High-tech Factory Research Articles

Convolutional Autoencoder and Transfer Learning for Automatic Virtual Metrology

To ensure stable processing and high-yield production, high-tech factories (e.g., semiconductor, TFT-LCD) demand product quality total inspection. Generally speaking, sampling inspection only measures a few samples and comes with metrology delay, thus it usually cannot achieve the goal of real-time and online total inspection. Automatic Virtual Metrology (AVM) was developed to tackle such problem. It can collect the data from the process tools to conjecture the virtual metrology (VM) values in the prediction model for realizing the goal of online and real-time total inspection. With the advancement of technology, the processes become more and more precise, and better accuracy of VM value prediction is demanded. The CNN-based AVM (denoted as AVM <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">CNN</sub> ) scheme can not only enhance the accuracy of the original AVM prediction, but also perform better on the extreme values. Nevertheless, two advanced capabilities need to be addressed for its practical applications: 1) effective initial-model-creation approach with insufficient metrology data; and 2) intelligent self-learning capability for on-line model refreshing. To possess these two advanced capabilities, the Advanced AVM <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">CNN</sub> System based on convolutional autoencoder (CAE) and transfer learning (TL) is proposed in this work. It is verified that the Advanced AVM <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">CNN</sub> System is more feasible for the onsite applications of the actual production lines.

UNAPRJEĐENJE PROCESA UPRAVLJANJA REPROMATERIJALOM UPORABOM ODABRANIH LEAN ALATA

Through process management and selected lean tools, it is created the methodology for raw material management improvement in the production process of the factory which produces high-tech products for the international market. It is explicated the way of process project implementation by process methodology with all phases of the living cycle and with selected lean tools (cause-effect diagram, A3). In this way, it is solved otherwise “difficult to solve” problem of suboptimal raw material management and radical productivity improvement by means of bottleneck removal. It is offered a process-project methodology for production improvement which can be used in all high-tech factories and deals with the raw material management and production optimization problem. In an empirical way there are solved three research problems and are confirmed consistent hypotheses: a) in the existing process of raw material management in the factory are found significant suboptimality and their causal factors were discovered; b) the process is redesigned by the state analysis and by lean tools in order to improve the productivity of the production line; c) by strictly adhering the work process according to new (redesigned) process model in the implementation and monitoring phase by means of indicators it is achieved the process stability (during tree month implementation phase). By raw material management optimization, it is enabled the almost perfect operation of the line without bottlenecks and downtime. Empirically researched and in practice confirmed method of process improvement in the field of suboptimal raw material management which serve the production line, is a signpost for all high-tech production companies that face the same or similar optimization problems.

Parametric estimation of supplier's plant construction costs

Cost engineers of buying enterprises perform detailed product cost calculations of externally manufactured components. The aim of these calculations is to determine what a product should cost and to support purchasing functions in fact-based negotiations. While product cost engineers have deep knowledge in the calculation of direct cost, they need support in the calculation of supplier´s indirect cost categories. The calculation of industrial rent, which is expressed in annual cost per m² of occupied plant building floor space can be improved by providing accurate construction cost estimates. Construction costs are strongly impacting the calculation of supplier´s annual building depreciation, which is a crucial cost driver for the determination of the industrial rent. Academic literature is actually not providing an accurate and suitable cost model for product cost engineers, which is estimating construction cost per m² depending on different industrial building categories and alternative supplier plant locations. The paper aims to close this gap by applying linear regression analysis on a set of European construction cost data considering two industrial building categories: “warehouses/basic factory units” and “high-tech factories”. By regressing construction cost against construction labor rates within different supplier plant locations it was possible to form suitable and accurate parametric regression functions with R² values between 0.74 and 0.88. Next to high R² values acceptable mean average percentage errors between 7.45% and 11.77% could be realized by comparing estimated with observed construction cost. The estimation of industrial construction costs based on the paper´s results can be used to improve the calculation of industrial rent, which is one cost element, that has to be covered within product cost engineer´s Should Cost Calculations.

