Jump to main content.

Research Project Search
 Enter Search Term:
   
 NCER Advanced Search

2005 Progress Report: Comprehensive Tools to Assess Environmental Impacts of and Improve the Design of Semiconductor Equipment and Processes

EPA Grant Number: R831456
Title: Comprehensive Tools to Assess Environmental Impacts of and Improve the Design of Semiconductor Equipment and Processes
Investigators: Dornfeld, David
Institution: University of California - Berkeley
EPA Project Officer: Richards, April
Project Period: December 5, 2003 through December 4, 2006
Project Period Covered by this Report: December 5, 2004 through December 4, 2005
Project Amount: $324,969
RFA: Technology for a Sustainable Environment (2003)
Research Category: Pollution Prevention/Sustainable Development

Description:

Objective:

The objectives of this research project are to: (1) develop a comprehensive design for environment (DFE) tool to assess the environmental and health impacts of semiconductor manufacturing, (2) feed this information back into semiconductor equipment and process development cycles, and (3) promote the broader use of this tool to support industrial ecology. To achieve the third objective, the EnV-S software originally developed for the semiconductor industry will be adapted and evaluate for selected projects in the automotive sector (representative of the broader mechanical parts manufacturing) also. This will allow us to assess the extent to which the software can address broader manufacturing issues across different industries.

Progress Summary:

The work in Year 1 of the project continued with respect to semiconductor manufacturing processes (specifically chemical mechanical planarization and chemical vapor deposition) emphasized an experimental approach. This work continues to build on our previous research on bottom-up semiconductor DFE tools at Berkeley, specifically the environmental value system analysis tool, EnV-S.

During Year 2, we expanded the scope of our analysis and development of EnV-S to include the automotive sector with a project based on a Ford Motor Company request to analyze means to minimize the environmental cost (global warming gas generation, electricity use) and operating cost of a plant compressed air supply and distribution system for a transmission manufacturing line in a Ford factory. The study was to include the automotive industry with specific interest in alternative energy sources for use in the industry and assessments of manufacturing process alternatives for reducing energy and environmental impacts of manufacturing processes.

Compressed air is one of the most expensive energy sources in manufacturing. This study is an evaluation of the use and supply of compressed air at Ford’s Livonia Transmission Plant, aiming towards making recommendations to improve environmental and economic efficiency in future facilities. This study conducted a quantitative analysis of three compressed air supply patterns, namely plant air, point of use, and local generation, as alternatives for future compressed air usage. EnV-S was employed to determine the economic and environmental performance of the three alternative supply patterns by using cost of ownership and environmental impact matrices. Data from shop and facility operation as well as alternate compressed air device suppliers were used.

Compressed air is regarded as the fourth utility, after electricity, natural gas, and water, in facilitating production activities. In manufacturing plants, compressed air is widely used for actuating, cleaning, cooling, drying parts, and removing metal chips such operations. However, the cost of compressed air production is one of the most expensive and least understood processes in a manufacturing facility. The cost of electric power used to operate an air compressor continuously for a year (about 8,200 hours) is usually greater than the initial price of the equipment. Per million British Thermal Unit of energy delivered, compressed air is more expensive than the other three utilities, as shown in Figure 1.

Figure 1. Cost of Energy Delivery Modes.

Figure 1. Cost of Energy Delivery Modes

Besides cost issues, compressed air production consumes huge amount of energies. It is estimated that about 3 to 9 percent of total energy consumed in the United States in 1997 was for air compression in manufacturing. The consumed energy, directly or indirectly, contributed to large amounts of facility CO2 emissions per vehicle built from automotive manufacturing facilities.

Compressed air is used relatively indiscriminately in automotive manufacturing because of its ease of setup. There is no need for additional maintenance or special machines; the task can be accomplished by adding piping. In addition, as a form of energy, compressed air represents no fire or explosion hazard; as the most natural substance, it is clean and safe and regarded as totally green.

At Ford’s Livonia Transmission Plant, compressed air system has been identified as a source of potential cost and environmental impact savings. Figure 2 illustrates the largest five compressed air consuming processes during the transmission manufacturing processes, and among which, case and valve body machining are two processes that make particularly extensive use of compressed air. Together, they consume 56 percent of all compressed air used.

Figure 2. Compressed Air Usage Pareto Chart.

Figure 2. Compressed Air Usage Pareto Chart

There are 24 Ex-Cell-O CNC milling machines used for case and valve body machining at Ford’s Livonia Transmission Plant. In this project, quantitative analysis is conducted on the compressed air usage patterns for all these 24 Ex-Cell-O machines.

The Cost-of-Ownership and energy use analysis favor local generation for cost consideration and energy efficiency. Employment of local generation instead of plant air could potentially save $2,000-$3,200 and 95,000 kWh each year on the Ex-Cell-O computer numerical control (CNC) milling machines at Ford’s Livonia Transmission Plant. Meanwhile, local generation offers numerous advantages over plant air in regards to reliability, simplicity, leakage prevention, and flexibility. Local generation is supplied by relatively short pipelines, which may lead to a significant reduction of losses caused by leaks in operation. Extra local compressors may be connected to Ex-Cell-O machines in parallel, which automatically builds a great deal of redundancy into the system. Furthermore, the scale of local generation compressors enables greater flexibility as machines and processes change.

Future Activities:

Our research will continue to develop along the lines outlined above—that is, increase the capability and reliability of the EnV-S tool and continue our validation of this tool in the automotive industry with specific interest in alternative energy sources for use in the industry and assessments of manufacturing process alternatives for reducing energy and environmental impacts of manufacturing processes. We continue our collaboration with two automakers, one domestic and one European, to set up means for accessing data for use in this area of the study. The intention is to base our analysis on the EnV-S software and to adapt and evaluate the software for this sector also. That will indicate the extent to which the software can address broader manufacturing issues across different industries.

Journal Articles:

No journal articles submitted with this report: View all 10 publications for this project

Supplemental Keywords:

ecological effects, chemicals, integrated assessment, life-cycle analysis, alternatives, clean technologies, innovative technology, waste reduction, environmentally conscious manufacturing, pollution prevention, , INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION, TREATMENT/CONTROL, Sustainable Industry/Business, Scientific Discipline, RFA, POLLUTION PREVENTION, Technology for Sustainable Environment, Sustainable Environment, waste reduction, Technology, Environmental Engineering, Environmental Chemistry, Economics and Business, industrial design for environment, semi-conductor processing, cleaner production, environmental hazard assessment, clean technologies, electronics industry, industrial ecology, Design for Environment, waste minimization, environmentally conscious manufacturing, semiconductor industry, alternative materials
Relevant Websites:

http://me.berkeley.edu/lmas/LMAS_Web/lmas/news.html exit EPA

Progress and Final Reports:
2004 Progress Report
Original Abstract
Final Report

Top of page

The perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Conclusions drawn by the principal investigators have not been reviewed by the Agency.

Local Navigation

Jump to main content.