Mechatronics

Mechatronic solutions for accelerating innovation and improving the robustness and capacity of products.

STATE-OF-THE-ART MECHATRONIC PRODUCTS AND PRODUCTION SYSTEMS

FROM CONCEPT TO SERIES PRODUCTION
We develop innovative mechatronic solutions, from conceptual design to the production of test set-ups, one-off machines and series products.
PRECISION EXPERTISE
Vast expertise in precision movement and positioning, miniaturisation, vacuum technology, optical monitoring and embedded design.

Precision movement and positioning

Higher accuracy at higher speed, with dynamics that stay predictable in the machine and over its lifetime.

Miniaturisation

Modules must do more in less space, while heat, stiffness and serviceability all remain within specification.

Vacuum and cleanroom conditions

Materials, lubrication and outgassing determine what a mechatronic design can do in vacuum and in a cleanroom.

Product capacity and cost

OEMs need more throughput at a lower production cost, without giving up mechanical robustness.

EXPERTISE

System architecture

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We translate customer requirements into specifications and compose the system that meets them.

An integrated multidisciplinary approach brings mechanics, mechatronics, electronics, software and mathware together from the first concept onwards.

Translate customer requirements to specifications
Integrated multidisciplinary approach
System composition
Concept design

Design competences

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Machine dynamics and control, modelled before anything is built.

Predictive modelling and control algorithms let us judge dynamic and quasi-static behaviour up front, so the design meets its accuracy and throughput targets.

Predictive modelling
Control algorithms
Machine dynamics and control
Dynamic and quasi-static behaviour

Optics & vision

Making the measurement possible: laser, light and image processing in one chain.

Optical design is developed alongside the motion and control system, so image quality and machine dynamics reinforce each other instead of limiting each other.

Laser technology
Fluorescence technology
Optical (light pad) design
High-speed image processing

Assembly & testing

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Final assembly, inspection and testing in our own project rooms and cleanrooms.

We work on sub-projects as well as complete solutions: customized innovation, technology development, integration and production.

Test set-ups and one-off machines
Series production
Inspection and qualification
Cleanroom assembly

System architecture

We translate customer requirements into specifications and compose the system that meets them.

An integrated multidisciplinary approach brings mechanics, mechatronics, electronics, software and mathware together from the first concept onwards.

Translate customer requirements to specifications
Integrated multidisciplinary approach
System composition
Concept design

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Moore Accuracy3

Moore Accuracy

The customer's challenge In machines that produce micro-electronic wafers (which are a component of semiconductor materials such as integrated circuits, transistors and diodes), internal temperatures increase considerably during the production process. This leads to a decrease in product quality. A complex and lengthy journey to adapt the hardware would potentially have led to a solution, but Sioux approached the issue from a different perspective. Sioux's contribution With our knowledge of mathematics and multiphysics, Sioux created insight into the dynamic thermal effects. Based on this insight, Sioux developed a model that calculates how the machine should be fine-tuned within 12 milliseconds. This way, deviations in products as a result of temperature increases in the machine during production are continually corrected. Result Thanks to this method, the wafer machine’s accuracy rate is now twice as high, and its throughput speed was increased as well. The results were so positive that the client applied for a patent for this Mathware. Technology Multi-physics, Thermal dynamics, Approximation theory, Modal analysis, Non-linear optimization, Scientific computing. Mathware technologies: Comsol, Ansys, Python, openFOAM, ICEM CFB.

Laser-Induced Subsurface separation

The customer’s challenge Subject to tremendous market pressure, ASM PT needed to engineer its disruptive technology prototype towards commercial release: a fully automated 12” wafer dicer with extremely high position and grooving/dicing accuracy (< ± 1µm) in a small footprint. Sioux was asked to help develop the Advanced Laser-Induced Subsurface Separation (ALISS) in collaboration with VDL ETG. Sioux’s contribution Sioux acted as the main contractor. Mechanics, mechatronics, optics, electronics and software design were performed in-house. Five new mechatronic modules were added to the prototype 12’ control software (Thor). Changes were made in all layers of the Thor architecture (the I/O layer, the System layer and the Control/Application layer): wafer height mapping, recipe parsing and dicing trajectory calculation, contour mapping, wafer alignment using on- and off-axis cameras and laser control application. Result With this new machine, ASM PT is able to offer laser dicing and grooving systems that ensure the lowest possible cost of ownership due to the shortest possible process time (keeping up cutting speeds of up to 500mm/s) and offer high flexibility. Technology Computer Vision, Sensor processing, C++, VCL, Python, TCP/IP, Machine dynamics and planar XY stage.

Litography for advanced packaging

The customer's challenge Lithography for advanced packaging is different from lithography for front-end wafer processing. The requirements involved are special and varying. The resist films range from thin to thick. Kulicke & Soffa developed the Liteq 500, a wafer stepper that is flexible and can effectively deal with all these variations and specific needs. Sioux's contribution Sioux designed, implemented, and tested the complete software stack for the Liteq 500, including: the user interface the control software for all devices, including the stage, the CCD camera, the illuminator, the beam stabilizer, the aerial image sensor, and the reticle robot the business logic for processing cells on a wafer, exchanging and aligning wafers, handling reticles, and executing metrology measurements with the projection lens and the CCD camera the mathematical algorithms for the metrology formal verification of the control software using ASD the firmware for Metrology Unit and the Illuminator Control Unit Result The first stepper is operational, commercial machines are now being sold. Technology Windows 8, Microsoft .NET 4.5, WCF, C#, 64 bit, ASD, ESP, STM32 and C++.

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