow-In, and

Step 6. Iterate from step 2 to step 5.

7. A method in accordance with claim 3 including the steps as follows:

applying UB-Target to high priority lots (having a higher priority of "1" in database management system),

applying UB-Target to low priority lots (having lesser priorities of "2", "3", "4", "5" in a database management system) using the residual machine capacity,

considering a stage j, let the set S be the collection of stages competing for machine group Mj, ##EQU11## otherwise the number of machines allocated to stage j in a day is ##EQU12##

space="preserve" listing-type="equation">Targetj =TGT.sub.HPL +TGT.sub.LPL

where

TGT_HPL ;

Target for high priority lots

TGT_LPL ;

Target for low priority lots,

given the stages of penetration of each stage in the line, identify the up-stream stages whose Work in Process (WIP) may flow into each stage j within the day;

then sum up WIPs of stage j and its upstream stages as an estimate of the WIP penetration limit for the stage which the daily target of stage j should not exceed;

so, all targets (Target j;

j=1 . . . J) are then modified; and

w_j ;

WIP level for type-i at stage j;

Cj;

machine capacity i terms of number of machines allocated to process type-i wafers at stage j during a day;

τ

j;

processing time (in hours) for type-i at stage j;

t jk;

time, needed for all the wafers for type i at stage j to be completed at stage k, k>

j, and

executing SOPEA.

8. A method in accordance with claim 5 including the steps of limiting stages of penetration as determined by said computer, as follows:

given the stages of penetration of each stage in the line, identify the up-stream stages whose Work in Process (WIP) may flow into each stage j within the day;

then sum up WIPs of stage j and its upstream stages as an estimate of the WIP penetration limit for the stage which the daily target of stage j should not exceed;

so, all targets (Target j;

j=1 . . . J) are then modified; and

w_j ;

WIP level for type-i at stage j;

Cj;

machine capacity in terms of number of machines allocated to process type-i wafers at stage j during a day;

τ

j;

processing time (in hours) for type-i at stage j;

t jk;

time, needed for all the wafers for type i at stage j to be completed at stage k, k>

j.

9. A method in accordance with claim 5 including the steps as follows:

iterating the TG&

MA_-- PR method comprising;

Step 1. Prioritize Lots

High Priority Lot;

priority "1" in database management system

Low Priority Lot;

priority "2", "3", "4", "5" in database management system,

Step 2. Calculate Upper_-- Bound Target by technology, stage and priority,

Step 3. Apply TG&

MA_-- PR to high priority lots,

Step 4. Apply TG&

MA_-- PR to low priority lots using residual machine capacity,

Step 5. Apply SOPEA_-- PR to Compute Stages of penetration Flow-In, and

Step 6. Iterate from step 2 to step 5.

10. A method in accordance with claim 8 including the steps as follows:

iterating the TG&

MA_-- PR method comprising;

Step 1. Prioritize Lots

High Priority Lot;

priority "1" in database management system

Low Priority Lot;

priority "2", "3", "4", "5" in database management system,

Step 2. Calculate Upper_-- Bound Target by technology, stage and priority,

Step 3. Apply TG&

MA_-- PR to high priority lots,

Step 4. Apply TG&

MA_-- PR to low priority lots using residual machine capacity,

Step 5. Apply SOPEA_-- PR to Compute Stages of penetration Flow-In, and

Step 6. Iterate from step 2 to step 5.

11. A data processing system including a data base computer system and a resource allocation computer for control of resource allocation in a manufacturing plant with a manufacturing line comprising a plurality of stages with manufacturing machines, the resource allocation computer including data storage means, the system includes as follows:

means for deriving data from the data storage means and computing the targets for each of the stages stage;

means for obtaining machine capacity data from the data storage means and employing the machine capacity data for allocating machine capacity proportionally and adjusting targets;

means for adding limits to stages of penetration and adjusting targets;

means for determining residual capacity and allocating the residual capacity of the manufacturing machines; and

means for checking the convergence of targets and machine allocation until convergence is achieved,

means for determining the push target,

means for determining the pull target,

means for determining the upper bound target,

means for determining the capacity constraint and machine allocation,

limiting the stages of penetration,

iterating the Target Generation and Machine Allocation and PRiority (TG&

MA PR), and

executing the Stages Of PEnetrAtion (SOPEA) method.

