Today’s semiconductor manufacturers face a very competitive business environment with many challenges.  Minimizing the time for product development is essential to profitability and requires fast and efficient equipment installation, process development, process qualification, and ramp to production.  As a result, Lam Research pays significant attention to equipment productivity, focusing on system uptime, throughput improvements, and defect reduction to maximize good product output.  We also strive to continuously reduce operating costs through the use of cost-effective spare parts and upgrades that extend equipment capabilities.  To address these challenges, chip manufacturers rely on the expertise of equipment suppliers to provide services and support that maximize equipment effectiveness and lifetime.