17 minute read
NEWS
SWISSSEM SELECTS CRITICAL MANUFACTURING MES BECAUSE OF ITS STRENGTH IN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING
To reduce operating costs and improve efficiency, SwissSEM selected Critical Manufacturing’s MES platform for the production of its high-end insulated gate bipolar transistors (IGBT).
Critical Manufacturing, leading provider of Industry 4.0 focused Manufacturing Execution System (MES), announced today that SwissSEM has selected them to optimize their production processes. Founded in 2019, SwissSEM is a wholly owned subsidiary of Saijing Technology Group. It has a production facility in Jiashan and a technical research and development team committed to the research and development of OGBT chips and modules. Its decision to move towards greater digital automation was based on a need to reduce operating costs and improve operating efficiency for its highly complex production line. The new Manufacturing Execution System (MES) from Critical Manufacturing will provide accurate, real-time information of production processes to establish a basis for continuous process improvement, enhanced quality and reduced costs.
SwissSEM required an MES that could meet the demands of semiconductor processing while also integrating with ERP, WMS, EAP, BPM, and other systems to ensure accurate, reliable, and consistent data and intelligent management goals. They decided to incorporate all modules of Critical Manufacturing MES into their operations because of the large number of successful user application cases in the semiconductor industry, core functionality designed to support the complex, specific and varied needs of the industry, capability of quick and easy distributed implementation and phased delivery of modules that meet the customer’s needs, and overall cost-effectiveness.
Jerry Zhu, IT Manager at SwissSEM, comments: “We anticipate that the Critical Manufacturing MES will deliver us many operational benefits. We wanted an MES that was well designed and unified. Our project aims include accelerating the processing efficiency of each process nodes, increasing overall enterprise operational efficiency, improving product yield and quality, and enhancing customer satisfaction.”
Fei Tao Li, Managing Director at Critical Manufacturing Software (Suzhou) Co., says: “This is an exciting project for us. SwissSEM has a clear vision of where it wants its operations to be in the future and our MES gives them a strong platform they can build on. It has been specifically designed for the complex needs of semiconductor manufacturing and gives them both the core functionality and flexibility they need for their facility.”
Critical Manufacturing MES offers a modular solution with a rich suite of advanced functions including recipe management, experiments management, send-ahead wafers scenarios, wafer management, and sampling. It is designed to ensure efficient, time-sensitive and reliable operations, high yields, optimized equipment utilization, and production agility, while facilitating rapid new product introduction and lifecycle management.
Zhu continues: “The advanced data management capabilities of the Critical Manufacturing platform had particular appeal to us. We need to integrate data from many systems and want a system that will provide timely, accurate, complete information to support our management team in making best decisions.”
Providing comprehensive horizontal and vertical integration of information flows with contextualized data, the Critical Manufacturing MES delivers the insight needed to improve agility, processes, quality and yield. It handles the broad aspects of manufacturing and, by combining the MES with automation layers, provides a single flow of IT and operations technology (OT) information to give complete visibility of operations.
Zhu concludes: “The MES will be the core support system for enterprise production and operation management. Ultimately, we have selected a system that is proven in the semiconductor industry and one we believe will lower costs while increasing operational efficiency. It will give us with a strong platform to maintain and enhance the strong competitive advantage of our company into the future.”
A new range of powerful electric tow tractors and platform trucks is arriving on the UK market from leading materials handling solutions provider, Linde.
These innovative vehicles are designed to meet the demanding efficiency and safety requirements of automotive and other large manufacturing companies, airport operators and a wide range of other applications
The electric tractors in the new Linde P120 to P350 series offer models with towing capacities of 12 to 35 tonnes. Despite their compact dimensions they can pull heavy trailers loaded with production parts or haul airport baggage trains over long distances coping effortlessly with slopes and gradients. The new range offers a choice of four different models with towing capacities of 12, 18, 25 and 35 tonnes based on 3 different wheelbases depending on capacity.
In addition to the four capacities of tow tractor, this range includes two platform tractor models, W20 and W30, able to transport loads of 2 or 3 tonnes on the rear platform as well as towing trailers of up to six tonnes in weight at the same time.
