Hello,

I'm Jim Plourde, President and co-owner of Odyssey Technical Solutions. Over 20 years ago, my partner Eric Nail and I left our jobs at Freescale (now NXP) with a vision: to start a company specializing in RF, DC, and microwave repairs, providing the highest quality service in the industry. We understand the unique pressures of the wafer fab environment.

Like every company, we've faced challenges – none more so than during the COVID pandemic. While the pandemic made on-site repairs difficult, we navigated this situation with diligence, flexibility, and the support of our dedicated employees.

The post-COVID era presented its own issues. Equipment sitting unused for over a year suddenly flooded our shop, just as fabs worldwide ramped up to over 100% capacity. Combined with global supply chain constraints, our repair lead times inevitably increased. For the first time, we were overwhelmed with work.

Throughout 2022 and 2023, we focused on hiring skilled technicians and support staff to tackle those lead times. We implemented intensive training to maintain our rigorous quality standards, sought out secondary suppliers, and increased our critical parts inventory.

We realize some of you may have experienced delays during this period. We sincerely appreciate your continued trust in Odyssey and are eager to regain any business we may have lost. Our commitment to exceptional quality and meeting your expectations remains unchanged.

Want to learn more about our world-class facilities and the people behind our repairs? In upcoming newsletters, we'll be spotlighting our locations and management team.

Best regards for a successful 2024,

Jim Plourde  

“Why Didn’t I Think of That?”

Valuable Tech Tips from Odyssey Technical Solutions

Why Do Some Semiconductor Tools Experience Shorter Run Times and Lower MTBF (Mean Time Between Failures)?

Semiconductor equipment can begin to fail more frequently for several reasons. Two key factors contribute to this trend:

1. Evolving Processes and Increased Power. As semiconductor processes advance and power levels rise, existing equipment is pushed to its limits. While much of this machinery may still meet new requirements, long-term reliability and repeatability suffer, leading to increased failure rates. This highlights the importance of equipment revisions, upgrades, and modifications to extend functionality and lifespan.
2. Equipment Age and Wear. Many tools currently in use may be reaching the "increasing failure" portion of the classic bathtub curve. While repairs and rework can be effective, they may not fully address every potential issue due to cost considerations. These short-term fixes contribute to higher MTBF.

Contact Odyssey to discover how we can help extend the life of your equipment and reduce failures.