Samsung Electronics Enhances Efficiency at Public Nano Fabrication Facility
Samsung Electronics’ initiatives have been pivotal in elevating operational effectiveness at the Nano Convergence Technology Institute’s public nano fab.
In a strategic move to bolster South Korea’s semiconductor framework, Samsung Electronics has leveraged its proficiency in semiconductor fabrication and management by collaborating with a public institution.
On September 11, the Ministry of Science and ICT (MSIT) convened a performance review meeting at the Nano Convergence Technology Institute, nestled within Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH).
This meeting marked a pivotal moment to evaluate Samsung’s consulting program aimed at augmenting the operational effectiveness of the institute’s public nano fab.
It also served to discuss actionable insights and outcomes stemming from a memorandum of understanding forged in March 2025 involving MSIT, Samsung Electronics, SK Hynix, and DB HiTek.
The Win-Win Cooperation Center of Samsung Electronics, part of its Device Solutions (DS) Division, was actively engaged in enhancing the institute’s public nano fab from March to August 2026.
The company tailored and imparted its semiconductor fabrication operations and management strategies to align with the unique conditions of the facility.
Public nano fabs are publicly operated semiconductor manufacturing spaces utilized by universities, research institutes, and small to medium-sized enterprises for the purposes of semiconductor research, development, and prototype fabrication.
At the Nano Convergence Technology Institute, several of Samsung Electronics’ methodologies were implemented within the public nano fab.
These practices encompassed key areas such as workplace safety and environmental governance, cleanliness management, as well as equipment operation and maintenance.
In the realm of safety and environmental management, the institute undertook the identification and rectification of potential workplace hazards, scrutinizing factors such as chemical storage conditions, plumbing leaks and corrosion, fire-safety systems, local exhaust mechanisms, and protective gear.
To further elevate cleanliness standards, the facility adopted Samsung’s “5S3J” principles for manufacturing environments.
The 5S principles include sorting, setting in order, shining, standardizing, and sustaining, while the 3J principles emphasize the right item, right quantity, and right location.
This framework was instrumental in instituting designated storage spaces for tools and supplies, thus enhancing tidiness around workbenches and equipment within cleanrooms.
A comprehensive overhaul of equipment operation and maintenance protocols also ensued. Enhanced communication among various process departments was prioritized, and proactive preventive maintenance became a systematic practice aimed at circumventing equipment malfunctions.
An eight-system equipment inspection method was adopted, focusing on critical components including bolts and nuts, lubrication, drive motors, power transmission, compressed air systems, electrical wiring, control systems, and instrumentation.
This rigorous approach is designed to restore equipment to its optimal performance while mitigating the likelihood of unexpected breakdowns.
“The public nano fab holds significant importance within South Korea’s semiconductor landscape, facilitating domestic suppliers of materials, components, and equipment to innovate and validate emerging technologies and products,” remarked Ji Hyun-ki, executive vice president and head of the Win-Win Cooperation Center at Samsung Electronics’ DS Division.
“We are committed to enhancing the competitive edge of the national semiconductor ecosystem by applying our extensive manufacturing innovation expertise to public nano fabs.”
Moving forward, the MSIT intends to progressively implement Samsung Electronics’ fabrication operations and management model across public nano fabs throughout the nation, including the Korea Advanced Nano Fab Center (KANC) and Seoul National University’s Inter-university Semiconductor Research Center.
The ministry aspires to disseminate these findings to all institutions involved in MoaFab, an integrated platform connecting 14 public nano fabs countrywide, thus utilizing the insights to refine operations.
MoaFab stands as a national integrated service system that interlinks public semiconductor fabrication facilities.
Source link: Thelec.net.
