Product details

This is the second of a two-case series (606-007-1 and 606-008-1). Chipmaker was a global player in the chip manufacturing industry, and Design Partners (DP) was its employee-owned supplier specialising in designs for semiconductor fabrication facilities (fabs). In 1996, the Asian crisis had decimated Chipmaker''s expansion plans, and soon after Chipmaker interrupted the development of a technology development (TD) fab, in Glasgow, UK. In 1999, Chipmaker forecasted that demand was about to surge and rapidly put in action a capital programme. It also joined industry efforts in moving production lines from 200mm to 300mm wafer copper-based technology. Chipmaker opted to tool the TD fab in Glasgow with these innovations, yet the TD facility was largely designed as if to receive 200mm wafer technology. Chipmaker also decided to reuse the TD ''as-built'' documents to design a high-volume manufacturing (HVM) fab, in Bilbao, Spain, to roll out production. The case takes us back to 30 June 2000, at 2pm, Mark McLean, Senior Architect with DP, leads a conference call. Mark wants Chipmaker to submit a priced change order instructing DP to implement a request to change the design of a room in the HVM fab. Two issues are at the core of the case. First, should Chipmaker proceed with the change in the face of the design reuse policy? Second, how should TD handle this situation?