Configuring a Qualification Check#

In this section, we will configure a simple Equipment Qualification scenario typical in a semiconductor front-end manufacturing environment.

Scenario#

After preventive maintenance is performed on a critical lithography tool, the equipment must be requalified before it can process production wafers.

To achieve this, we will:

• Define a Qualification Check.
• Create a Maintenance Plan that triggers the Qualification Check workflow.
• Associate the Maintenance Plan with the target Resource.
• Link the Qualification Check to the appropriate Qualification Item.

When creating a Maintenance Plan and adding Maintenance Activities, there are two Type Restriction Modes available:

• Require None - the simplest scenario, where no Materials are required to perform the Qualification Check. In this mode, you need to manually set the Qualification Result (Pass or Fail).
• Require Specific - a more advanced scenario where at least one Qualification Material must follow a defined flow and Results are captured at Verification Steps. Results can be captured in different ways, depending on the Results Capture Mode configuration: manually, manually at track-out, through chart data points, through data collection points, or a combination of both.

The table below summarizes the Steps in the Litho_Qualification Flow, the associated Resources, and how each step participates in the Qualification Check scenario when Type Restriction Mode is set to Require Specific.

Table: Equipment Qualification Workflow

Step 1: Create Qualification Checks#

The first step is to create a Qualification Check. For this tutorial, create a Qualification Check named Litho_PM_Qualification and set the Instance Type to Single.

Step 2: Associate Qualification Items#

The next configuration step is to associate the Qualification Items. In this scenario, the Qualification Check will be executed for the DICING_SAW_01 Resource. To do this:

1. Open the Resource page for DICING_SAW_01.
2. Select Edit.
3. Navigate to the Additional Information tab.
4. Add the Litho_PM_Qualification Qualification Check.
5. Select Save.

In addition to qualifying the Resource, we will also qualify the DICING_SERVICE Service.

To configure this:

1. Open the DICING_SAW_01 Resource page.
2. Navigate to the Services section.
3. Select Manage.
4. Add the Litho_PM_Qualification Qualification Check.
5. Select Update.

Step 3: Create Maintenance Plan#

Next, we must create a Maintenance Plan that includes the Qualification Check created in step 1.

Configure the Maintenance Plan with the following information:

• Name - Litho_PM_Qualification_Plan
• Type - Standard
• Scope - Qualification

Create Maintenance Activities#

After creating the Maintenance Plan, we must add Maintenance Activities.

In this scenario, we will configure two Maintenance Activities:

• Litho_Preventive_Maintenance - where the Type Restriction Mode is set to Require None;
• Litho_PM_Execution - where the Type Restriction Mode is set to Require Specific.

This property determines how the Qualification Check is executed:

• When Require None is used, the Qualification Check is performed directly during the execution of the Maintenance Activity Order (MAO).
• When Require Specific is used, the Qualification Check entails capturing Verification Results separately.

For more information about executing the Qualification Check, see Performing a Qualification Check.

Configure the first Maintenance Activity with the following General Data:

• Name - Litho_Preventive_Maintenance
• Description - Litho_Preventive_Maintenance
• Type - Standard
• Schedule Type - Adhoc
• Expected Duration (Hours) - 2
• Execution Role - Quality Control
• Request Approval Mode - Auto Approval
• Order Release Mode - Auto Release
• Acceptance Mode - Auto Acceptance

Next, configure the Qualification tab:

• Auto Begin Qualification - Enabled
• Type Restriction Mode - Require None

Finally, associate the Qualification Check with the Maintenance Activity. To do so, select the Manage button, add the Litho_PM_Qualification Qualification Check, and set the Item Disable Mode to When in Progress. This means that the Qualification Item will be disabled once the Maintenance Activity is In Progress.

Configure the second Maintenance Activity with the following General Data:

• Name - Litho_PM_Execution
• Description - Litho_PM_Execution
• Type - Standard
• Schedule Type - Adhoc
• Expected Duration (Hours) - 2
• Execution Role - Quality Control
• Request Approval Mode - Auto Approval
• Order Release Mode - Auto Release
• Acceptance Mode - Auto Acceptance

Then configure the Qualification tab:

• Auto Begin Qualification - Enabled
• Auto Complete Qualification - Enabled
• Type Restriction Mode - Require Specific
• Type - Engineering
• Product - Litho_Monitor_Wafer
• Step - Wafer Unload

Next, associate the Qualification Check with the second Maintenance Activity. Since the Type Restriction Mode is set to Require Specific, both Qualification Details and Verification Details must be configured.

The Qualification Details are:

• Qualification Check - Litho_PM_Qualification
• Item Disable Mode - When In Progress
• Selection Mode - Step
• Execution Step - WAFER SAW

This configuration indicates that the Qualification Check execution will occur at the WAFER SAW Step, where the DICING_SAW_01 Resource is used.

Next, configure three Verification Steps that determine how Results are captured.

Once the Qualification and Verification details are configured, the Maintenance Plan can be finalized. To complete the configuration:

1. Save the Maintenance Plan.
2. Select Request Approval.
3. Set the plan as Effective.

Step 4: Create a Maintenance Plan Instance#

The final step is to create a Maintenance Plan Instance by associating the Maintenance Plan with either an Area or a Resource.

In this tutorial, we will associate the Maintenance Plan with the DICING_SAW_01 Resource. To do this:

1. Select Associate with from the top ribbon.
2. Choose Resource.
3. Add the DICING_SAW_01 Resource.

Next, confirm the Maintenance Activities that will be performed for the selected Resource and select Next.

Finally, specify the Owner Role.

Qualification Check Configuration Summary#

The diagram below summarizes the configuration steps performed in this tutorial to set up the Qualification Check scenario.