Knowledge
Semiconductor devices must be packaged before back-end shipment, which places high demands on cleanliness, moisture protection and information traceability. The operating stability and packaging quality of the packaging equipment directly affect product delivery. Integrated I/O modules are becoming the mainstream choice for automation control of such equipment. This case study takes semiconductor packaging equipment as its subject and demonstrates the application practice of Solidot EC5R series integrated I/O.
Solidot products used in this case study
EtherCAT fieldbus
16-channel digital NPN & PNP compatible input
16-channel digital NPN output
EtherCAT fieldbus
16-channel digital NPN input
16-channel digital NPN input & output compatible
Equipment introduction
Semiconductor packaging equipment is used for the shipment packaging of REEL trays and Tray trays. The equipment is divided by process into functional units such as loading, information verification, auxiliary material placement and bagging and sealing. The units are connected along the conveying direction and continuously complete the operation from product input to packaging output. The main workflow is as follows:
Process step | Action description |
①Loading | REEL or tray is fed to the loading station and positioned |
②information Verification | Verify product information and apply labels |
③Auxiliary material Feed | Insert desiccant and humidity indicator card |
④Bagging and Sealing | Product is placed into an aluminum foil bag, vacuumized and heat-sealed |
⑤Unloading and output | Sealed products are output and transferred to subsequent boxing |
Solidot solution
The functional units of the packaging equipment are arranged in sequence along the conveying direction, and the input and output control points are distributed across the various workstations. If these control points were centrally arranged in the electrical cabinet, signal cables would need to be routed over long distances from each workstation to the cabinet, resulting in a large number of wire harnesses and complex wiring. When adjusting points or troubleshooting faults during equipment operation, it would also be necessary to return to the cabinet side and check them one by one. Semiconductor packaging operations run continuously, so the wiring reliability and maintenance convenience of the control system are critical to continuous equipment operation.
The solution uses EC5R series integrated I/O: the integrated structure integrates communication, input and output in the same module, allowing field signals to be connected directly on the equipment side and shortening signal cable length. The modules are connected to the main controller PLC via the fieldbus, so acquisition and execution are completed locally on the equipment side.
Solution architecture
Control layer:
The Inovance AC series PLC serves as the core controller, responsible for the logic scheduling of the packaging process and workstation coordination.
Network layer:
The EC5R series integrated I/O connects to the PLC via EtherCAT. The modules are distributed along the equipment and connected to the same bus, resulting in a clear network structure.
Field layer:
EC5R modules are deployed both in the control cabinet and on the machine itself, with the models EC5R-1616A and EC5R-1616A+; the input side connects to pushbuttons and proximity sensors to acquire operator commands and workstation In-position signals, while the output side connects to Solenoid valves to drive the packaging actuator cylinders.
Application results
Dimension | Application Performance |
Simplified wiring | Inputs and outputs are connected near the control points, shortening signal cable length and reducing wiring and in-cabinet wiring effort |
Flexible Deployment | The integrated structure facilitates flexible arrangement at different parts of the equipment, matching distributed control points |
Easy Maintenance | Modules are distributed by workstation, making fault points intuitive and troubleshooting and replacement convenient |
Solidot EC5R series integrated I/O
The Solidot EC5R series integrated I/O module combines communication and I/O functions in a single unit and uses an EtherCAT Industrial Ethernet Fieldbus interface.
The module features a compact horizontal design and supports two Installation Methods: latch-type mounting on a 35 mm standard DIN Rail and fixed mounting. An optional Dust cover enables installation outside the cabinet. It provides Short-circuit Protection, Reverse connection protection, Surge protection, Disconnection Detection, diagnostic alarms, module Fault Auto-Recovery and online firmware upgrade, and its innovative channel indicator design makes the channel status clear at a glance, simplifying on-site inspection and maintenance.
It is widely used in applications such as intelligent batching, material conveying, packaging and 3C electronics, where distributed I/O deployment and simplified on-site wiring are highly required.
