Flat Panel Displays

Confoe Inc. Submits Pre-Proposal to the United States Display Consortium to conduct a Study on the Returns From Speed Improvements in the Flat Panel Display Industry

Overview:
The Flat Panel Display industry exhibits many of the characteristics of the semi-conductor industry such as market volatility, rapidly declining Average Selling Prices (ASPs) for end products, large factory investments, and complex manufacturing tools. Manufacturers can gain important financial returns by increasing their speed to market. A “Returns from Speed Improvements” model enables the manufacturers to better direct their investments and predict the returns from their improvement efforts. Confoe Inc. has studied the semiconductor industry and developed business solutions to achieve better returns from speed for the semiconductor industry. We believe those same gains can be found for the flat panel display industry.

Objective:
To develop a Flat Panel Display “Returns from Speed Improvements” model. This model will enable USDC members (FPD manufacturers and their suppliers) to gain better returns on their improvement efforts and investments.

Target Specifications:

• Characterize current performance ranges and norms in the FPD industry for the cycle times of:
• Development Phase
• Yield Ramp Phase (including repair ramp)
• Mature Yield Phase
• Life of fab
  
  
• Characterize the returns to be gained by improvements in cycle time from:
• Yield Ramp
• Cycle Time within the Fab
• Fab Ramp