An Overview of Ultra-Wideband Positioning Technology and Its Applications

UWB is a kind of wireless communication technology used in plenty of high-tech factories but seldom seen in humans’ daily life. Encouraged by the public, experts are urged to do futher reserch because of its accurate positioning. This paper introduces the background and features of UWB. Five methods of UWB localization are listed and the disadvantages and principals of each method are also listed, like RSSI (Received Signal Strength Indication). Existing applications of UWB are divided and shown in two types: which are categorized by function and scene. The conclusion and expectation about UWB are shown: creative methods need to be applied to drop the cost of such products so that they have access to potential customers.

A Study on Seismic Retrofit of Suspended Transportation Systems and Automated Storage Systems in A High-tech Fabrication Plant

&lt;p&gt;高科技廠房中懸吊式運輸系統（OHCV）與自動化倉儲系統（STK）為重要且不可於地震時停機之設施。2016年0206美濃地震中，某科技廠內該二系統因地震影響，設備物與產品嚴重損壞，致使系統無法短時間內修復完畢、恢復運轉，而損失大量金錢與產品。本研究目的為提升既有高科技廠房OHCV與STK之耐震能力，藉已驗證結構模型系統模擬地震下的模態與反應特性，並利用靜態側推與振動台實驗確認補強可行性，同時考量廠內現況、施工性、經濟性，分別提出經實驗驗證之有效補強系統。最後，補強電腦模擬皆顯示在設計地震下，系統反應確實較小。&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The Overhead Conveyor (OHCV) and Stocker (STK) are most frequently used transportation and storage systems in high-tech factories and should not stop operation in an earthquake. However, these two systems are vulnerable to earthquake based on the Taiwan experience. In 2016 during Meinong Earthquake, damage of these two systems led to serious impact on high-tech factories. It not only shut down the production line, caused huge economical lose, but also delayed recovery process. This study aims to increase the seismic capacity of OHCV and STK for a high-tech factory. First, a rough numerical model to realize the true response under earthquake in the clean room was developed. By using full-scale static test and shaking table test, we can validate the dynamic characteristic of the numerical models. By considering the in-site situation, construction feasibility, and the economic demand, retrofitted bracing systems are developed. The strength of bracing is verified by component tests. Then, the efficiency for retrofitted OHCV and STK is verified by static tests and shaking table tests. Finally, the computed response in fab showed a drastically reduced response after the proposed retrofit.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;

Wilo plans high-tech plant in China

The Wilo Group is investing in a new high-tech factory in Changzhou, China.

Potential applications of waste lignin from the paper and pulp industry in Viet Nam

The conversion of waste lignin from the paper and pulp industry is a potential process to produce chemicals and materials in the industry. With the development and the demand for the pulp and paper industry, the amount of waste lignin will increase remarkably. In Vietnam, the forest tree for the pulp industry is abundant, and the pulp industry has increased in recent years. In parallel, the government planned to develop the material resource and high-tech factories for this industry. In this work, we summarized the pulp and paper industry in Vietnam, then suggest the potential applications of waste lignin in several valuable products.

Experimental and Numerical Study of Wind-Induced Vibration in High-Tech Factories

AbstractIn this paper, experiments and finite-element analyses are used to investigate the wind-induced vibration in high-tech factories. The experimental results during the Megi typhoon on Septemb...

Study of Lead Rubber Bearings for Vibration Reduction in High-Tech Factories

This paper studies the seismic and micro vibrations of the high-tech factory with and without lead rubber bearings (LRBs) using the three-dimensional (3D) finite element analysis. The soil-structure interaction is included using the p-y, t-z, and Q-z nonlinear soil springs, while the time-history analysis is performed under seismic, wind, or moving crane loads. The finite element results indicate that the moving crane does not change the major ambient vibrations of the factory with and without LRBs. For a normal design of LRBs, the high-tech factory with LRBs can decrease the seismic base shear efficiently but will have a much larger wind-induced vibration than that without LRBs, especially for the reinforced concrete level. Because micro-vibration is a major concern for high-tech factories, one should use LRBs with a large initial stiffness to resist wind loads, and use a small final LRB stiffness to reduce the seismic load of high-tech factories. This situation may make it difficult to obtain a suitable LRB, but it is an opportunity to reduce the seismic response without increasing the micro-vibration of high-tech factories.

