American industries rely on the efficient and effective output of semiconductor foundries, as has been demonstrated in the last few years of disruptions in semiconductor production. The highly competitive manufacturing operations of the industry, however, rely on maximized availability, minimized underutilization and optimized major utility costs, and, in today’s constrained operating landscape, these can’t be achieved without closely integrated monitoring and control. These, in turn, rely on effective use of edge technologies.
In this Machine Design article, I discuss how most of the wafer fabrication equipment, and many parts of the support systems, are procured as OEM machines and systems. Integrating this OEM equipment with utility distribution and facility environmental controls on one or more systems built on-site can be very challenging. The secure use of Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) technologies to conveniently access information from anywhere further complicates the process.
Design engineers looking to address these issues should consider applying specific edge-oriented hardware running a range of visualization, automation, IIoT and analytical software. These edge solutions are needed to monitor and coordinate a variety of production and balance-of-plant (BOP) systems to ensure optimal foundry performance.
To learn the application of both edge hardware and software to semiconductor goals, read my article here. And additional information on edge technologies, such as those for semiconductor applications, can be found at www.Emerson.com/PACSystems-edge.