The new range has been completely redesigned in terms of both performance and ergonomics, yielding significant enhancements for all users. As well as the additional vibration isolation provided by the new axle suspension system and the isolated and suspended cabin, Sandra Karras, Product Manager Warehouse Technology, adds: “ …. the vehicles have even greater endurance over longer distances.”
Thanks to their powerful AC motors, the tractors can negotiate ramps, gradients and long distances quickly and reliably at speeds of up to 25 km/h. All variants can be powered by either lead-acid or lithium-ion batteries with hydrogen fuel cells as a further option. Lateral or vertical battery changing allows trucks with spare batteries to cope with extended or multiple shifts.
Extensive safety features along with powerful drive technology provide enhanced driving comfort for operators as well as delivering fast and safe goods handling.
Safety features such as three independent braking systems, Linde Curve Control which automatically reduces speed in relation to steering lock and the gradient control option to prevent the tractor accelerating downhill, ensure both operator and load security. Other safety equipment includes door lock sensors, a protective grille for the rear window, emergency stop switches at the rear for safety when linking up to a trailer, double mirrors on the doors, lighting solutions for allround visibility and Linde BlueSpot to warn co-workers of vehicles manoeuvring in restricted areas.
Long-term durability is assured by a solid metal shield at the front allied to anti-collision protection members at the side and rear to withstand accidental impacts,
The design of the tractors meets the regulations and standards applying to highly sensitive environments such as production flow lines or airports and can be easily register for use on public highways when towing suitably equipped trailers.
BRABENDER TECHNOLOGIE AND KUBOTA CORPORATION TO MOVE FORWARD TOGETHER IN THE FUTURE
Brabender Technologie becomes wholly owned subsidiary of Kubota Holdings Europe B.V.
Expansion of the business area for volumetric and gravimetric metering equipment
Strengthening of worldwide service and sales network
Duisburg, June 20, 2022 - Effective June 16, 2022, Kubota Corporation acquired all shares in Brabender Technologie GmbH & Co. KG and made it a wholly owned subsidiary of Kubota Holdings Europe B.V. The consummation of the transaction is envisaged for early August 2022.
Japan’s Kubota Corporation, with its mature technological knowledge, operates in a wide range of business areas: agricultural solutions that support feeding the world, water-related solutions that regenerate water and provide safe water, and habitat solutions that support comfortable lifestyles and industry. Kubota Corporation’s gravimetric feeders are mainly used in production processes for powders and granules in Japan, China, Korea, and the rest of Asia, where they hold a high market share.
Brabender Technologie has become one of the world’s largest gravimetric feeding systems companies, with not only enormous technical expertise, but also expertise in handling a variety of materials with many years of experience in different industryspecific applications.
As part of the same group, Kubota and Brabender Technologie will further expand their business in the gravimetric and volumetric feeder market with a targeted manner in the future. Bruno Dautzenberg, Managing Director of Brabender Technologie, explains, “Kubota Corporation’s strengths in the Asian market perfectly complement our technology, technical know-how and existing sales and service network in the European and American markets.”
Business is to be intensified in the industries of battery manufacturing, for pharmaceutical applications and food. The steadily growing demand for continuous processes in industrial production will also be served jointly in the future. This is because growth is expected in various areas due to the global shift in manufacturing processes towards automation.
Gravimetric feeders are used to continuously feed various materials such as powders, granulates and liquids with high precision into the processes of the technical plastics, food, chemical and pharmaceutical industries. By controlling the weight of the material in real time, materials can be metered reliably and with high accuracy to meet the high demands for quality and precision in the manufacturing industry.
Bruno Dautzenberg, Managing Director Brabender Technologie: “The integration into the Kubota Group creates synergies and new market potential, which can be optimally exploited with the technical capabilities and comprehensive know-how of both companies. In the future, we will be able to jointly drive the development of innovative technical solutions and thus the expansion of the product range.”
Other Valves Fight Friction, We Designed it Out Unlike other valves that seal with friction, Posi-flate’s unique butterfly valve uses an inflatable seat to seal with air pressure. Thus it requires less torque and a smaller actuator, resulting in lower cost. Plus, the seat automatically compensates for wear, providing longer life. Some users have reported over six million cycles and the valves are still going strong. • Less friction • Low torque • Low maintenance • Lower actuator costs • Longer valve life • More reliable Tel: +44 (0) 1908 622366
www.posiflate.com
Yale showcased a diverse range of products and materials handling solutions under the theme of ‘Technology that moves’ at LogiMAT 2022.
