Industrial Factory Automation

Oxford Instruments Plasma Technology has announced improved endpointing capability on its range of plasma etch and deposition tools, with the introduction of the CCD1 Spectrometer system. The CCD1 is capable of providing a process endpointing capability and UV/VIS spectrum capture, and is available as a standard option on all new tools or as an upgrade option for existing Oxford Instruments customers. This spectrometer is designed to provide a cost-effective route to general-purpose endpointing and spectroscopy, without compromising on resolution or signal strength. The CCD1 is a UV/VIS CCD spectrometer that can monitor a range of plasma emissions over wavelengths 200-880nm. This unit can be used in one of two ways: process endpoint detection via OIPT's PC2000 software or full spectrum viewing and recording. This provides the user with detailed plasma spectroscopy information, which can be used for monitoring the concentrations of species within the plasma. The spectra can also be...

Techserv Cutting Systems has delivered four HS 4000 hi-definition precision plasma cutters to the UK's Aircraft Carrier Alliance (ACA). Each cutter employs an advanced fully-synchronised four-axis motion-control system - based on Baldor digital servomotors and drives - to provide the precision of movement needed for tight-tolerance, large-scale profile cutting. The plasma cutters are being used to help fabricate the steel-plate bow sections of two Queen Elizabeth Class aircraft carriers. Techserv's HS 4000 plasma cutters are capable of producing high-quality cut parts from steel-plate sheets up to 5m wide and up to 35mm thick. They employ precision-extruded aluminium for the chassis and main beam to ensure rigidity and low mass and use a machined track - with racks to both rails - which can be mounted on mid-level pedestals or on a customer-supplied beam. Depending on the thickness of steel plate being processed and the type of plasma unit that is fitted, HS 4000 machines off...