Research projects
EU Projects
The European Community High Sol Project
The aim of this project is the demonstration of innovative manufacturing concepts that enable the mass production of photovoltaic cells at a greatly reduced cost. The european HighSol consortium comprises manufacturers of wafer, cells and modules as well as equipment vendors and automation software providers.
camLine was contributing with its specific expertise developed through previous automation projects in the area of quality control and advanced process control (APC), plus its leading LineWorks products.
New PVECI Standard
In order to ensure high automation, productivity and low cost of production, the photovoltaic industry initiated the standardization of the Equipment- Host communication interface.
The SEMI ® Photovoltaic Equipment Interface Specification (PV-EIS) task force aimes to propose and define new standards in this area for the photovoltaic industry (PV).
As a founding member of the SEMI organization, camLine participates actively in the PV-EIS committee to propose cost-effective and valuable standards that PV companies can use to maximize their success.
Mid-2009 the PV Equipment Communication Interface standard (PVECI) was adopted. One of the aspects of the standard is its strong relationship and reference to existing SEMI® standard SECS/GEM. It relies on existing proven standards such as SECS/GEM E37, E37.1, E5, E30 and E10. The PVECI standard also proposes some additional functions, behaviors, variables and collection events, specific to the PV industry.
Through its LineWorks products and 20 years of experiences and know how in equipment integration using the SECS/GEM interface, camLine is perfectly positioned to propose fast implementation and usage of these standards in the development new facilities, as well as in the conversion of existing facilities.
camLine has developed a specific Equipment Connection Framework called LineWorks ECoFrame to support SECS/GEM and PVECI interfaces as well as other communication protocols (e.g. OPC, XML, Corba, ...). Several customers have already adopted LineWorks ECoFrame as their equipment integration layer for fast and efficient automation.
camLine also offers SECS/GEM standard training. The training can take place at camLine, Germany, or at client-site. On request camLine can also adapt the contents of the training to your needs based on your experience and existing know.
camLine’s PV Activities
camLine has developed LineWorks Production Control PV, a unique MES package for the PV industry, which provides a tracking and quality control solution for wafer, cell, modules and thin film manufacturing. The MES package also includes LineWorks ECoFrame for an efficient equipment/MES integration.
camLine is involved in the SEMI ® PV Group, a special interest group dedicated to serving the PV manufacturing supply chain.
Improve Project
IMPROVE (Implementing Manufacturing science solutions to increase equipment productivity and fab performance) is a focused 36-month project within the "advanced line operations" industrial project of the ENIAC sub-programme SP8 "Equipment & Materials for Nanoelectronics“.
Maintaining the lowering of costs per function, reducing cycle times, improving reproductibility and equipment effectiveness, and reducing the environmental impact of factories are all key challenges. Addressing them successfully is key to enabling European SC manufacturers to maintain their competitiveness. Manufacturing science is the main enabler that will allow these challenges tob e overcome.
IMPROVE aims to improve European semiconductor fabs’ efficiency by providing methods and tools to exert better control over process variability, reduce cycle times and enhance the effectiveness of production equipment. To achieve these objectives, IMPROVE will focus on 3 major development axes:
- The development of virtual metrology techniques allowing the control of the process at wafer level, whilst suppressing standard metrology steps.
- The development of predictive equipment behaviour techniques to improve process tool reliability, whilst optimizing maintenance frequency and increasing equipment uptime.
- The development of dynamic risk assessment and dynamic control plan concepts, suppressing unnecessary measurement steps whilst dynamically improving control plan efficiency.
