That is my observation also. Very automated; and for newer shops, the latest state of the art capital equipment. Add to that "imported" American and European "know how" and it is a fertile environment for quick transition through technology layers. What they don't do well, again my impression, is anything outside of the standard processes and or combinations of technologies in unique ways.
11/06/2003 12:14 PM
Please respond to "TechNet E-Mail Forum."; Please respond to Dwight Mattix
To: [log in to unmask] cc:
Subject: Re: [TN] Pattern & panel plating (labor cost)
This is a labor intensive approach, but when labor is cheap...
Thanks for the good discussion -- it's consistent with my observations.
Sorry to change the subject and run off on a tangent but here goes...
It's not (just) the cost of labor it's the absence of labor in a highly automated environment typical in the large Asian fabs. This is a common North American perception of Asian Fabricators. We need to get out of denial -- it's not just cheap labor in Asia fabs. It's a different investment climate that allows for intense capitalization and investment in automation.
Asian fabs haven't just kicked North Americans teeth in with low cost labor -- but also with extreme levels of automation relative to anything I've seen in the USA. Oh yeah, and their yields and technology followed (up) as the automation came on line. I see more engineers per capita in Asian fabs than in US fabs by about a factor of ten. Also, we see way less total bodies (by nearly half) per panel output. High end Asian fabs need less direct labor (less "organic" handlers) and more engineers to implement and manage the automation. The exception to this rule is that is all breaks down at ET and final inspection: there the Asians do take advantage of the lower labor rates and throw a lot into the final gates.
my impressions and $0.02.
cheers,
Dwight Mattix
Sr Staff QE, Corp Hardware Engineering
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