DPR Microelectronics Projects

LSI Logic Corporate Office and 200mm Wafer Fab Plant

Wed, 30 Nov 2011 01:12 GMT

When one of Oregon's worst winters in years threatened to delay work on the huge LSI Logic wafer fab, DPR stepped forward with a remarkably innovative idea that kept workers protected and the project on track. The plan called for shrink-wrapping large sections of the building's below-grade framework, creating individual rooms that were not only protected from wind and rain, but provided heat and humidity control. In addition, crews were able to work without contaminating adjoining areas.

With crews working double shifts through ice and wind storms, DPR actually shortened the painting schedule by an estimated two weeks rather than accepting a weather delay.

The design/build project near Portland is the first phase of a master-planned campus that anticipates the construction of up to five more fabs. The initial project includes a 167,000-sq.-ft. wafer fab building with Class 10 and Class 1000 cleanrooms, a 120,000-sq.-ft. combined engineering and office space, and a 30,000-sq.-ft. central plant, plus slabs for chillers.

To reduce costs and weight, DPR installed a metal roof over the fab rather than concrete, then coated it with a rubber roof seal.

DPR engineers also played a key role in assisting LSI Logic during the site selection process, which specified a .35 micron capability.

Magic Technologies High Tech Manufacturing Facility

Wed, 30 Nov 2011 01:11 GMT

For Milpitas-based Magic Technologies, a new start-up arm of TDK subsidiary Headway Technologies, both speed and quality were critical to the super fast-track completion of a Class 1 cleanroom and office building project, enabling the company to be the first in the market to deliver a device offering a brand new magnetic RAM chip technology.

DPR likely set a record by completing the 108,000-sq.-ft. project, which normally would have taken approximately 10 months, in only four-and-a-half months—and coming in two weeks early. The project entailed the renovation of former office space into a 22,000-sq.-ft. Class 1 cleanroom along with associated support facilities, offices and infrastructure.

Converting what had previously been simple office space into a high-tech manufacturing facility offered a unique challenge. The project required:

Designing and building in structural upgrades, including a steel mezzanine level to support all the mechanical equipment for the cleanroom
Incorporating special scrubber exhaust systems
Adding 47 recirculating air handler units for the cleanroom, which were installed into the ceiling space directly above it
Building a new equipment yard for the chillers, towers and boilers, along with a 20-ft. deep acid waste neutralization pit

FormFactor Wafer Probe Card Manufacturing Facility

Wed, 30 Nov 2011 01:08 GMT

A fluid schedule and sticking to DPR's fundamental business practices—such as a rolling completion list and weekly job walks with the owner—led to the successful transformation of a cold shell warehouse into a one-of-a-kind wafer probe-card-manufacturing facility in 10 short months for FormFactor, Inc. As a leader in the design, development, manufacture, sale and support of high-performance advanced semiconductor wafer probe cards, FormFactor looked to DPR to handle the first renovation on the company's new Livermore, CA campus that featured 24,000 sq. ft. of manufacturing space, including Class 100 and Class 1,000 production suites, as well as 14,000 sq. ft. of tenant improvements.

As part of the renovation, the team performed structural upgrades to the building's roof to support six new make-up air units and removed half of the building's slab and depressed it two feet to accommodate the cleanroom access flooring. The team also installed 112 High-Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) plenums and 60 recirculation units. Alongside the building, DPR built a back service pad for the central utility plan, which includes chilled water, condenser water, a boiler and an emergency generator.

Despite the highly complex nature of the project, DPR delivered Phase 1 a day ahead of schedule with zero defects, and the project was turned over to the owner with no outstanding change orders.