The new Series N made its official public debut at the international intralogistics event in Stuttgart Messe, just days after its launch in May.
New lithium-ion battery partner, Sunlight Group, joined Yale on the stand to showcase its battery power solutions to customers and prospects.
Yale Europe Materials Handling made a triumphant return to LogiMAT under the theme of ‘Technology that moves’. At the event, which was held at the Stuttgart Messe on 31 May – 2 June, visitors witnessed first-hand a variety of gamechanging materials handling solutions on the Yale stand.
Yale, which has undergone a business transformation, brought its refreshed and recharged solutions to the international intralogistics event. Experts were on hand to explain how its technology is moving with the times and offering customers new materials handling solutions that meet changing industry demands. The latest Yale® products combine technology and design to provide a customised solution to each and every customer.
“It was a real pleasure to be back at LogiMAT this year and have the opportunity to reunite with customers, dealers, partners and new visitors under one roof. There was a great atmosphere at the event, especially as Yale has undergone a hugely exciting business transformation including a new website and sales process designed to address customer needs with a focus on industries and solutions. We showcased our latest solution, the new Series N, which will offer a whole new way of configuring materials handling solutions and help keep businesses moving, even
under constantly changing circumstances,” said Timo Antony, Area Business Director Central Europe at Yale.
First public outing for the new Yale Series N
Visitors at LogiMAT got to see the newest fleet on the block, the Yale Series N, in its very first public outing following its launch in May. The new product offers customers an easily configurable truck to match their unique requirements, raising the bar for success while offering operator comfort, safety and efficiency.
Charging a new future
Yale’s lithium-ion battery partner, Sunlight Group, was also on hand at LogiMAT to meet visitors and showcase a warehouse reach truck powered by one of its lithium-ion solutions. The MR16 Reach Truck can lift up to 10.7 metres and has a maximum load capacity of 1600kg. The robust mast design provides high residual capacities and stable load handling, which can enable faster put away and retrieval times. The reach truck has a spacious operator compartment and can manoeuvre in tight spaces, making it ideal for warehousing applications that need to maximise on storage space.
Yale recently strengthened its relationship with the Sunlight Group, having previously used its lead-acid batteries as an option for its product range. Yale now also offers the company’s lithium-ion batteries.
“It was a real joy to be joined by our new lithium-ion battery partner, Sunlight Group, at LogiMAT. It’s one of the world’s top manufacturers of energy storage solutions, and we’ve long utilised their battery solutions in our products. We’ve expanded our partnership and we look forward to continue working with them to provide our customers with the very best power solutions to keep them moving,” said Timo.
“LogiMAT is just one chapter of an exciting period at Yale. It was the perfect opportunity to meet with our dealers, our customers old and new. There is more to come from Yale in the near future to better serve our dealers and customers and work with them to drive all our businesses forward. This is an exciting time for Yale as we embark on this shared journey with our trusted partners,” added Timo.
For more information on the extensive range of materials handling equipment from Yale go to www.yale.com.
STAINLESS STEEL BUTTERFLY VALVE
The Series 486 inflatable seated butterfly valve from Posi-flate features a fully machined 316L stainless steel housing. The single piece disc and shaft is available in a number of materials including 316L stainless steel and Hastelloy. The disc may be polished to a mirror finish or coated with PTFE, nylon or other high-performance coating. The stainless steel valve is ideal for powders, granules, slurries and liquids and is available in sizes 2” (50mm) to 20” (500mm). Typical applications include loading and unloading of process material, sterile air control, and outlet valves for storage containers or hoppers. It is suitable for many applications, such as food, chemical and pharmaceutical.
The inflatable seat design of the Posi-flate butterfly valve provides a better seal by utilizing air pressure to expand the seat against the disc, providing more sealing area and an even pressure distribution against the disc every time. The seat automatically compensates for wear when it inflates against the disc, extending valve life considerably. Because the Posi-flate disc only makes casual contact with the seat during opening and closing, torque requirements are substantially lower. This ease of movement also allows the disc to come to a perfect 90-degree position every time. Additionally, the smooth profile of the disc helps material flow easier and reduces build-up. For unique fail-safe monitoring, a pressure switch can be utilized to verify a perfect seal.
