Glossary

A wafer is a thin slice of Semiconductor material, such as a Silicon crystal, used in the fabrication of integrated circuit and other microdevices.

A Wafer Fabrication Plant prepares slices (‘wafers’) of pure, defect-free materials for use in semiconductor manufacturing. A Semiconductor Fabrication Plant (also known as a semifab or just fab) uses specialized machinery to etch and layer material on a wafer to create integrated circuits – usually tens or hundreds of integrated circuits per wafer.

A Warehouse Management System (WMS) is application software which optimises storage and retrieval (usually called ‘picking’) of goods in a warehouse. A WMS must comply with carrier and customer documentation standards.

The Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive (WEEE Directive) is an EU directive which set targets for reuse and recycling. The related Restrictions on Hazardous Substances (RoHS) directive limited the materials allowed in new electronic equipment. WEEE requires manufacturers to register with national authorities, report on amounts sold, and organize or finance collection and recycling. Consumers, local authorities and waste processors must handle WEEE products in a separate hazardous waste stream.

Whole Life Projects are projects or work packages which include research, design, manufacture and continuing support for products or systems for their whole life; from concept through to disposal/recycling.

WIP Turn Rate is a business metric focused on production. It measures the speed of work-in-process through a plant by quantifying the value of shipments in terms of the value of WIP. It is calculated by dividing the value of total shipments at plant cost (for the time period being measured) by the average WIP value at plant cost (for the same time period).

Work-In-Process (Work in Progress) Inventory (WIP) is the amount or value of all materials, components, and subassemblies representing partially completed production. Raw material and purchased components are usually classified as raw materials inventory; and similarly finished goods are counted separately, but WIP inventory is everything between these two. Value is calculated at plant cost, including material, direct labor, and overhead.

A workflow is a depiction of a sequence of operations. Examples include the work of a person, work of a mechanism, work of a group of persons, work of an organization of people and machines. By visualizing the network of connected operations in a business, management can guide change towards more efficiency and more focus on customer added value. For example, a workflow diagram can help optimize use of multi-function product teams and functional departments.