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Reference Story
controlling hvac* at smic’s plants
Vacon is gaining ground in the semiconductor industry in China
through its long-term strategy
China has a huge semiconductor industry to meet global
needs for integrated circuits (IC). Most of the well-known
semiconductor manufacturers use Vacon AC drives in the
HVAC systems at their plants. It all started with the first customer, Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation (SMIC) headquartered in Shanghai.
Established in 2000, SMIC is one of the leading semiconductor foundries in the world and the largest and most advanced
foundry on the Chinese mainland, providing IC foundry and
technology services for a broad range of nodes from 0.35 μm
to 40 nm. SMIC has built six factories on one site in Shanghai
and employs some 7,000 people there.
High standards for HVAC equipment and air quality
The semiconductor industry sets very strict standards for
the equipment it uses, and AC drives are no exception. The
simple reason for this is that all the equipment has to operate
all round the clock and right through the year so as to keep
the production environment, and consequently the product
quality, stable.
The quality of the air in the workshops is strictly controlled
and must be maintained to a high standard in respect of the
temperature, humidity, pressure, flow rate and cleanness.
Any failure in the HVAC equipment would result in production
losses costing thousands of dollars. The quality of the air is
even more important than energy savings.
Outstanding reliability, performance and durability
Vacon China identified a huge demand for AC drives in the
semiconductor industry and delivered the first drives to SMIC
in 2004. At that time competing brands of AC drives were running at SMIC’s factories and at the other major semiconductor
plants. Through a partner, however, Vacon China succeeded
in supplying around 40 AC drives to control all the exhaust
fans at SMIC’s new plant in Shanghai.
The Vacon AC drives have demonstrated their durability and
ability to perform in a demanding environment with high requirements. Vacon’s partner Shanghai Okon provides on-site
maintenance round the clock, seven days a week to ensure
unbroken production at the plant. This is highly appreciated
by Mr Zhang, Facility Manager at SMIC. “We are very satisfied with the durability of the Vacon drives. All the drives have
been running continuously for more than seven years without any failures. In addition, Shanghai Okon provides a professional technical support and maintenance service for us,
which greatly improves our production efficiency and brings
significant savings in operational costs,” says Mr Zhang.
Vacon the preferred choice when retrofitting
SMIC has also chosen about 60 Vacon AC drives for its factories in Chengdu and Wuhan. When replacing any failed
drives at the plants, SMIC has selected Vacon as its preferred
choice. The efforts of Shanghai Okon are paying off and an
increasing share of the drives at SMIC’s factories in Shanghai
are Vacon AC drives.
Many other major semiconductor compaines have followed
SMIC’s example by building similar factories in Eastern China
and have chosen Vacon AC drives. With its long-term strategy, Vacon has become an industry benchmark and will increase its market share in the semiconductor industry in the
coming years.
SMIC in brief
Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation (NYSE:
SMI; SEHK: 981) is headquartered in Shanghai, China. SMIC has
a 300 mm wafer fabrication facility (fab) and three 200 mm wafer fabs at its Shanghai mega-fab, two 300 mm wafer fabs in its
Beijing mega-fab, a 200 mm wafer fab in Tianjin, and a 200 mm
fab under construction in Shenzhen. SMIC has customer service
and marketing offices in the USA, Europe, Japan and Taiwan, and
a representative office in Hong Kong. SMIC also manages and
operates a 300 mm wafer fab in Wuhan owned by Wuhan Xinxin
Semiconductor Manufacturing Corporation.
When retrofitting at SMIC’s plant, Vacon is regarded as
the preferred AC drive brand.
*HVAC = Heating, ventilation and air conditioning.
** μm = micrometre, one-millionth of a metre; nm = nanometre,
a billionth of a metre
Tel. +358 (0)201 2121
Fax +358 (0)201 212 205
www.vacon.com
[email protected]
RS000150A
Vacon Group
Runsorintie 7, 65380 Vaasa, Finland