MES Integration Assessment and Influences on IT Projects

Current manufacturing execution systems (MES) in the semiconductor industry have been extended by the fab's information technology (IT) staff in diverse directions in order to meet user requirements. Hence, the projects required to move towards more high tech IT structures and concepts will not be straightforward. Many individual applications (from special reporting programs to spreadsheets with complex macro programming) will have to be considered. To search for the reasons behind this we need to ask why change the system at all, i.e., which driving forces exist? This article discusses the problem of individual MES extensions and the basic motives of carrying out such "improvement" and migration projects. We will see the interdependencies of the diverse forces and will obtain a statement of their individual character. The conclusion will show some of the investigated forces in another interesting light.