HVAC Semiconductor Cleanroom Assessment - Production Equipment/System Solutions
What are some potential solutions for a competitive HVAC semiconductor cleanroom?
An ideal manufacturing facility should be cost-centric and has sets of existing production equipment/systems that could easily be used and qualified. Complications sometimes arise if there are new production equipment/systems that need to be put in place to complete the whole assembly line. In order to save time, energy and resources in an HVAC semiconductor cleanroom, here are some potential solutions that could be considered.
- For existing production equipment/systems, below are considerations that need to be taken into account.
a) First is temperature control. The entire assembly line could be subdivided depending on the operating temperature requirement. A low temperature operating production equipment/system should not be placed in a group where the majority of other systems/equipment operate in a high temperature condition, so long as the ambient temperature is acceptable to humans. Sometimes, processes are affected by the degree of change in the ambient temperature. Ideally, the temperature source should be stable enough to sustain the production equipment/systems in each shiftly operation without process issues.
b) Second is particle count requirement. Some processes or the entire assembly line could be subdivided depending on the particle count requirement. Big savings on facility operations and mobility of the personnel or resources savings could be achieved if the entire assembly line operates not in a very expensive low particle count cleanroom.
c) Third is provision of controlled storage cabinet for batched processed lots and ensure proper disposal of garbage to prevent accumulation of dirt or foreign material that may induce a unit defect.
- For production equipment/systems that are yet to be selected, a major consideration is to incorporate the operating temperature condition and particle count requirement in the procurement specification, otherwise, the right assembly line sub-grouping is determined prior installation of the equipment/system being selected for easy plug&play mode in the manufacturing site.
Though, at first, it may take some time to plan out the right strategy or select the best options in creating a competitive HVAC semiconductor cleanroom, it cannot be denied that these cost reduction efforts could pay off in the long run.