A FabLab as integrative part of a Learning Factory

The maker movement was born in the early 2000s when the first FabLab in the USA was opened at MIT. Since then a dynamic, worldwide growth of FabLabs has been recognized and nowadays they are important for education and research. The FabLab, which was opened at FH JOANNEUM in 2018 as an integrated part of the Learning Factory, offers heterogeneous user groups the opportunity to explore a wide range of issues in the context of Industry 4.0 and digitalization in an open high-tech factory. After twelve months of experience with the FabLab operation as an integrative component in the Learning Factory, first findings on a scientific and organizational level can be derived. This paper answers the questions of how a Learning Factory with integrated FabLab works and what benefits can be generated for the Learning Factory and the FabLab. First, the development of FabLabs and the motivation for implementing a FabLab at FH JOANNEUM will be discussed. This is followed by a description how a FabLab can be integrated as a sub-lab in an existing Learning Factory. In addition to this concept, the FabLab process is described and shows the effects on different user groups and the university. Further on the advantages and potentials of this concept are elaborated.

Post-earthquake assessment of buildings using displacement and acceleration response

After an earthquake, a quick seismic assessment of a structure can facilitate the recovery of operations, and consequently, improve structural resilience. Especially for facilities that play a key role in rescue or refuge efforts (e.g., hospitals and power facilities), or even economically important facilities (e.g., high-tech factories and financial centers), immediately resuming operations after disruptions resulting from an earthquake is critical. Therefore, this study proposes a prompt postearthquake seismic evaluation method that uses displacement and acceleration measurements taken from real structural responses that resulted during an earthquake. With a prepared pre-earthquake capacity curve of a structure, the residual seismic capacity can be estimated using the residual roof drift ratio and stiffness. The proposed method was verified using a 6-story steel frame structure on a shaking table. The structure was damaged during a moderate earthquake, after which it collapsed completely during a severe earthquake. According to the experimental results, a reasonable estimation of the residual seismic capacity of structures can be performed using the proposed post-earthquake seismic evaluation method.

Investigation of vibration induced by moving cranes in high-tech factories

A finite element model was developed to simulate the crane induced vibration on the floor of high-tech factories, in which the mesh include beam, plate, spring-damper, and moving wheel elements. The finite element results were first compared with the experimental measurements in good agreement. The parametric studies were then performed to study the vibration behavior of high-tech factories due to the effects of rail irregularities, slab depth, and crane speed. The rail irregularities induce the vibration of the crane and slab at their natural frequencies, and both rail irregularities and the crane acceleration induce the crane rotation in its natural frequency, so that smoothing the wheel and rail should be the first priority to decrease slab vibration. The crane speed is another important issue to influence slab vibration, which decreases with the reduction of the crane speed clearly from the parametric study. Thus, decreasing the crane speed to reduce slab vibration is an alternative, and experiments are caused to find the optimal crane speed and acceleration. The crane induced vibration is the relatively largest and smallest at the column location and beam center, respectively. Therefore, increasing the slab and beam depth to decrease the slab vibration induced by the moving crane is an additional option.

A real-time monitoring system for soluble gas pollutants and it’s application for determining the control efficiency of packed towers

Abstract This study used a parallel-plate wet denuder coupled with an ion chromatograph (PPWD-IC) to monitor soluble gas pollutants in the exhaust stack and investigate the removal efficiency of packed towers. Gas pollutant concentrations measured by the PPWD-IC system were first validated with those obtained by a manual porous metal denuder sampler (PDS) as the reference sampler. The measured concentrations of the PPWD-IC system are in good agreement with those of the PDS with the coefficient of determination (R2) greater than 0.93. The PPWD-IC system was then used to determine the removal efficiency of packed towers in high-tech factories. Results show that the PPWD-IC system is able to monitor multiple high-concentration gas pollutants semi-continuously, such as HF, HCl, HNO2, HNO3, CH3COOH, and NH3, in the exhaust stack with a temporal resolution of 20 min. The PPWD-IC system was employed to test the gas removal efficiency of a new honeycomb wet scrubber in an optoelectronic factory. The removal efficiency of the wet scrubber equipped with the honeycomb module at the liquid-to-gas ratio of 18.5 L/m3 is shown to be close to 100% for HF (112.4–448.4 ppbv) and CH3COOH (696.3–6537.0 ppbv) and 99% for HCl (3394.9–10794.5 ppbv), respectively.