12. A system in accordance with claim 11 including the steps of as follows:

means for determining the push target, wherein said push target is determined by computer using the equation as follows;

space="preserve" listing-type="equation">Push-Target.sub.j =max(0, wip.sub.j +flow.sub.-- in.sub.j -std.sub.-- wip.sub.j);

for j=1, . . . J (1) where;

flow_-- in₁ =r_o (wafer release) and flow_-- in_j+1 =Target_j (n-1);

for j=1, . . . J-1 and the superscript index (n-1) refers to the previous iteration, and

means for determining the pull target, wherein said pull target is determined by computer using the equation as follows;

space="preserve" listing-type="equation">Pull-Target.sub.j =max(0, flow.sub.-- out.sub.j+i +std.sub.-- wip.sub.j+1 -wip.sub.j+i) for j=J-1, . . . 1

where;

flow_-- out_j =d_j (demand for output wafers for the day), and flow_-- out_j =Target_j (n-1);

for j=J, . . . 2 and the superscript index (n-1) refers to the previous iteration.

13. A system in accordance with claim 12 including means for determining the upper bound target by computer using the equation as follows:

space="preserve" listing-type="equation">UB.sub.-- target.sub.j =max (Pull-Target.sub.j, Push-Target.sub.j).

14. A system in accordance with claim 12 including means for iterating TG&

M_-- PR comprising;

Step 1. Prioritize Lots

High Priority Lot;

priority "1" in database management system

Low Priority Lot;

priority "2", "3", "4", "5" in database management system,

Step 2. Calculate Upper_-- Bound Target by technology, stage and priority,

Step 3. Apply TG&

MA_-- PR to high priority lots,

Step 4. Apply TG&

MA_-- PR to low priority lots using residual machine capacity,

Step 5. Apply SOPEA_-- PR to Compute Stages of penetration Flow-In, and

Step 6. Iterate from step 2 to step 5.

15. A system in accordance with claim 13 including means for determining capacity constraint and machine allocation by computer, as follows:

means for applying UB-Target to high priority lots (having a higher priority of "1" in database management system),

means for applying UB-Target to low priority lots (having lesser priorities of "2", "3", "4", "5" in a database management system) using the residual machine capacity,

considering a stage j, let the set S be the collection of stages competing for machine group Mj, ##EQU13## otherwise the number of machines allocated to stage j in a day is ##EQU14##

space="preserve" listing-type="equation">Targetj=TGT.sub.HPL +TGT.sub.LPL

where

TGT_HPL ;

Target for high priority lots

TGT_LPL ;

Target for low priority lots.

16. A system in accordance with claim 13 including means for iterating the TG&

MA_-- PR performing the steps comprising;

Step 1. Prioritize Lots

High Priority Lot;

priority "1" in database management system

Low Priority Lot;

priority "2", "3", "4", "5" in database management system,

Step 2. Calculate Upper_-- Bound Target by technology, stage and priority,

Step 3. Apply TG&

MA_-- PR to high priority lots,

Step 4. Apply TG&

MA_-- PR to low priority lots using residual machine capacity,

Step 5. Apply SOPEA_-- PR to Compute Stages of penetration Flow-In, and

Step 6. Iterate from step 2 to step 5.

17. A system in accordance with claim 13 including the steps as follows:

means for applying UB-Target to high priority lots (having a higher priority of "1" in database management system),

means for applying UB-Target to low priority lots (having lesser priorities of "2", "3", "4", "5" in a database management system) using the residual machine capacity,

considering a stage j, let the set S be the collection of stages competing for machine group Mj, ##EQU15## otherwise the number of machines allocated to stage j in a day is ##EQU16##

space="preserve" listing-type="equation">Targetj=TGT.sub.HPL +TGT.sub.LPL

where

TGT_HPL ;

Target for high priority lots

TGT_LPL ;

Target for low priority lots,

given the stages of penetration of each stage in the line, identify the up-stream stages whose Work in Process (WIP) may flow into each stage j within the day;

then sum up WIPs of stage j and its upstream stages as an estimate of the WIP penetration limit for the stage which the daily target of stage j should not exceed;

so, all targets (Target j;

j=1 . . . J) are then modified; and

w_j ;

WIP level for type-i at stage j;

Cj;

machine capacity in terms of number of machines allocated to process type-i wafers at stage j during a day.

τ

j;

processing time (in hours) for type-i at stage j;

t jk;

time, needed for all the wafers for type i at stage j to be completed at stage k, k>

j, and

executing SOPEA.

