Failure Reporting, Analysis And Corrective Action System In The US Semiconductor Manufacturing Equipment Industry: A Continuous Improvement Process

Abstract

Failure Reporting, Analysis and Corrective Action System (FRACAS) is a closed-loop feedback path by which pertinent reliability data is collected, recorded and analyzed during inhouse (laboratories), field (alpha/beta sites) tests and production/operation to determine where problems are concentrated in the design of the equipment. Thi:j process promotes reliability imlsrovement throughout the life cycle of the equipment. FRACAS objectives are to provide engineering data for corrective action; assess historical reliability performance (MTBF, MTTR, Availability, Preventive Maintenance, etc.); develop patterns for deficiencies and provide data for statistical analysis. FRACAS information can also help you in determining contractual performance data and allow for better determination of warranty information. The heart of .FRACAS is its data base management system (DBMS) which classifies failure modes into categories that are essential in idenfifying the processes in the product (hardware/software) life cycle requiring the most attention for reliability improvement. This reliability engineering activity has its roots in the military, applied to industries such as aerospace, automotive and telecommunications. However bits and pieces can be found throughout all industries. Unfortunately this usually means that the only data received at the manufacturer comes from either field or customer service organizations in the form of complaints. This can have a very negative effect on the equipment performance due to the lateness and misapplication of such limited data.