Shockproof Experimental Study of Automated Stocker System in the High-Tech Factory

This study, with the shake table experiments in the National Earthquake Engineering Research Center, investigated the seismic behavior of automation stocker system. The automation stocker system provided a fast and effective method for stocking products in the high-tech facilities. Firstly, the original machine tests for testing common stocker system were to investigate the seismic capacity and failing modes. Secondly, the team completed 2 kinds of reinforcement tests to investigate the seismic behavior: 1) the installation of bracing to improve overall stiffness; 2) the installation of the viscous dampers to improve the overall damping ratio. In comparing the results and performance of the three experiments, we learned from the results of the top-layer acceleration: the installation of bracing had the largest acceleration value, the original machine the second acceleration value and the damper the lowest acceleration value; the best effect was the installation of the damper. The result of the comparison of the top floor displacement meter showed that the highest data was the original machine; the second data was with the damper, the lowest data was the installation of the bracing. Based on the preliminary assessment on the best seismic retrofit ways of the storage system, we further examined the feasibility and applicability of automatic storage seismic retrofit in the high-tech factory.

Using a source–receptor approach to characterize the volatile organic compounds from control device exhaust in a science park

The science parks have helped shape Taiwan as a high-tech island with a good reputation worldwide. But some complaints on air pollution from the science parks have recently risen. To better understand the environmental effects of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emitted from various high-tech factories in a science park, this study uses a source-receptor approach to characterize the environmental effects of VOCs from control device exhaust in Taichung Science Park. The chemical mass balance model (CMB8.2) of field measurements of 30 stacks and ambient air at nine sites was used to identify the source and relative contribution of ambient VOCs. The exhaust gas of various pollution control devices was also sampled by drawing a stream of the gases from the exhaust duct at its sampling port. The VOC source profile of each control device exhaust was determined using a database of noncharacteristic compounds. Monthly ambient concentrations of 167 VOCs were divided into monsoon datasets to investigate the effect of monsoon conditions on the emission of VOCs in the science park. This study also suggests a method for determining the optimum source profile in source-receptor modeling, and identifies and analyzes the sources of ambient VOCs at nine sites during southwest and northeast monsoons. Results show a direct relationship between the relative contribution of each source and its control device efficiency. The proposed source-receptor approach can characterize the environmental effect of air pollutants from various factories and successfully assess the efficiency of various control devices.

The Simulation of Ambient Vibration Signal of High-Tech Factory Buildings Ground Base

These precision instruments and equipments install inside the high-tech factory buildings have highly tendency of sensitiveness to ambient vibration; therefore, the criteria of ambient vibration have extremely strict requirements in relatively. For comply ambient vibration to have in accordance with the vibration standards, access the principle of increasing the product defect-free rate, the most common solution is applied by enhance the strength of its earth ground base. Nowadays the foundation base design of high-tech factory buildings is not like Seismic Design can be calculated by formulas and acquired the advance ambient vibration results from the software simulations; hence after the finalization of the factory building construction, it is necessary to have in-filed detection with inspection to makeup these improvements. As a matter of fact the weak signal can be hardly detected, so it reply on specific sensor to transform the signal into low current or low voltage then use an amplifier to magnify its amplitude; in the meanwhile, it not only enlarge the required signal but also the unnecessary noise in the whole process. This study apply Ensemble Empirical Mode Decomposition (EEMD) method to analyze the original signal, and the mean period of the Intrinsic Mode Function (IMF) derived partial components to proceed Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) transformation in order to get partial signal frequency; hereafter apply the white noise to substitute the first signal then reorganized it as the source of ambient vibration signal, a comparison is being made between the background vibration value of its actual measurement and the earth ground base response of its real measurement value. It anticipates having control the influential value of ambient vibration of the construction under the phase when design the factory building in order to elevate the reliable degree of foundation construction design in the future.

