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www.us-
tech.com Modifying Wet Process
Cleaning Equipment to Maximize Automation Benefits
By Del Williams T
o meet application specific requirements, de- sign engineers in industries that manufac- ture sensitive components often need more
flexibility than standard options allow for au- tomating wet process cleaning equipment. These specialized components can range from
chips, wafers, semiconductors, and electronic devices to the specialized optics for world-class lasers. In fact, the more complex the equipment, the greater the need becomes for more advanced, adaptable cleaning options. Cleaning, an integral part of many manufac-
turing and maintenance process, is often critical to the performance of a broad range of technologies and refers to the use of agents such as solvents, acids or bases to remove unwanted particulates and other contaminates. It also refers to the etching process utilized in semiconductor fabrication, where the “cleaning” is the precision removal of thin layers of material. A wide range of wet process equipment au-
tomation now exists that can more flexibly accom- modate specific cleaning requirements. Modifying these automated cleaning tools to fit the applica- tion can cost-effectively enhance process repeata- bility, throughput, and safety. In many cases, only minor editing to the standard equipment is all that is necessary.
Cleaning Process Automation “Companies that automate a cleaning process
usually do so to improve process repeatability, pro- JST automated cleaning station. Repeatability is critical to maintaining quali-
ty. This includes exact measurement and dispens- ing of cleaning agents and rinsing solutions, as well as providing the systems and tools needed to transport the cleaned items from one bath to an- other.
duction throughput, or safety,” says Louise Bertag- nolli, president of JST Manufacturing. JST designs and manufactures a variety of manual to fully au- tomated cleaning equipment, including propri- etary systems that include all of the features and transfer devices required for a complete turnkey cleaning process.
Automating the cleaning process, of course,
can increase production throughput for high-vol- ume production. If the process takes place in a cleanroom, then the entire system, including mo- tors and robotics, must be appropriate for the envi- ronment. Since production can involve moving products
around above hot tanks or near chemical baths, automating can improve safety as well. Similarly, it can improve production ergonomics, for example, by eliminating the need for employees to repeated- ly rotate or handle the parts being processed, which reduces the potential for injury.
Keeping Costs Down Determining when to automated cleaning
usually depends on the stage of development of the part or product. According to Bertagnolli, while a manual cleaning process is normally utilized dur- ing R&D, when the process is defined and the com- pany has paying customers, it is a good idea to au- tomate. However, to successfully automate, it is often
best to customize the cleaning system to the specif- ic needs of the application as much as possible. “When considering job modifications, it is im-
portant to take into account the requirements for floor space, product size, production throughput, etc.,” says Bertagnolli. “Since one size does not fit all, it is crucial not to shove everybody into the same platform.”
Continued on next page
October, 2019
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