Role of CAD Tools in Improving Design for Manufacturing in Semiconductor Industry

For Jaskaran S Dhiman, the value of CAD tools in the semiconductor industry is evident. His journey-from experimenting with AutoCAD and Pro/Engineer in the early 2010s to now leading advanced design-for-manufacturing (DFM) initiatives using Siemens NX PLM-reflects the evolving role of CAD in enabling precision, reducing costs, and streamlining workflows across product development cycles.

Dhiman's foundation in CAD began in 2010, but it was in 2016, after moving to SolidWorks, that he began exploring the intersection of design and manufacturability more deeply. Earning his certification in SolidWorks allowed him to go beyond basic modeling, diving into simulations, manufacturing drawings, CAM processes, and additional specialized manufacturing modules.

Today, he works extensively on Siemens NX PLM, a platform well-suited for managing large assemblies typical in the semiconductor equipment space.

He also successfully implemented Siemen's NX into comprehensive Design for Excellence (DFX) practices, improving the efficiency of design-to-manufacturing workflows, and facilitating detailed manufacturability assessments with part drawings while working with Kulicke and Soffa.

As part of his role in mechanical design and manufacturing engineering, Dhiman has been instrumental in applying CAD to enhance DFM practices. He effectively leveraged CAD tools for interference detection within complex assemblies, significantly reducing assembly errors, rework costs, and associated downtime.

He also introduced SolidWorks Finite Element Analysis (FEA) simulations at the conceptual stage, substantially decreasing the number of required prototype iterations in his previous roles.

Further, he optimized the transition process from Engineering Bill of Materials (BOM) to Manufacturing BOM, improving operational efficiency, assembly accuracy, and significantly reducing manufacturing cycle times.

At one point, while working on a complex pick-and-place system comprising approximately 15 intricate sub-modules, he leveraged 3D CAD modeling to ensure the designs weren't just theoretically functional but also practical to produce.

He also utilized aPriori's cost modeling tools to conduct detailed "should-cost" analyses. One such analysis prompted a shift from fully machined parts to a hybrid manufacturing strategy-80% casting and 20% machining, and this delivered measurable cost savings.
Quantitatively, his DFM efforts have resulted in 20-30% cost reductions across multiple projects.

These results came because of rigorous and systematic DFM reviews, significantly boosting product affordability and overall manufacturing efficiency.

But implementing CAD for DFM hasn't been without its challenges. One recurring issue Dhiman faced was ensuring that different digital systems-CAD, BOM, ERP, and MES-could talk to each other.

Successfully integrating these platforms is still a real challenge but they found midground and leveraged Jira as a common platform to bridge the gap which helped them to dissolve data silos and make information more accessible across departments.

He also addressed complex integration and manufacturability challenges in extensive, multi-module assemblies by pioneering the use of detailed 3D CAD methodologies, markedly improving assembly efficiency and eliminating previously unresolved integration errors.

Reflecting on his experience, Dhiman sees CAD tools moving toward deeper integration with AI and machine learning.

These advances, he says, could greatly enhance the automation of feasibility and manufacturability assessments. CAD tools, he says, will continue to play an indispensable role in bridging intricate engineering designs with practical manufacturing requirements, significantly reducing iterative design processes, accelerating product development timelines, and expediting market readiness.

He also emphasizes the growing importance of smart manufacturing, where CAD, PLM, ERP, and MES are not standalone systems but parts of a unified digital thread.

In such an environment, design changes can ripple through the entire workflow, instantly updating supply chain requirements, production schedules, and quality checks.

Dhiman has also shared some of his insights in peer-reviewed platforms, including his article titled "Design for Excellence: A Review and Practical Guide," published in the International Journal of Latest Research and Publications.

His work consistently emphasizes the application of design tools to meet real-world production demands.

With a career that has spanned small and large corporations, Dhiman combines technical expertise with an understanding of the broader manufacturing ecosystem.

He believes that the success of any product lies in its manufacturability as much as in its function, and that CAD is the bridge that links the two. For the semiconductor industry, where complexity is the norm, this approach can soon become essential.