WLD System Monitors Fluid Leaks at ONSEMI Semiconductor Manufacturing Facility, CS03

Onsemi is an American semiconductor company based in Scottsdale, Arizona. Founded in 1999, it was originally a spin-off of Motorola's Semiconductor Components Group and is now known for manufacturing discrete, standard analog and standard logic devices. One of the company's manufacturing centers is located in the Czech Republic, in the city of Rožnov pod Radhoštěm, where it has been producing 150mm silicon wafers since 2003 as ON SEMICONDUCTOR CZECH REPUBLIC.

ON SEMICONDUCTOR CZECH REPUBLIC, s.r.o. is engaged in the production of silicon chips and as part of its operations needed to install an early warning system against leakage of operating and technological fluids in its sensitive production process. The goal was to minimize the risk of accidents and reduce repair costs and downtime due to potential production downtime.

2Pnet s.r.o. was selected to implement the project. Their system, based on HW group products, provides maintenance staff and technicians with early warning of potential fluid leaks, minimizing the risk of serious incidents and their impact on production.

Reliable components from HW group s.r.o. were used for this system, namely the WLD sensor relay, the Damocles2 system and the WLD sensing cable. The system was designed to cover 28 controlled zones with a total length of 1200 meters of WLD sensing cable.

It is important to note that the semiconductor manufacturing center was already operating at normal load, so the installation of the WLD sensing cable had to take place in an already installed environment where all the production equipment is set up. The features of the WLD sensing cable, including no limits on bending, grip and pressure, proved to be key to the successful installation and operation of such a massive water leak detection site.

In such a demanding environment, where de-noising the entire system and ensuring its high reliability is crucial, it was necessary to integrate a voltage source with higher requirements for electromagnetic interference (EMI) immunity.

2Pnet Ltd. knew that in a silicon chip manufacturing environment where sensitive electronic components are handled, electromagnetic interference is a very important factor that can affect the reliability and stability of the early warning system. Therefore, a voltage source with high EMC immunity has been integrated into the system.

This power supply complies with strict electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) standards. It is designed to minimize interference from internal and external sources and to ensure system stability and reliability in environments with a high concentration of electronic equipment and potential interfering signals.
 
Thanks to the installation of this system, ON SEMICONDUCTOR CZECH REPUBLIC, s.r.o. was able to detect and respond to potential liquid leaks in their production process in a timely manner. Maintenance personnel were alerted well in advance, allowing them to take preventative measures and minimize subsequent repair costs and downtime. The reliability and efficiency of the system made silicon chip production safer and more efficient.

This installation of an early warning system for liquid leakage in the silicon chip production process is an example of successful cooperation between ON SEMICONDUCTOR CZECH REPUBLIC, s.r.o., 2Pnet s.r.o. and HW group s.r.o. The project demonstrated the importance of prevention and rapid response to a possible leakage of water or any other conductive liquid in an industrial environment, both in terms of safety and economic efficiency.

Photo courtesy: ON SEMICONDUCTOR CZECH REPUBLIC s.r.o. and 2Pnet s.r.o.