150,000 SF Greenfield Fab Design
Semiconductor Client
Looking to maximize utilized space on an already crowded campus, a major semiconductor manufacturer asked SSOE to design a new fab on a plot originally planned as a loading dock. SSOE designed the 150,000 SF facility to support 50,000 SF of cleanroom manufacturing space with minimum impact to adjacent fabs during construction and operation.
This project presented several challenges which were resolved with creative design solutions:
Flexibility for Next-Gen Fab Equipment
The client requested maximum flexibility to support current and next-generation chip manufacturing tools. This impacted the structural and vibration design of the building, as well as, the routing of process material and waste removal feeds within the structure to support flexible tool layouts from day one.
No Support Buildings
The team was asked to maximize production space and find alternatives to using dedicated support buildings, like a Central Utility Building (CUB) or bulk gas yard. The client and design team collaborated on a utility gap analysis to determine capacity shortfalls. Upgrades were made to existing systems that were required to support the new manufacturing space. As a result, the team designed and implemented basebuild-style upgrades to several systems on adjacent fab infrastructure to support the new fab.
Meeting Egress Code Requirements
With barely the minimum seismic gap between the new fab and existing structures, difficulties in meeting code requirements for egress routing became a constraint for the project. A deep knowledge of the applicable regulations, combined with strong AHJ coordination, allowed SSOE to develop and implement a safe and code-compliant solution.
Utility and Waste Routing
In addition to feeding the new fab from upgraded, existing utilities serving an adjacent fab, some utilities needed under-slab routing, which required a custom sleeve to accommodate differential settlement between the two facility foundations. Likewise, process waste was routed through the subfab area of an adjacent building to reach existing tie-ins capable of supporting the flows to existing collection points for on-site treatment and off-site removal of waste streams.
