Engineering students solve semiconductor automation challenge

A team of student engineers demonstrated the growing importance of robotics and automation in next-generation semiconductor manufacturing and how hands-on, industry-aligned education turns today’s learners into tomorrow’s leaders.

Through an ongoing partnership with Texas A&M University’s College of Engineering, Samsung Austin Semiconductor sponsored a capstone project in the Department of Engineering Technology and Industrial Distribution to support the growing demand for advanced manufacturing expertise within the semiconductor sector. 

Multidisciplinary Engineering Technology (MXET) program students Jack Lance, Gabe Maccini, Rebecca Rasmussen and Charles Villegas applied creative engineering concepts to design, develop and test an overhead hoist transportation (OHT) system. OHTs transport silicon wafers and are critical automation components in modern semiconductor manufacturing fabrication facilities. 

The project was guided by MXET’s Dr. Kiju Lee and Dr. Mohamed Gharib, along with Dr. Arum Han, associate dean for research for the College of Engineering. The effort strongly aligns with Texas A&M’s semiconductor initiative, which strives to educate the next generation’s workforce through research and development in collaboration with industry partners. By engaging students in authentic industrial problems and exposing them to real-world design constraints, the partnership highlights the critical importance of academic-industry collaboration in sustaining innovation and strengthening the domestic semiconductor ecosystem.  

Samsung Austin Semiconductor has been a cornerstone of the Central Texas technology landscape for nearly 30 years. Established in 1996, the Austin campus has grown into one of the world’s leading semiconductor foundries. To date, Samsung has invested more than $18 billion to operate two advanced fabrication plants at the site, making it one of the largest direct foreign investments in U.S. history and a major force for manufacturing and economic growth in the region.

Throughout the year-long capstone project, Samsung Austin Semiconductor engineers Stephen Fillman, Matt Gonzales and Rebecca Williams provided technical mentorship and industry insight to the student team, helping ensure the project’s relevance to real-world challenges. 

“The MXET team gained exposure to industry partners while learning how to work collaboratively under tight deadlines,” said Williams. “We love the opportunity to sponsor innovative research and development because we gain access to up-and-coming engineers for internships and potential job recruiting.”

Working alongside Samsung engineers on a real-world challenge gave the capstone team invaluable experience and shows how industry-aligned education can prepare students to make an immediate impact in advanced manufacturing.

“Collaboration drives progress. This partnership is a testament to that principle,” said Gonzales. “We are proud of the work done by the capstone team and all that they were able to accomplish in just two semesters. By empowering them to develop this innovative automation system, we have equipped the next generation of engineers with the tools to lead in a rapidly evolving world.”

The challenge

Full automation, often referred to as lights-out manufacturing, is defined as a production capability in which manufacturing systems operate autonomously with minimal human intervention, strictly following predefined process specifications. This level of automation is now standard in semiconductor fabrication facilities, driven by the need to reduce variability from human differences, improve operational efficiency, enable rapid analysis of complex data, and meet growing quality and cost demands.

However, there are still many challenges to overcome and room for improvement. Texas A&M’s vision is to become a top-tier leader by harnessing the best and brightest of industry and academia to create new opportunities in semiconductor chip research and manufacturing.

“As we have witnessed first-hand, especially in the past several years, semiconductor chips play a critical role in almost all aspects of modern life, such as automobiles and communication, as well as national security,” Han said. “Next-generation chips are already driving the AI revolution and are expected to drive the frontier in quantum technology. Texas is home to world-leading semiconductor companies, with Samsung Austin Semiconductor being at the heart of it. Texas A&M has been closely collaborating with Samsung in this endeavor, where we strongly support our industry leaders in the state of Texas.”

The solution

MXET students designed and developed a 1,000 cubic-foot platform and a two-vehicle OHT system. The project focused on the design and construction of two autonomous robotic vehicles operating on a modular overhead track, demonstrating key OHT functionalities including independent vehicle motion, collision avoidance and precise schedule-based material transport. The system, installed within the MXET COBOTICS Lab, served as a scaled research and educational platform that mirrored real-world wafer handling and intrafab logistics used in the semiconductor industry. 

“This experience has significantly improved my skills both as a project manager and robotics engineer, allowing me to expand my expertise and contribute to innovative software system designs,” said Rasmussen, the capstone project manager. “Being part of the MXET program, a leader in robotic advancements, is a role that I deeply value and appreciate, as it has served as a foundation for my career in engineering.”

The outcome

The project enabled Texas A&M engineering students and faculty to engage in applied research, industry-relevant curriculum development, and hands-on experimentation in automation, robotics, controls and manufacturing systems. 

“The project provided MXET students a unique opportunity to translate academic learning into industry-driven solutions, preparing them to enter the workforce with practical experience and a deep understanding of real engineering challenges,” said Gharib, MXET program coordinator. “The developed automated system benefited both the students and the industry partner.” 

The students designed the OHT platform to be extensible so that future capstone teams will have the opportunity to further the work. This will entail enhancing vehicle intelligence, scheduling algorithms, sensing and system scalability while benefitting from industry partnerships.