Equipment Maintenance Outsourcing Strategy for DRAM Industry

• Main Authors: Yuan-Hong Liu, 劉元鴻
• Other Authors: Mei-Ya Wang
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2009
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/33578795579897229989

碩士 === 世新大學 === 企業管理研究所(含碩專班) === 97 === Setting up a 12-inch wafer factory needs a total investment up to NT. 80 billion, nearly 90% of which is spent in the acquisition of manufacturing equipment. Regarding to the cost structure, variable costs accounted for 59.1 percent, fixed costs 40.9% (including depreciation of equipments 17.2% , maintenance and material costs are also up to 5.4 ~ 9%). Maintenance cost is as much as 9% of turnover, much higher than compared with other traditional manufacturers, usually only 2% of sales. In this era of thin profit, how to reduce equipment maintenance cost becomes a key factor of survival. Therefore, this study intends to discuss the following questions: First, what are the major features for DRAM manufacturing equipment? Second, what are the current difficulties in equipment maintenance outsourcing? Third, what are the possible strategies for outsourcing equipment maintenance? Fourth, what are possible solutions for outsourcing equipment maintenance to fix current difficulties? This research took a leading domestic DRAM manufacturer as a representative case and collected data through in-depth interviews, participant observation, internal documentary files and other secondary data to ensure reliability. This study has the following findings. First, the key features of DRAM factory equipments include the price of equipment, technical sophistication, the extent of patent protection, difficulties in cultivation of technical professionals. Second, trouble shooting by call often results in longer wait time and downtime. Third, there are several key factors affecting equipment maintenance outsourcing strategies, that is, types of outsourcing contracts, objects of contacts and outsourcee grading. Fourth, DRAM manufacturers should determine their maintenance outsourcing strategies depending on the features of the equipments. In sum, two new outsourcing solutions are proposed.