Robust I/O for Precision Flow Control, Test and Measurement
Overview
Brooks Instrument is a leading supplier of precision flow control and flow measurement instruments. Their products are used in a broad range of applications such as semiconductor manufacturing,
pharmaceuticals, biopharmaceuticals, fiber optics, thin film manufacturing, solar cells, LED, alternative energy, oil and gas, chemicals and petrochemicals. In their manufacturing facility the Brooks Instrument team assembles calibrates and performs numerous quality tests on each instrument rolling out from the production line.
The most popular instruments are mass flow controllers, or MFCs. Used heavily in semiconductor applications, these devices must be qualified to a very high degree of leak resistance, given the corrosive and toxic nature of some gases employed during semiconductor fabrication. For this test, each of the automated test stands in production must be able to communicate with equipment that supports RS-232 and RS-485 protocols.
“We design our test stands using Sealevel’s products as they are reliable and provide consistent communication, both of which are required to keep up with our high-volume assembly lines.”
Luis Breziner, Engineering Manager of the System Automation Group at Brooks Instrument
The Sealevel Solution
Sealevel’s 7205ec PCIe Serial Interface was selected for use in the latest generations of test stands because of its robustness and reliability.
Also, during the calibration and tuning of an MFC, Brooks Instrument relies on Sealevel’s USB isolated hubs, such as the HUB7i. As the MFCs move along the production line, devices with faulty electronics can potentially short out. This isolating hub protects the calibration equipment from being damaged and eliminates line-down time.
“We design our test stands using Sealevel’s products as they are reliable and provide consistent communication, both of which are required to keep up with our high-volume assembly lines,” says Luis Breziner, Engineering Manager of the System Automation Group at Brooks Instrument.
- Each serial port configurable for RS-232, RS-422 or RS-485
- Ultra high-speed UART and flexible clock prescalar
- 256-byte Tx/Rx FIFOs
HUB7i Optically Isolated 7-Port USB Hub
- Connects up to seven USB peripherals
- Protects the host computer from voltages up to 4000 VAC
- High-retention USB type B connector prevents accidental disconnect