Restructuring manufacturing process flows

At Xilinx, Inc. a new manufacturing execution system, the Advanced Manufacturing System (AMS), is being jointly designed, developed and implemented with TIBCO, Inc. to replace a proprietary application. The system architecture is a radical departure from current market solutions. Two key features that differentiate this new tool are an automated flow determination model, for prescriptive processing, and modular flow designs incorporating a high degree of reusable modules. The system determination of lot routing removes a level of decision making from the system user and eliminates a source of error. The process flow model, analogous to the product design concept of postponement, incorporates the concept of early standardization and late customization. A hierarchically nested flow design allows for maximum reuse of standard "code cells" at the higher levels of the flow model and unique modules at lower levels. The conversion from the proprietary system to the new commercial application is a work-in process. System modeling began in the summer of 1995. The first release of production code was delivered in December, 1995. The conversion to the AMS application is occurring in stages throughout the spring and summer of 1996. This paper describes some of the technical challenges addressed by the product development team.