Tag: Semiconductor
Introduction
Onto Innovation, a leading provider of semiconductor process and inspection technologies, was looking to reduce lead times, lower costs, and improve system performance for their cleanroom-integrated chip-making machines. Traditionally, Onto sourced their equipment’s environmental control units (ECUs) from a Japanese vendor, which introduced challenges in shipping time, cost, and integration flexibility. Seeking to localize and upgrade this part of their process, Onto partnered with Air Innovations to create a domestic, high-performance drop-in replacement and a scalable platform for future innovation.
Air Innovations brought decades of expertise in designing ECUs tailored to exacting temperature, humidity, and cleanliness requirements, which are all essential for chip manufacturing environments. Working alongside Montreal-based partner MEP, who built the structural cleanroom enclosures, Air Innovations engineered and delivered a best-in-class HVAC solution for Onto’s evolving equipment line.
Challenges
Onto Innovation’s existing ECU supplier provided reliable but costly and inflexible systems. With global supply chain disruptions, expensive shipping, and long lead times, Onto needed a domestic solution that offered equivalent or superior performance.
The technical requirements were also stringent. Semiconductor tools demand ultra-tight environmental control with extremely narrow tolerances for temperature, humidity, and airflow. These conditions must be met despite varying internal heat loads driven by lasers, high-power cameras, and robotics, which generate varying amounts of heat.
Furthermore, Air Innovations had to match the dimensions, airflow configurations, and utility connection points of the legacy system precisely, fitting a new, more capable ECU into an existing footprint without compromising on functionality.
Lastly, Onto struggled with performance bottlenecks in the original setup, including uneven airflow, ductwork heat loss, and measurement inaccuracies. Since all work takes place inside cleanrooms, Air Innovations’ solution had to allow for reliable, easy service without contaminating the environment.
The Solution
The collaboration between Onto Innovation, Air Innovations, and MEP resulted in a next-generation environmental control system that surpassed expectations of performance, cost, and scalability. Air Innovations approached the project in two strategic phases.
First, they engineered a one-ton ECU that mirrored the legacy system’s external form while delivering significantly tighter environmental control. The new unit maintained temperatures within ±0.03°C and 30–60% relative humidity, outperforming the original unit by more than tenfold in precision. It featured a hot gas bypass valve and variable frequency drives for energy-efficient control, as well as integrated features like leak detection sensors and insulated ductwork to enhance reliability. Additionally, all access points were optimized for cleanroom servicing, with components located for easy cleaning and minimal disruption.
In the second phase, Air Innovations designed a future-ready platform: a modular, scalable ECU system that Onto could adapt as its tools evolved. Seamless integration with MEP’s cleanroom ensured that Onto could build and test domestically, removing the need for international logistics. The result was a robust, North American-built environmental solution that improved performance, reduced costs, and positioned Onto for scalable growth.
Impact
By shifting production from Japan to North America, Onto eliminated six figures in shipping, customs, and brokerage costs, while also significantly reducing lead times. Air Innovations’ ECU delivered exceptional environmental precision directly supporting better chip quality and higher manufacturing yields.
Beyond precision, the new system was designed with scalability in mind. As Onto’s tools evolve to include more powerful lasers and imaging systems, the ECU platform can easily be upgraded by adjusting internal components without requiring a complete redesign or revalidation of the cleanroom structure.
Air Innovations’ engineers also identified and resolved several inefficiencies during on-site visits—including airflow imbalances and insulation issues—improving system-wide performance beyond the scope of the ECU. Ultimately, the project not only solved immediate technical and logistical challenges, but also laid the foundation for future product expansion.
Specifications
The environmental control unit included the following:
- Set point range adjustable 70-75 ℉ (21-24 ℃)
- Set point range adjustable 30-60% RH +/-1%
- 1,720 CFM total recirculation
- 175 CFM make-up air from fabrication plant for pressurization
- Maximum external static pressure 1.5” (TBV)
- 923 W max – sensible only
- 1 Yokogawa GX10 PLC with internal PID loop controller for temperature
- SEMI F47 power supply to meet SAG requirements
If you’re ready for a custom solution from Air Innovations, like these custom environmental control units, contact us by submitting a Project Inquiry or calling 1-800-835-3268 today.
For case studies on other industries, view our case studies page. We also have whitepapers covering the aerospace industry, semiconductor industry, and MyZone Systems product line. The whitepaper page can be found here.