18. A method in accordance with claim 17 including the steps as follows:

iterating the TG&

MA_-- PR method comprising;

Step 1. Prioritize Lots

High Priority Lot;

priority "1" in database management system

Low Priority Lot;

priority "2", "3", "4", "5" in database management system,

Step 2. Calculate Upper_-- Bound Target by technology, stage and priority,

Step 3. Apply TG&

MA_-- PR to high priority lots,

Step 4. Apply TG&

MA_-- PR to low priority lots using residual machine capacity,

Step 5. Apply SOPEA_-- PR to Compute Stages of penetration Flow-In, and

Step 6. Iterate from step 2 to step 5.

19. A system in accordance with claim 15 including means for limiting stages of penetration as determined by said computer, as follows:

given the stages of penetration of each stage in the line, means for identifying the up-stream stages whose Work in Process (WIP) may flow into each stage j within the day;

means for summing up WIPs of stage j and its up-stream stages as an estimate of the WIP penetration limit for the stage which the daily target of stage j should not exceed;

so, all targets (Target j;

j=1 . . . J) are then modified; and

w_j ;

WIP level for type-i at stage j;

Cj;

machine capacity in terms of number of machines allocated to process type-i wafers at stagej during a day;

τ

j;

processing time (in hours) for type-i at stage j;

t jk;

time, needed for all the wafers for type i at stage j to be completed at stage k, k>

j.

20. A system in accordance with claim 15 including means for iterating the TG&

MA_-- PR method comprising;

Step 1. Prioritize Lots

High Priority Lot;

priority "1" in database management system

Low Priority Lot;

priority "2", "3", "4", "5" in database management system,

Step 2. Calculate Upper_-- Bound Target by technology, stage and priority,

Step 3. Apply TG&

MA_-- PR to high priority lots,

Step 4. Apply TG&

MA_-- PR to low priority lots using residual machine capacity,

Step 5. Apply SOPEA_-- PR to Compute Stages of penetration Flow-In, and

Step 6. Iterate from step 2 to step 5.

21. A system in accordance with claim 19 including the steps as follows:

means for iterating the TG&

MA_-- PR performing the steps comprising;

Step 1. Prioritize Lots

High Priority Lot;

priority "1" in database management system

Low Priority Lot;

priority "2", "3", "4", "5" in database management system,

Step 2. Calculate Upper_-- Bound Target by technology, stage and priority,

Step 3. Apply TG&

MA_-- PR to high priority lots,

Step 4. Apply TG&

MA_-- PR to low priority lots using residual machine capacity,

Step 5. Apply SOPEA_-- PR to Compute Stages of penetration Flow-In, and

Step 6. Iterate from step 2 to step 5.

22. A computer implemented method for control of resource allocation on a manufacturing line comprising a plurality of stages of manufacturing machines, the method including the steps as follows:

determining the targets for each of the stages;

obtaining machine capacity data and employing the machine capacity data for allocating machine capacity proportionally and adjusting the targets;

adding limits to stages of penetration and adjusting the targets;

determining residual capacity and allocating the residual capacity of the manufacturing machines;

checking the convergence of targets and machine allocation until convergence is achieved,

determining the push target,

determining the pull target,

determining the upper bound target,

determining the capacity constraint and machine allocation,

limiting the stages of penetration,

iterating the Target Generation and Machine Allocation and PRiority (TG&

MA PR), and

executing the Stages Of PEnetrAtion (SOPEA) method.

23. A method in accordance with claim 22 including the steps of as follows:

determining the push target, wherein said push target is determined by computer using the equation as follows;

space="preserve" listing-type="equation">Push-Target.sub.j =max(0, wip.sub.j +flow.sub.-- in.sub.j -std.sub.-- wip.sub.j);

for j=1, . . . J (1) where;

flow_-- in₁ =r_o (wafer release) and flow_-- in_j+1 =Target_j (n-1);

for j=1, . . . J-1 and the superscript index (n-1) refers to the previous iteration, and

determining the pull target, wherein said pull target is determined by computer using the equation as follows;

space="preserve" listing-type="equation">Pull-Target.sub.j =max(0, flow.sub.-- out.sub.j+i +std.sub.-- wip.sub.j+1 -wip.sub.j+i) for j=J-1, . . . 1

where;

flow_-- out_j =d_j (demand for output wafers for the day), and flow_-- out_j =Target_j (n-1);

for j=J, . . . 2 and the superscript index (n-1) refers to the previous iteration.

24. A method in accordance with claim 23 including determining the upper bound target by computer using the equation as follows:

space="preserve" listing-type="equation">UB.sub.-- target.sub.j =max (Pull-Target.sub.j, Push-Target.sub.j).

25.

