Networked pressure sensors play a major role in automating numerous manufacturing processes. With a focus on the specific requirements of the semiconductor industry, WIKA has developed a line of robust UHP pressure transducers that fit in tight spaces and communicate over EtherCAT®.
Factories in the U.S. and around the world are getting smarter. In the future, every single production plant – from aerospace and automotive to food & beverage and pharmaceuticals – will be equipped with a network of digital sensors, actuators, and controllers that link instruments, systems, and processes to each other.
Increasing digitalization means that the semiconductor industry has to make more chips to meet the growing demand. Adding to the pressure is a recent push from both the U.S. private and public sectors to manufacture more chips domestically. At first, onshoring semiconductor production arose from a desire to mitigate supply chain disruptions, thus the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022. Three years later, onshoring has become a way to avoid the turbulence and uncertainties around tariffs on imported chips.
At the same time, with the accelerating growth of cloud services, AI computing, and other powerful technologies, chips are becoming more complex and sophisticated. This makes it even more crucial to precisely monitor and manage the production process of these high-performance chips.
Advantages of EtherCAT® Networking
In the semiconductor industry, EtherCAT® (Ethernet control automation technology) has long been the primary communication protocol for larger instrumentation and control systems. This fieldbus system is fast, flexible, and powerful enough for demanding applications. It also offers cable redundancy, which improves process reliability. In addition, hot-connect and hot-swap functions make it easy to maintain and repair instruments without taking the network offline.
EtherCAT® is increasingly moving to the transmitter level as more semiconductor manufacturers use this digital interface to integrate smaller components, including pressure transducers, into control systems. High-purity gas applications have limited space for mounting measuring instruments, so compactness is key.
EtherCAT Pressure Transducers for UHP Applications
WIKA listens to the wants and needs of the semiconductor industry. That is why we further enhanced the state-of-the-art WUD-2x pressure transducer family – already the smallest sensor of its kind on the market – for integration into EtherCAT® networks.
(from left) The WUD-20-E, WUD-25-E and WUD-26-E UHP pressure transducers with EtherCAT®
The market’s first EtherCAT® pressure transducers are the WUD-20-E, WUD-25-E, and WUD-26-E, each with a different process connection. Designed to fit into the standard grid dimension of 1⅛” (28.5mm), these UHP pressure transducers are extremely compact despite the digital interface with two RJ45 ports. The high-precision EMC-stable sensors work with the EtherCAT Technology Group’s ETG.5003.2080 Specific Device Profile (SDP).
In addition to displaying and transmitting the measured pressure values, the WUD-2x-E series can also communicate further details, such as the PCB (printed circuit board) electronics temperature, the transducer’s runtime, diagnostics, error states, and other information. All this data give manufacturers a continuous overview of the system and instrument status for condition monitoring and predictive maintenance. As a result, process sequences are more transparent and their control more precise. The higher process stabability and quality, in combination with less downtime, results in hard cost savings.
WIKA, Smart in Sensing for the Semiconductor Industry
WIKA offers the semiconductor industry a broad portfolio of smart sensors, such as the innovative WUD-2x-E EtherCAT® UHP pressure transducers, as well as other advanced IIoT solutions. Contact WIKA USA for more information on how to optimize your industrial processes.
Products mentioned in this article
• WUD-20-E, WUD-25-E, WUD-26-E ultra high purity transducer with display and EtherCAT®
• WUD-20, WUD-25, WUD-26 ultra high purity transducer with display and optional switch contacts
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