New technology for old equipment [wet chemical process stations]

In September 1992, International Business Machines chose Phoenix Process Automation to upgrade six automated wet chemical process stations at IBM´s plant in Essex Junction, Vermont. After five to six years of operation, the stations had reached geriatric status, experiencing excessive downtime, frequent chemical spills, high scrap rates, and reduced throughput. IBM and Phoenix personnel worked closely to plan and implement a comprehensive upgrade program, which included major improvements to hardware and software controls. Today, the upgraded wet stations are delivering significantly improved throughput and yield, with dramatic reductions in equipment downtime, scrap, and chemical spills. The program´s success led to four additional upgrades and an ongoing collaboration between Phoenix and IBM to improve wet station reliability and productivity