What is Your Semiconductor Security Worth to You?

Article: Semiconductor Fire Safety Systems

What is Your Security Worth to You?

What is the security of your semiconductor process worth to you? Will your fire safety system function properly, in the moment of truth, when you truly need it? Will it malfunction at the wrong time? An unchecked fire in semiconductor equipment can be devastating to a manufacturing operation. A false discharge of a fire suppression system on a semiconductor process tool can be almost as bad. Too frequently, we receive reports of poorly-designed fire safety systems discharging, without due cause, in the middle of product manufacturing. If you have responsibility over a process tool or line, then you probably have a pretty good idea as to how much of a monetary loss your operation would suffer, were a bad fire safety system to false discharge when it hurts the most. KFPI doesn’t mind getting you out of this sort of fix, but we sincerely wish people would choose the right solution, from the start.

Ensuring Process Tool Uptime

Downtime is disaster time for semiconductor manufacturing processes. One of the highest priorities for any process equipment owner should be optimal uptime for critical equipment. Any component utilized in a high-tech process, including safety apparatuses, should not pose an unnecessary threat to the smooth operation of process equipment. Safety equipment, including fire safety systems, extraneous to the manufacturing process as they are, should be designed and technically specified to provide robust protection without impeding the critical processes they are intended to protect. A little care in choosing and maintaining a fire safety system can go a long way towards preventing agonizing process line downtime.

KFPI Know How

• SEMI© Standards Fire Protection Task Force
• SEMI© & ISMI Energetics Committee
• NFPA 318 Clean Room Fire Protection Committee
• Factory Mutual (FM Global) Semiconductor Specialists
• Factory Mutual Research Board (FMRC)
• Expert Witness on International Fire Loss Litigations
• Global Training Seminars
• Fabricators, Insurance, & 3^rd Party Consultants

KFPI Fire Safety System Inspections & Audits

KFPI can perform safety inspections of your semiconductor / high-tech process tool fire safety systems to ascertain compliance with applicable certification and code requirements, including: NFPA, FM, SEMI, and local codes. We can provide your manufacturing operation a complete audit of all your semiconductor process tool fire safety systems, to identify and correct any deviations from compliance to applicable codes and ascertain the condition and proper functionality of your fire detection and suppression systems. KFPI (Koetter Fire Protection International) is a semiconductor fire safety company, 100% dedicated to semiconductor and related high-tech manufacturing process fire safety. Our global team is comprised of semiconductor experts who bring a diverse range of semiconductor technical expertise and a valuable depth of semiconductor process experience.