IDC Recognized for Tool Install Excellence at Historic IBM Research Facility

IBM’s TJ Watson Research Facility in Yorktown Heights, NY

IDC has received a message of appreciation from IBM for the exceptional work being performed by the IDC team working at IBM’s TJ Watson Research Facility in Yorktown Heights, NewYork.

IDC is roughly midway through a project to install 20 advanced semiconductor tools in the facility’s Manufacturing Research Lab (MRL). What makes this project especially challenging is the need to redesign a 45-year-old building to accommodate the large, heavy tools that deliver the latest microelectronics processing technology.

IDC architect Scott Stetler (PGH) and Mechanical Terry Varner (GSP) are

working at Yorktown Heights, where they gave us some background on IDC’s activities at the site.

The TJ Watson Research Facility is a venerable building rich in history. It’s named after Tom Watson, the first President and CEO of IBM. It’s not only one of IBM’s flagship research facilities- it’s also considered an architectural landmark.

It’s hard to imagine that back in 1960 when this facility was built, semiconductor wafers and chips weren’t yet a reality. Transistors and printed circuit boards ruled.

IBM attracted a community of brilliant researchers to TJ Watson, a tradition which continues today. What has markedly changed is the type of research being done at the facility.

These days they move process tools from IBM’s advanced East Fishkill, NY manufacturing facility to Yorktown Heights, where researchers tinker with the tools to optimize their performance and troubleshoot inefficiencies revealed in IBM’s high-volume production environments.

The problem is that the building’s design of 45 years ago couldn’t anticipate the physical requirements of dealing with the industry’s latest, largest and heaviest tools.

The building has very narrow aisles, which makes it tough to bring in the big new tools.

The IDC team has had to perform some innovative design gymnastics to finesse these tools through some mighty tight spaces. These have included removing walls and windows when necessary to make things fit. One particularly challenging effort was the need to convert an old office space into a new gas room.

Because the new tools are so heavy that the original floor won’t support them, selective structural reinforcement has also been required. All of these challenges have been doable, but complicated by the fact that at times the project’s schedule has been quite tight.

IBM appreciates that the IDC team is going above and beyond the call, as indicated by an email sent the other day to Scott Stetler:

Scott,

I just wanted to give your team a thumbs up with the MRL tooling work. There have been many curves, especially the gas room. Your team has worked diligently on the issues.

I just wanted them to know it is much appreciated and noticed.

Regards,

John P. Bocchino, P.E.

Team Leader, Facilities Engineering

IBM Yorktown Heights, NY