Automation in Action: How Teamwork at MVF is Powering Quality at Scale
Article
Step onto the floor at Wolfspeed’s Mohawk Valley Fab (MVF), and you’ll feel the rhythm of collaboration between people and technology. Every moving part, integrated sensor, information transfer and reflective dashboard represents years of teamwork and an unwavering focus on automation and quality.
When you ask Jason Gurganus, Director of Smart Manufacturing, about the automation success at MVF, he doesn’t start with equipment, data, or technology. He starts with people.
That team-first mentality has been the heartbeat of MVF’s automation journey. “From the outset, we knew this initiative was the first of its kind, and we faced both known and unknown challenges,” Jason says. “What set us apart was the commitment of our experienced team.”
The project progressed with no single person or group carrying it across the finish line; it was the collective dedication of the team to both prep and execute every step of the way. In the same way automation requires numerous handshakes to properly function real time, a project like this requires many to work in parallel with proper handshakes throughout. By the time the first production tool was placed on the floor at MVF, automation was well under way and quickly recognized as the fab filled with equipment. Utilizing tools and capabilities designed to continuously enhance quality and maximize production.
The Challenge: Scaling Quality
As Wolfspeed scales to meet the ever-growing demand for silicon carbide, consistency is everything. For the team building our Mohawk Valley Fab, the goal was bold but clear: build a highly automated, data-driven fab that produces more — without compromising quality.
Jason and the team knew automation was the key, but also that it would only work with cross-functional alignment. Operations, engineering, IT, quality and many more had to move in lockstep to achieve their goals.
Every standardized interface and customized load port integration reflects the teams’ collaboration with both internal and external resources. High-level automation is expensive and takes foresight and scale to justify the investment along with a team aligned to overcome the challenges to make it real.
Building the Automation Playbook
Jason and the team collectively guided key decisions, adopting a ‘copy-smart’ approach that leveraged proven processes while introducing innovations where it mattered most. This mindset turned early development and pilot programs into a repeatable playbook that allowed for quick scale with quality.
How they did it?
- Plan early. Do not let long-term challenges distract from short-term success.
- Predict gaps and find wins. A first of its kind effort like this means many of the external resources you need may not be readily available. Partner with those you need to be successful with you and work together to find those wins.
- Build the team. Not just the one you start with but invest in the team you need to grow into. It takes many people to automate, but it takes even more to sustain and enhance.
- Be ready. Curve balls happen, plan on it. Just be ready to work through things like an unexpected pandemic when they happen, because they happen. If you have the right mindset going in and have the right team working together, you will find your way through the challenges.
Results You Can See (and Feel)
The impact of the new MVF operation is clear. Automated material hand-offs now keep production flowing smoothly. Automotive level quality and controls keep processes efficient in producing quality products. Digital tracking follows every lot through its process flow, providing real-time visibility and data integrity across the facility.
Wolfspeed’s automation efforts have significantly improved quality control and cycle time, and more importantly supplied a platform where we can continue to influence on-going improvements. The team now has the tools and capabilities to continuously enhance quality and maximize production.
“We designed our machines to work efficiently,” Jason explains, “so we can invest people’s time in developing technology in parallel to production. Bringing enhancements and new products to our customers at a faster pace.”
Technicians can troubleshoot in real time, and engineers can focus on continuous improvement instead of chasing anomalies. The fab is now more connected and operates with greater efficiency.
Leading Through Collaboration
Jason’s style is hands-on and humble. He’s known for walking the floor, asking questions, and listening before giving directions. It’s a leadership approach that turns automation from a project into a shared purpose.
“When people feel heard, they build better systems,” he says. “And when teams believe in what they’re building, the technology follows.”
That philosophy has earned Jason and the MVF team a reputation for operational excellence — and a model others are eager to replicate.
The Road Ahead
Automation at MVF isn’t finished; it’s evolving. Jason and the MFV team are already piloting next-generation ideas.
“We’re not done,” Jason says. “We’re just getting better at getting better.”