Printed circuit board Association in Taiwan (TPCA) Yes GEM
As a communication standard for device connection , They invited Cimetrix stay TCPA Introduction at technical meeting GEM Some of the most important features and benefits of . stay Brian Rubow
(Cimetrix Director of customer training and support ) After my speech ,TPCA Ask him to write a summary article and put it in the 2017 year 10 Monthly TPCA
show Published on . As we are in 2018 Function launched in / Benefit blog series , We reissued this article today .
SECS/GEM Refers to a set of semiconductor industry standards used to manage communication between manufacturing equipment and plant host systems . Message layer standard SEMI E5
SECS-II A general message structure and a library containing many standardized messages are defined . Protocol layer standard SEMI
E37 High speed message service (HSMS) Defines the use of TCP/IP transmission SECS-II Binary structure of message .SEMI E30
GEM A set of minimum requirements is defined , additional ( Optional ) function , Use cases and parts SECS-II User scenarios for messages .
SECS/GEM It's implemented on the device , Factories use it for command and control functions . Because it is an industry standard , Any SECS/GEM The host software can be compatible with any SECS/GEM The device communicates . After the standard is fully implemented on the equipment , Factory software can be accessed through its SECS/GEM The interface controls and monitors the equipment comprehensively . These standards offer many benefits to equipment manufacturers and factories . This paper focuses on some of the advantages .
SECS/GEM Reduce the cost of equipment integration
Factories are usually owned and operated by multinational enterprises , These enterprises buy equipment from various equipment manufacturers . Although the control software of each device is different , But the factory is required to integrate the equipment , Coordinate the operation of equipment . Although each device can be independently integrated with customized software , But it's not cost saving , It doesn't save time .
The same is true for equipment manufacturers , Their products are sold to different factories all over the world . The data collection and application software of each factory are different . Equipment manufacturers need to help factories integrate purchased equipment . Although it is possible to develop customized integration solutions for each factory , But it's still not cost-effective . Whenever the factory requires custom integrated features , These costs are passed on to the factory itself .
Customized software , Whether developed by equipment manufacturers or factories , It's expensive to create and maintain , And the quality is often lower than expected . by comparison ,SECS/GEM The standard defines how to create standardized interfaces on any manufacturing equipment . Device manufacturers benefit from developing an interface for all customers . Factories benefit by reusing the same integration software for all the equipment they buy . The reuse of the software and technology by factories and equipment manufacturers improves the quality of the software , Cost reduction , And allow more functionality . Equipment manufacturers and factories can not only invest in the minimum required functions , It can also achieve advanced functions that cannot be afforded in other aspects . If they just need support SECS/GEM, Then device manufacturers can publish more data , Support for more advanced control . conversely , Factories can use this extra data to improve product quality and productivity .
SECS/GEM Applicable to all manufacturing equipment
because SECS/GEM It is divided into basic requirements and additional functions , It can be implemented on any manufacturing equipment , Regardless of its size and complexity . Additional features are optional , Because they are not always needed . for example , Some devices have no recipe , Therefore, there is no need to implement the additional function of recipe management .
SECS/GEM It can also scale well according to the size of the device data . for example , A very simple device or device may be released 10 Different collection events , And a complex device may be released 5000 Different collection events ;
however , Both can use the same SECS/GEM technology .
use SECS/GEM Interfaces can support numerous applications
SECS/GEM So that everything that happens on the device can be tracked . Support any remote control function and system configuration . The more data the device publishes , The more software applications a factory can implement .SECS/GEM Interface enables statistical process control , Troubleshooting , Predictive maintenance , feedforward / Feedback process control , Equipment utilization , Material tracking , Recipe validation and more applications are possible . These applications usually reduce the need for a human-machine interface on the device , This reduces the number of operators in the plant . Recipe management allows factories to minimize scrap materials . for example , use SECS/GEM The interface stores the gold formula in the factory's central memory , And make sure that the correct formula is used on the material .
SECS/GEM Very efficient use of network bandwidth
There are several features that make SECS/GEM Natural and efficient . first , each SECS/GEM The interface acts as a message broker . Because the agent is running on the device , Unsubscribed data will not be published on the network . If the host software wants to receive alerts , Collect event or trace data messages , You must subscribe first . Due to each pair of alarms , Subscriptions that collect events and trace data are managed separately , Therefore, the device can achieve a single function SECS/GEM Interface , This interface publishes all alerts requested by all factory applications , Collect event and trace data , It will not waste network bandwidth because of unnecessary data . in addition , When a host subscribes to tracking data , It can specify the data collection rate , This makes SECS/GEM It is more efficient and useful than the protocol that publishes data at hard coded rate .
in addition , All SECS/GEM Messages are always transmitted in efficient binary format . It's better than that ASCII Format protocol uses less bandwidth . Although binary format is used ,SECS/GEM Messages are also easy and standard XML The symbols are transferred to each other .
SECS/GEM Get strong support from the industry
these years ,SECS/GEM Has always been a semiconductor factory / Pillar of equipment communication and control system . This means that all semiconductor manufacturing today depends entirely on SECS/GEM signal communication . since 90 Since the end of 1990s ,300mm Semiconductor factories have been working with SECS/GEM Fully automatic operation based on communication —— TSMC , Samsung , Meguiar , Intel , Big companies like Toshiba are in every factory 7*24 Use of hours SECS/GEM. Flat panel display , High brightness LED And other industries, such as photovoltaic, also officially began to use SECS/GEM, Because they realize that SECS/GEM Features can be applied to any manufacturing equipment , To support mission critical applications .
SECS/GEM It's self describing
Although the standard requires GEM Documents are provided with the device , however SECS/GEM There are still many ways to make the host software adapt to the needs of the device automatically SECS/GEM Interface . The host software can request available alarms through some messages , List of state variables and device constants , For newer SECS/GEM realization , The host software can also request a list of available collection events and data variables . The news made me happy SECS/GEM Interface plug and play . in addition , The equipment manufacturer can also provide a standardized supply SECS/GEM A complete description of the interface and its features XML file ,.
summary
For factories and equipment manufacturers , use SECS/GEM Technology has many advantages , That's just part of it .SECS/GEM It is a mature technology available today .
Technology