Agent-based knowledge management system with APQP: implementation of semiconductor manufacturing services industry

Abstract

Future challenges posed to semiconductor manufacturing services firms demands a system framework which could not only introduce, development, and design new products into mass production with customer-acceptable quality level and profitable approaches, but also re-use best practice in the shop floor to continuously optimise the existing order fulfilment process with effectiveness and efficiency. Advanced product quality planning (APQP) tool integrated with agent-based knowledge management (KM) intelligence develops a systematic framework that responds to such challenges. We propose an APQP tool working with an agent-based knowledge management system (ABKMS) which builds on organisational knowledge resources and works with the APQP concept as well as KM agents. The proposed framework reflects how an APQP tool with KM agents seeks significant inroads into process knowledge repository to recommend a solution for decision making in delivering semiconductor manufacturing services in customer selection, parts and material selection, bill of material, equipments, and tools selection, with a modified APQP concept to work out the approach to be used to develop the streamlined and common process.

Keywords:

• advance product quality planning
• agent-based system
• knowledge management
• semiconductor manufacturing services