25. A method in accordance with claim 24 including the steps of determining capacity constraint and machine allocation by computer, as follows:

applying UB-Target to high priority lots (having a higher priority of "1" in database management system),

applying UB-Target to low priority lots (having lesser priorities of "2", "3", "4", "5" in a database management system) using the residual machine capacity,

considering a stage j, let the set S be the collection of stages competing for machine group Mj, ##EQU17## Otherwise the number of machines allocated to stage j in a day is ##EQU18##

space="preserve" listing-type="equation">Targetj=TGT.sub.HPL +TGT.sub.LPL

where

TGT_HLP ;

Target for high priority lots

TGT_LPL ;

Target for low priority lots.

26. A method in accordance with claim 24 including the steps as follows:

iterating the TG&

MA_-- PR method comprising;

Step 1. Prioritize Lots

High Priority Lot;

priority "1" in database management system

Low Priority Lot;

priority "2", "3", "4", "5" in database management system,

Step 2. Calculate Upper_-- Bound Target by technology, stage and priority,

Step 3. Apply TG&

MA_-- PR to high priority lots,

Step 4. Apply TG&

MA_-- PR to low priority lots using residual machine capacity,

Step 5. Apply SOPEA_-- PR to Compute Stages of penetration Flow-In, and

Step 6. Iterate from step 2 to step 5.

27. A method in accordance with claim 25 including the steps of limiting stages of penetration as determined by said computer, as follows:

given the stages of penetration of each stage in the line, identify the up-stream stages whose Work in Process (WIP) may flow into each stage j within the day;

then sum up WIPs of stage j and its upstream stages as an estimate of the WIP penetration limit for the stage which the daily target of stage j should not exceed;

so, all targets (Target j;

j=1 . . . J) are then modified; and

w_j ;

WIP level for type-i at stage j;

Cj;

machine capacity in terms of number of machines allocated to process type-i wafers at stage j during a day.

τ

j;

processing time (in hours) for type-i at stage j;

t jk;

time, needed for all the wafers for type i at stage j to be completed at stage k, k>

j.

28. A method in accordance with claim 25 including the steps as follows:

iterating the TG&

MA_-- PR method comprising;

Step 1. Prioritize Lots

High Priority Lot;

priority "1" in database management system

Low Priority Lot;

priority "2", "3", "4", "5" in database management system,

Step 2. Calculate Upper_-- Bound Target by technology, stage and priority,

Step 3. Apply TG&

MA_-- PR to high priority lots,

Step 4. Apply TG&

MA_-- PR to low priority lots using residual machine capacity,

Step 5. Apply SOPEA_-- PR to Compute Stages of penetration Flow-In, and

Step 6. Iterate from step 2 to step 5.

29. A method in accordance with claim 27 including the steps as follows:

iterating the TG&

MA_-- PR method comprising;

Step 1. Prioritize Lots

High Priority Lot;

priority "1" in database management system

Low Priority Lot;

priority "2", "3", "4", "5" in database management system,

Step 2. Calculate Upper_-- Bound Target by technology, stage and priority,

Step 3. Apply TG&

MA_-- PR to high priority lots,

Step 4. Apply TG&

MA_-- PR to low priority lots using residual machine capacity,

Step 5. Apply SOPEA_-- PR to Compute Stages of penetration Flow-In, and

Step 6. Iterate from step 2 to step 5.

30. A method in accordance with claim 27 including the steps as follows:

applying UB-Target to high priority lots (having a higher priority of "1" in database management system),

applying UB-Target to low priority lots (having lesser priorities of "2", "3", "4", "5" in a database management system) using the residual machine capacity,

considering a stage j, let the set S be the collection of stages competing for machine group Mj, ##EQU19## otherwise the number of machines allocated to stage j in a day is ##EQU20##

space="preserve" listing-type="equation">Targetj=TGT.sub.HPL +TGT.sub.LPL

where

TGT_HPL ;

Target for high priority lots

TGT_LPL ;

Target for low priority lots,

given the stages of penetration of each stage in the line, identify the up-stream stages whose Work in Process (WIP) may flow into each stage j within the day;

then sum up WIPs of stage j and its upstream stages as an estimate of the WIP penetration limit for the stage which the daily target of stage j should not exceed;

so, all targets (Target j;

j=1 . . . J) are then modified; and

w_j ;

WIP level for type-i at stage j;

Cj;

machine capacity in terms of number of machines allocated to process type-i wafers at stagej during a day;

τ

j ;

processing time (in hours) for type-i at stage j;

t jk;

time, needed for all the wafers for type i at stage j to be completed at stage k, k>

j, and

executing SOPEA.