Customer Background

The customer had began installing tools in their massive, new free-standing fab.

The Challenge

The customer was required by the local municipality to have a 3rd party sign-off on all their tools at levels SL1, SL2, and SL3. This involved checking and signing off on items like electrical interconnects, inert and spec gas connections, all labeling, infrared testing, and radiation hazards. The challenge was to accomplish this in the face of a very aggressive schedule. In some cases this involved the complete installation of a 300mm tool with all necessary sign offs in as little as two and one half days. The fab owner brought in Applied Mechanical to replace an earlier company who was not able to keep up with the pace of the project

The Applied Mechanical Approach/Solution

We understood that safety experience was only part of the equation. We brought in people who also had extensive fab experience in construction coordination, tool installation, and QA/QC. Because our people fully understood the systems they would be inspecting they would be able to make significant positive contributions to the project schedule.

Results

We were able to keep pace with the installation schedule while assuring that the work met all of the required safety specifications. As the customer saw the benefit of our strategy, they eventually increased our headcount to twelve. They were so confident in our work they hired us to do all of their safety training for the entire site.