The Project SWIFT fabrication line, envisioned by Bill Harding in 1970, revolutionized integrated circuit manufacturing by producing chips in less than one day. Despite Harding’s rough demeanor, his brash leadership led to the development of SWIFT’s fully automated line, achieving groundbreaking advances still reflected in today’s industry. SWIFT’s impressive 5-hour processing time per layer has never been equaled, even by modern fabs. Unique innovations included a monorail “taxi” transporting wafers between sectors, and a custom-designed wafer handler using airflow for gentle transport. However, SWIFT faced challenges like equipment reliability and design inconsistencies due to high-level decrees. Nevertheless, SWIFT’s legacy remains unmatched in the semiconductor world.
https://spectrum.ieee.org/semiconductor-fabrication