Posi-flate
Milton Keynes, United Kingdom +44-1908-622366
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Tuf-Lok ring grip pipe and tube couplings are rugged, heavy duty, self-aligning and self-grounded couplings with a high end pull. They can be used for almost any application where pipe or tube ends need to be connected. The Tuf-Lok self-aligning couplings install quickly and easily with little effort.
Features
• Self-aligning • Self-grounding • High pressure rated • Full vacuum rated • Stainless or mild steel • Usable on thin or thick wall pipe or tube • Low cost • Reusable • Absorbs vibration • Externally leakproof
Tuf-Lok (UK)
Tel: +44 (0) 1706 822512 Email: sales@tuflok.co.uk • www.tuflok.com
NANO SF RANGE FROM INTEGRATEDAIR FILTRATION
integratedAIR Filtration has recently launched its’ new range of NANO SF filter units which are part of their BlueClean® filter range of self-cleaning dust control filter units.
The NANO SF range uses three different filter sizes with the filter range being named after its’ primary use, ie: SF standing for spot filter. Like the rest of their BlueClean® filter range, the NANO SF filter unit is designed to remove dust contaminants from the air keeping employees safe and in line with Health and Safety regulations.
The NANO SF filter uses compressed air to clean the filter element to make the design self-cleaning. Designed to handle the displaced air from sealed vessels fed mechanically by feeding equipment such as screw conveyors or by gravity from hoppers positioned above a vessel, they are the prefect answer to the issue of blinded sock filters commonly used to vent displaced air from hoppers and vessels. The NANO SF filter unit can be supplied in three filter sizes, 0.5m2, 1m2 and 1.5m2 with the filter size being determined by the air volume needing to be handled. Each NANO SF filter unit contains a single, conical filter cartridge with the filter element being available in a wide range of filter medias to ensure that each NANO SF filter unit matches the application that it is being applied to.
Protect your Staff
Dust control is a vital part of any manufacturing industry. When handling the displaced air from vessels being fed mechanically or by gravity means it is crucial to stop contaminates from dispersing into the production environment. Choose integratedAIR Filtration’s NANO SF filter unit to ensure that your dust is controlled. Correctly designed dust extraction not only protects staff but also helps reduce maintenance and keeps a workplace clean. It is also a vital way of helping companies to comply with HSE (Health and Safety Executive) legally enforceable legislation such as CoSHH and EH40.
Well designed and correctly maintained dust extraction equipment helps to ensure that safety, quality and environmental obligations are met which in turn:
• Protects worker health • Protects product quality • Protects plant and machinery • Reduces explosive risk • Reduces workspace cleaning • Reduces general machinery maintenance and servicing
Construction
As a company standard, the NANO SF filter unit is manufactured in mild steel and supplied powder coated light blue (RAL 5012) although they can be supplied in alternative paint colours or left self-colour in 304 or 316 stainless steel. The unit is designed with a 6mm flat edge and clip-together design as a standard with a matching collar for ease of mounting, or with alternative connections that are application-specific such as a welded or loose fitted flange.
Manufactured in the UK
All of integratedAIR Filtrations’ range of BlueClean® filter units are assembled at their in-house manufacturing facility to the North of Manchester.
K-TYPE SCREEN FEEDER
The K-TYPE screen feeder is a screen and feeder combination using a single or double deck screen with a brute force drive and a single electric vibrating motor. It is ideal for screening dry granular material from one inch down to 100 mesh particle size. The K-TYPE screen feeder can be flood fed and mounted directly below any size surge hopper and can screen super abrasive materials like silica sand and glass cullet or fine products such as granulated sugar. The replaceable screen deck can be constructed of a 500 Brinell abrasion resistant steel or screen mesh with openings manufactured to your exact specification as might be desired. https://www.dynamicair.com/ products/vibratory/screenfeeder_k. html
Dynamic Air Ltd. Milton Keynes, United Kingdom Phone: 44 1908 622344 E-mail: sales@dynamicair.co.uk www.dynamicair.com
