半導體廠機臺緊急關機按鈕之效用評估

Evaluation and Improvement of Emergency off (EMO) Design in Semiconductor Machines

有鑑於半導體業在台灣的蓬勃發展，相對引進大量生產機台以及大量勞工需求，且在半導體廠工作的操作員工作時間皆很長且重複性高，容易產生疲勞及懈怠的狀況，而且有些半導體廠中操作空間相當狹窄，在這些前提下，誤觸EMO（緊急關機按鈕，Emergency off）的情形便會發生，而誤觸EMO會造成整台機台因斷電突然停止，不僅製品報銷，對機台也會有損，更嚴重的是被斷電停止的機台必須重新開啟、熱機及設定一些參數，這些動作需花上半天到一天的時間，對於產能造成很大的影響；不過一味地防範誤觸而在機台上加蓋或加鎖也會造成反效果，因為在半導體廠中也是有過操作不當或是氣體、液體外洩的種種意外發生的例子，這些情形都需要緊急使用EMO按鈕，才能將傷亡減低到最小；所以EMO 的設計是必須在防止誤觸及緊急情況發生使用之間找一個平衡點。本研究方法及步驟採實地參訪半導體廠，跟作業員及駐廠工程師有直接的接觸，並訪問其心得及感想，也實際觀察半導體廠內的情況及EMO 在各種機台上的設置；同時設計一份問卷，是要給半導體廠中的作業員及駐廠工程師或是維修人員填寫，因為他們是實際跟機台接觸並承擔風險的最前線。我們這份問卷共發了7個廠，回收約320份，由回收的問卷分析出了誤觸的可能原因，例如操作員的習慣用手、年齡或是負責的職務、製程等都有影響；另外由問卷分析結果及受訪者的意見，我們還提出EMO 按鈕的設置位置的一般性準則；最後並提出兩個改良設計，一是針對現在普遍的機台EMO及其護套的改良，另一則是將EMO按鈕改成插卡式的新設計，相信這些成果會對半導體業有所助益。

In Taiwan, the semiconductor industrial has grown very thriving in recent years, and there are a lot of machines and operators involve in these developments. Operators working in FABs of semiconductor factories usually work for a long time continuously, so they would be tired and slack easily. Moreover, in some FABs, machines are arranged closely, and thus operators have to work in a very narrow space. In such situation, there exists high risk that operators may make mistakes such as pressing the EMO (emergency off) button inadequately, and once the EMO button is pressed, the power supply will be cut off and the machine will be shut down immediately. It is very harmful for the machine to be shut down improperly, and the machine has to be started again with warming up and resetting that take a long time, and these cause great loss on productivity. On the contrary, if we merely emphasize on preventing from accidental press and put shelter on EMO or even lock it up, once accidents occur such as leaking of gas or liquid, or operators’ extremities getting stuck in the machine, and then the tragic event happens because other operators can not press the EMO button quickly. Therefore, this research is going to look for a solution of preventing from pressing the EMO button by accident and finding out the EMO button as fast as possible in urgent situation. We visited FABs on the spot and contacted with engineers and operators to get some practical information and to be more familiar with where the EMO buttons are located on each kind of machine or situation about how EMO buttons are used. By the assistance of Administration of Hsinchu Science-Based Industrial Park, we were allowed to visit five FABs and obtained a lot of valuable information. Besides, a questionnaire was also designed to survey engineers and operators because they are most close to the machine. We have sent out questionnaires to seven companies’ FAB and received about 320 completed questionnaries. Then we started to analyze these questionnaires with statistic method to find out reasons of EMO button being pressed by accident and develop some improved designs. After studying for several months, reasons why EMO button was pressed by accident appear from the analysis of the questionnaire such as age, habitual hand and difference of manufacturing processes or positions. Besides, from the analysis of the questionnaire and relevant regulations review, some general design principles for EMO are addressed. We also bring up two improved designs; one is aimed at current shelters of EMO buttons, the other is a brand new design that suggests using card-inserted device to replace the original button device. It is expected the results of this research would be helpful to our domestic semiconductor industry.