Film & Foil


Slow demand for aluminium foil in domestic markets offset by strong export growth


declined 4.3 per cent in the first quarter, while thicker gauges, used typically for semi- rigid containers and technical applications, rose by 4.5 per cent, accelerating the upward trend seen at the end of last year. Analysing the figures Bruno Rea, EAFA


President says, “There was good development of foil shipments during 2018 so this fall in domestic orders, we believe, is the result of excess stocks being reduced to reflect current demand levels, following the long Christmas and New Year holidays.” “Generally, foil demand in Europe is


users and converters are thought to have reduced their stock levels in the domestic market, according to figures released by the European Aluminium Foil Association (EAFA). The total volume was 239,400 tonnes, 1.2 per cent lower than for Q1 in 2018


A


luminium foil deliveries from European rollers dropped in the first three months of 2019 as


(242,300t). This reflects a downturn in home deliveries of 4 per cent. However, exports from selected


countries and in limited product categories continued to produce a strong performance, achieving 16 per cent growth compared to the same period last year. Thinner gauge foils used mainly for high- end flexible packaging and household foils


relatively stable. Supplies from China increased dramatically by almost 40 per cent, severely impacting domestic production levels. Exports continue to be an area of alternative sales, as it was throughout most of 2018. Nevertheless, the impact on the European supply and demand balance by imports from outside Europe starts to hurt the European industry. Relying on exports in a market that is distorted by duties will not support the European foil rollers in the mid- to long-term, putting the entire industry at risk,” he adds. “The industry is concerned about current


disputes which are affecting world economic development, as it does impact on foil end-markets,” concludes Rea.


alufoil.org


RIBER and TTT launch EZ-Curve, an in-situ control device for vacuum thin-film deposition


R


IBER, a provider for semiconductor industry equipment, has signed an


operational licensing agreement with Toulouse Tech Transfer (TTT). TTT is a regional operator for creating value and transferring technology from public research in France’s Occitanie region, for the exclusive marketing of a reflective surface defect and curvature measurement technology, developed by the LAAS-CNRS.


DEDICATED HIGH-PRECISION METROLOGY TECHNOLOGY FOR SEMICONDUCTORS MANUFACTURING The LAAS-CNRS researchers Alexandre Arnoult, research engineer, and Jonathan Colin, post-doctoral researcher, have developed a sophisticated optical device that is easy to implement and helps to significantly improve control over


convertermag.com


operations to deposit thin films. The device can be used in any type of environment. This makes possible to measure


curvature and defects on all types of surfaces in real time and over significant production times. For example, it helps to avoid dislocations, produce perfectly even wafers or control deposit consistency. The device will also be equipped with machine learning algorithms that will be specially developed to optimise analysis and control for the materials growth process.


NEW TECHNOLOGICAL COMPONENT FOR RIBER’S DEVELOPMENT Capitalising on all technology the know- how based on this research, marketed under the new EZ-Curve brand will enable RIBER to extend its range of solutions and services, providing research laboratories and semiconductor manufacturers with


added value in line with their needs. For industrial users, ensuring the


traceability and reliability of their measurements is key to effectively manage their manufacturing processes and guarantee products quality and performance. For researchers, analysing and understanding materials growth-related behaviors makes it possible to expand fundamental knowledge. The EZ-Curve solution is a major


innovation on the molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) market. In addition to controlling the epitaxial growth process with high-precision 3D reflectance metrics, this device also offers wider possibilities by supporting the implementation of automated advanced control processes and, over the longer term, the development of smart MBE systems.


riber.com September 2019 31


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52