Samsung Electronics adopts USDATA FactoryLink SCADA Solution
Samsung Electronics and its systems integrator Samsung Techwin FA & Logistics System Division have successfully completed a real-time utilities monitoring project at the Fasong semiconductor plant near Seoul. Previously, Samsung Electronics used distributed control systems (DCS) technology to monitor and control electric power, ventilation, and water handling for their semiconductor production lines.
In a bold move, Samsung Electronics decided to implement a lower cost, more flexible solution using programmable logic controllers (PLCs) with packaged supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) software.
After evaluating several PLC and SCADA products, Samsung Electronics selected Siemens S7 PLCs and USDATA FactoryLink software running on Compaq computers with Microsoft Windows NT operating systems.
The SCADA application constantly monitors over 200,000 (Real I/O) data points and provides a visual display of real-time status to the utility engineers. The system also logs archive data directly into an Oracle relational database and warns operators of any alarm conditions at the equipment.
Kwak Seung-Gi, Area 2 Manager, and Kim Seok-Do, Area 1 Manager, of the Electricity Group within the Utility Team at Samsung's Kiheung Plant were pleased with the success of the PLCs and SCADA system for this project. Both also noted that not only does it reduce Samsung's manufacturing costs, provides full control of the system architecture and design. In addition, the flexibility and low total cost of ownership provided by open standards and the latest Microsoft-based software enables Samsung to make changes and improvements quickly.
Samsung Electronics will build new production lines to meet the increased customer demand for its memory chips and the Utility Team intends to continue with this successful use of PLCs and SCADA software.
"This project is an excellent example of how USDATA FactoryLink is able to support a large application, processing many thousands of data points on a single server, with multiple users connected over a local area network to monitor and operate a variety of industrial equipment," says USDATA President Ed Nugent.
Samsung Electronics, the world's leading maker of memory devices, also leads the world semiconductor industry in development after designing a 256 Mb DRAM (dynamic random access memory), a 1 Gb DRAM, and the entire production process technology for 4 Gb DRAMs.
Samsung Electronics not only produces telecommunication equipment for system and network businesses, but it also develops electric appliances and digital and multimedia products.
Korea Data Corporation is a Tier One Partner (TOP) distributor of USDATA software products, and it provides technical support and training to industrial users of FactoryLink and Xfactory software in Korea.
USDATA is a global supplier of component-based production software that is designed to help customers reduce operating costs, shorten cycle times and improve product quality in their manufacturing operations. The company's software enables manufacturers to access accurate and timely information - whether they are on the plant floor, in the office, or around the globe. USDATA has a strong global presence with more than 45,000 installs, in more than 60 countries throughout the world.
For more information on Windows-based technology in industrial applications, please visit the Microsoft Partner Pavilion on Plant Automation.com.
Edited by Jim Lardear
Managing Editor, PlantAutomation.com