Advanced Process Control (APC) - Another key to improve process optimization and reduce costs
 
The demands for quality in flexible production lines has grown enormously. The production of high-tech components in the areas of chip manufacturing, photovoltaic,  vacuum coating or  automotive applications requires complex equipments to produce products in multiple production steps and at multiple process stations.
 
At each process step the product becomes more value and quality measurements between process steps are a must. To ensure the quality of the product and increase product quality measurements must be carried out in a timely manner. Corrective actions in the next process step (forward loop) or in the same or previous process step (backward loop) compensates the manufacturing tolerances for the following material. In addition to online measuring data and processing this data in forward- and backward loops, rules for control models must be found. This is the function of data mining solutions.

Benefit for the user of APC increased equipment utilization faster process development decrease in process variation increase of yield shorter control loops in case of failure or drift more stable processes ensure product reliability