Application Case: Digital Transformation of Traditional Industrial Ovens at a Wafer Testing Facility

Industry : Semiconductor / Wafer Testing
Key Applications: Industrial Oven IoT Connectivity, PLC Retrofit, Process Data Traceability
Background : How Can Non-Networked Ovens Meet Increasing Data Compliance Requirements?

The customer operates a wafer testing facility with several traditional hot-air ovens from other suppliers. As end customers required better production data traceability and quality control, manual data recording was no longer enough. However, the existing ovens could not connect to the factory network or automatically send process data. The customer therefore needed a practical way to upgrade the ovens without replacing all existing equipment.

The Challenge: Replace the Equipment or Retrofit It On-Site?

During the evaluation process, the customer faced two major challenges.
1. Limited Retrofit Support
Most retrofit suppliers require ovens to be returned to their facilities. This increases transportation risks and may cause long production downtime.
2. Hidden Costs of New Equipment. The original supplier preferred to recommend new equipment instead of retrofitting the existing ovens. However, buying new equipment creates three major challenges:

High capital investment: New equipment requires a large budget and may force working ovens to be retired early.
Time-consuming process requalification: Baking recipes and process parameters must be adjusted and verified again, reducing available production time.
Complex installation work: Equipment delivery, installation, and facility coordination may disrupt the existing production schedule.

The Solution: On-Site Retrofit and PLC Connectivity for a Semi-Automated Digital Upgrade

To address these challenges, WEISUN introduced a Semi-Automated Connectivity Upgrade Solution for Traditional Ovens, upgrading existing equipment with data output capabilities without purchasing new machines.
1. PLC Retrofit
A PLC was added to each oven for data collection and signal output, providing the foundation for equipment connectivity.

2.Centralized Server
A central server collects data from multiple oven PLCs, replacing separate IPCs and reducing hardware costs and maintenance complexity.

3. Customized Monitoring System
A customized interface allows operators to monitor oven temperatures, operating status, and alarms from one central platform.

4. On-Site Retrofit
All work was completed at the customer's facility. Only one oven was stopped at a time, minimizing production downtime.

Results and Benefits

With WEISUN's digital upgrade solution, the customer's traditional ovens were converted into semi-automated, data-enabled equipment. This enabled process traceability and helped meet end-customer quality control requirements, while also delivering the following benefits:

Lower Capital Investment: Upgrading existing equipment reduced project costs and avoided the early replacement of working ovens.
Less Process Requalification: The original oven hardware, baking recipes, and process settings were retained. Production could resume after basic process confirmation.
Reduced Downtime: The retrofit was completed on-site, one oven at a time. This reduced downtime by approximately three days to one week and eliminated equipment transportation costs.
Experienced and Efficient Team: WEISUN's experienced retrofit team provided fast response, efficient installation, and flexible support to meet customer needs.