Yaskawa’s high-end Sigma-X servo systems are the optimal choice for modern electronics manufacturing

Equipment for the production of electronic and semiconductor components must meet the strictest requirements for precision and efficiency, as well as sector-specific safety regulations such as SEMI S2 and SEMI S8. Moreover, to be applicable in today’s high-tech industry, these platforms must also have extensive intelligent functionality.

Yaskawa provides a unified solution to these two key challenges with its new series of high-end Sigma-X servo systems, offered on the Bulgarian market by Gemamex. All components in the range, integrated into the latest generation of the iCube platform, are designed to work in perfect compatibility and synergy with each other for optimal productivity.

“Sigma-X systems push the boundaries of what is technically possible in the semiconductor industry, and manufacturers of specialized machinery and equipment for the sector receive many irreplaceable advantages,” Gemamex reveals.

The challenges of the semiconductor industry

High standards of precision and productivity are particularly important in so-called pick-and-place applications, such as PCB assembly, substrate handling, chemical etching and other complex automated tasks.

Key factors for the effective use of servo drive systems in such scenarios are also uncompromising reliability and operational availability, as any unwanted downtime costs the manufacturer valuable time and money. Another critical condition is a long service life, which guarantees a full return on investment.

Solution for complex applications

Servo systems are responsible for a number of complex tasks simultaneously, for example in joining/bonding. They must maintain a constant, precise pressure and distribute it across a large number of synchronized axes. An important requirement is that the movement can be stopped immediately at any position, while maintaining impeccable process stability.

In coating applications, precision is also critical, and it is directly influenced by the speed of the line and, in particular, by its extremely precise regulation.

Yaskawa’s Sigma-X servo systems offer a wide range of intelligent functions to address these challenges. These include optimized torque compensation, automatic load control, vibration suppression and synchronized axis control.

The main goal of the new developments is to increase the competitiveness of manufacturers and users of equipment for the semiconductor industry. The extremely compact servo motors in the range allow for even smaller machine sizes, making them easier to implement. And the various fine-tuning options are extremely easy to learn and implement.

Next-generation servo drive

The system automatically detects and suppresses vibrations and resonances generated by the machine. Integrated acceleration sensors detect any unwanted operating events at an early stage. The servo amplifiers also provide a wide range of additional data, such as power consumption, temperature, maintenance cycles, etc.

Smart features

• More precise torque control;
• Wider applicability: in substrate processing/manipulation, bonding, chemical etching, PCB cutting and shaping, grinding, polishing, path tracing, etc.;
• More effective vibration suppression – from Sigma-V onwards;
• Use of various parameterized setpoints as input signals for speed ripple compensation (standard feature in Yaskawa servo motors);
• Enable and set this feature for other motors with SigmaWin+ software;
• Load fluctuation compensation adjustment function – for fast and long-term stable positioning;
• Identification of errors in motion patterns, predictive maintenance and alarms when setting limits are reached;
• Wide power range – 50 W – 15 kW (200 V);
• 400 V models to be launched;
• Servo amplifiers available for simultaneous connection of up to three servo motors;
• Models with special firmware for application in portal systems;
• Analog/pulse signals, EtherCAT and Mechatrolink-4/III interfaces;
• All amplifiers have STO function for safe torque off.