Study for the Dynamic Response of Rubber Concrete RC Slab

The tradition RC building slab system is very rigid so the vibration and the will induce large noise often creates puzzle of the user. The slab vibration also will reduce the production fine proportion for high tech factory. So we must to enhance the RC slab energy absorbing capacity to reduce RC floor vibration. The rubber material has very good elasticity and energy absorbing capacity so is widely applied in many daily items. But the easy consuming characteristic will increase the waste process problem. If we can apply the high elasticity property in recycle rubber to RC slab so we can reduce the waste pollution and slab vibration behavior in the same time. The complex RC slab real behavior must be measure from test result. In this paper we want to get the dynamic behavior by pedestrian loading for rubber concrete RC slab by laboratory test. By the test results we can found the 5% rubber concrete will concentration to 7.2 Hz.

공기스프링과 압전작동기를 결합한 복합형 미진동 방진마운트 시스템 개발

A new hybrid mount system is proposed for microvibration control in a high-tech factory. The mount consists of an airspring as a passive device and a piezostack actuator as an active device. The two devices are connected in series. Some numerical simulations and experimental tests are carried out to evaluate isolation performance of the mount system comprising of four proposed hybrid mounts. As a control logic, the specific algorithm is adopted for considering multiple target frequencies of excitation based on a Filtered-X LMS algorithm. The results are compared with isolation performance of the passive airspring mount system. It is confirmed that the proposed hybrid mount system has great performance on microvibration.

Using principal component analysis to develop a single-parameter screening tool for metabolic syndrome

BackgroundMetabolic syndrome (MS) is an important current public health problem faced worldwide. To prevent an "epidemic" of this syndrome, it is important to develop an easy single-parameter screening technique (such as waist circumference (WC) determination recommended by the International Diabetes Federation). Previous studies proved that age is a chief factor corresponding to central obesity. We intended to present a new index based on the linear combination of body mass index, and age, which could enhance the area under the receiver operating characteristic curves (AUCs) for assessing the risk of MS.MethodsThe labour law of the Association of Labor Standard Law, Taiwan, states that employers and employees are respectively obligated to offer and receive routine health examination periodically. Secondary data analysis and subject's biomarkers among five high-tech factories were used in this study between 2007 and 2008 in northern Taiwan. The subjects included 4712 males and 4196 females. The first principal component score (FPCS) and equal-weighted average (EWA) were determined by statistical analysis.ResultsMost of the metabolic and clinical characteristics were significantly higher in males than in females, except high-density lipoprotein cholesterol level. The older group (>45 years) had significantly lower values for height and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol level than the younger group. The AUCs of FPCS and EWA were significantly larger than those of WC and waist-to-height ratio. The low specificities of EWA and FPCS were compensated for by their substantially high sensitivities. FPCS ≥ 0.914 (15.4%) and EWA ≥ 8.8 (6.3%) were found to be the most prevalent cut off points in males and females, respectively.ConclusionsThe Bureau of Health Promotion, Department of Health, Taiwan, had recommended the use of WC ≥ 90 cm for males and ≥ 80 cm for females as singular criteria for the determination of central obesity instead of multiple parameters. The present investigation suggests that FPCS or EWA is a good predictor of MS among the Taiwanese. However, the use of FPCS is not computationally feasible in practice. Therefore, we suggest that EWA be used in clinical practice as a simple parameter for the identification of those at risk of MS.

Historical Temporalities of Capital: An Anti-Historicist Perspective

AbstractMarx's rethinking of the combination between absolute surplus-value and relative surplus-value during the 1860s is very important in order to reconsider the co-presence of different forms of historical temporality and exploitation. Postmodernism presents a picture of a plurality of historical times in which the old lies beside the modern and the sweatshop beside the high-tech factory. Because it fails to provide an explanation of the relation between these forms, postmodernism produces a false image of an 'ahistorical' present. In this article I want to show how the combination of differentials of surplus-value works and why a representation of a plurality of historical temporalities synchronised by the temporality of socially-necessary labour is the most adequate image to comprehend it. The theoretical task is to show how the mature categorial structure of Capital not only does not need an historicist philosophy of history, but is in fact incompatible with it.