Advanced Resource Management in Semiconductor Fabrication Facilities Monitoring

Advanced Resource Management in Semiconductor Fabrication Facilities
A Cutting Edge Facilities Monitoring Solution For Semiconductor Manfacturing

The rapid evolution of semiconductor manufacturing, driven by demand for smaller, faster chips, has escalated energy and water consumption to unprecedented levels. For instance, transitioning from 7nm to 5nm nodes increases energy use by 20%, primarily due to EUV lithography and process complexity. Simultaneously, water demands surge, with a facility producing 35,000 wafers/day consuming over 30 million liters daily, allocated across ultra-pure water (UPW) production (40%), cooling systems (40%), and chemical processes (20%).**

Integrated Monitoring & Analytics
Leveraging the AVEVA PI System, facilities gain end-to-end visibility across assets, sites, and enterprises by centralizing time-series data from control systems, plant operations, and IIoT devices. This unified platform enables contextualized analytics, metadata enrichment, and actionable insights to drive continuous improvement in critical areas:
1. Energy Management
- Semiconductor manufacturing accounts for 1% of global electricity consumption (up from 0.5% in 2010), projected to reach 3–5% by 2030.
- Modern fabs require 100–150 MW (vs. 30–50 MW for 28nm-era fabs), necessitating energy-optimized operations through balance-of-plant analysis and AI-driven efficiency strategies.
2. Water Stewardship
- 85–90% of non-UPW water is recycled, yet UPW’s purity requirements limit reuse.
- Emerging Zero Liquid Discharge (ZLD) systems recover >95% of wastewater, albeit with high energy intensity (10–25 kWh/m³) and tailings challenges.
3. Operational Excellence
- Condition-Based Maintenance: Proactive asset health monitoring reduces downtime and extends equipment life.
- AI/ML Applications: Optimize chiller performance, pump efficiency, and overall equipment effectiveness (OEE).

Sustainability Targets
Facilities are adopting metrics like 0.32 liters of water per Manufacturing Index (MI) unit to align with global ESG standards. These efforts address dual crises: energy scarcity and water stress, particularly critical in regions hosting high-tech manufacturing hubs.

Conclusion
By integrating advanced monitoring, predictive analytics, and closed-loop systems, semiconductor fabs can mitigate resource bottlenecks while advancing sustainability. The AVEVA PI System serves as a cornerstone for achieving these goals, enabling data-driven strategies to balance production demands with planetary boundaries.