EtherCAT Technology creates profiles for semiconductor industry

November 30, 2012 - With a kick-off meeting in October 2011 and already 12 comprehensive profile documents created: the Semiconductor Technical Working Group (TWG) of the EtherCAT Technology Group (ETG) undoubtedly publishes its results rapidly.

 

The previous meetings of the Semiconductor TWG correspond to an impressive cumulative contribution of over five person years. Additionally, there is the work on the profiles ‘at home,’ web meetings and conference calls. The working group meetings took place in Silicon Valley, California, USA – hosted by the major manufacturers of semiconductor production systems, who are users of EtherCAT technology.

 

The composition of the Semiconductor TWG is ideal: in addition to the users, the fieldbus experts represent those companies that pro-vide specialized equipment to the semiconductor industry. The participants are not only from North America but also from Europe and Asia, and represent the worldwide market for semiconductor manufacturing as a result. Chairman of the working group is Daniel R. Judd, Arlington Laboratories, who also played a key role in standardizing the previous fieldbus standard for the semiconductor industry.

 

Technical and organizational activities are accompanied by the Ether-CAT experts from the ETG offices in the U.S. and Germany, who ensure that the results fit with existing EtherCAT specifications and tools seamlessly. Florian Häfele from the ETG head office in Germany, who supervises the Semiconductor TWG from the technical point of view explains: “The exceptionally strong commitment of many participants shows that the semiconductor industry takes its decision to standardize on EtherCAT seriously. Everyone is keen to make a start with implementations, because customers are waiting to use EtherCAT not only for motion control, standard I/O and gateways, but also to integrate industry-specific devices such as mass flow controllers, vacuum gauges or turbo pumps directly into the EtherCAT system.”

 

The EtherCAT Technology Group (ETG) is an organization in which key user companies from various industries and leading automation suppliers join forces to support, promote and advance the EtherCAT technology. With over 2200 members from 56 countries the EtherCAT Technology Group has become the largest fieldbus organization in the world. Founded in November 2003, it is also the fastest growing fieldbus organization.