Durable energy supply systems for electronics production positioning systems

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• What was needed: Energy chains from the E6 product range, cleanroom-compatible energy chains (e-skin flat) and energy chains from the E3 product range as fully harnessed readychain systems.
• Requirements: Continuous operation of the system 24 hours a day, seven days a week requires high availability; low vibration and low abrasion are crucial for a trouble-free and flawless manufacturing process. Furthermore, cleanroom suitability up to ISO Class 5 must also be guaranteed for another system.
• Industry: Microelectronics
• Success for the customer: Energy chains from the E6 and E3 product ranges are suitable for cleanrooms, run quietly, are therefore particularly low-noise and low-vibration and offer almost complete freedom from wear. The e-skin flat can also guarantee functionality in cleanrooms up to cleanroom ISO Class 1; the pre-fitted readychain systems significantly reduce the project planning and assembly for the customer

In the production of smart phone circuit boards, a significant increase in throughput can now be achieved compared to the past thanks to a special exposure principle using laser technology. At the same time, manufacturing costs are significantly reduced: important arguments in the mass production of electronic equipment.
Jenaer Antriebstechnik GmbH supplies precisely these exposure and/or laser structuring systems, which are later installed as mechatronic subsystems in the respective die systems. 
Today, approx. 140 PCBs can be exposed per hour. At least 30 smart phones are assembled with individual circuit boards with different circuit functions from an overall circuit board, a so-called panel. The continuous operation of these systems places a particular stress on all machine components. Thus, the highly complex facilities are in operation 24 hours a day, seven days a week. A plant standstill is therefore expensive and simply must not occur. Although the actual production conditions are unproblematic, the long service life makes robust and reliable components essential in the subsystem too.
The exposure table is an essential component of the system. It has a size of 27" x 27". After loading, the PCBs are exposed to light. The table is lowered, transported to the back and unloaded again. In the meantime, a second table has been loaded. The exposure process starts again. It is important for the scanning process that the movement is completely smooth and jerk-free so that there is no interference when printing on the PCBs. For the energy supply solution, this means that it must operate absolutely uniformly and quietly at the same time. In addition to the uniform motion profile and smooth running, low vibration and low abrasion are crucial for a trouble-free and faultless manufacturing process.

Jenaer Antriebstechnik GmbH also manufactures the FAST 4PnP multi-axis system for precise positioning in microelectronics and semiconductor production. Here, too, there are challenges such as reliability, accuracy and costs. In addition, these systems have to function in cleanroom, which is why the energy supply must be approved for cleanroom and function without failure in addition to meeting the high basic requirements.

The e-skin flat is the solution for the multi-axis system from Jenaer Antriebstechnik GmbH. It is suitable for ISO Class 1 cleanrooms and reliably ensures energy supply with minimal particle emission whilst maintaining a high number of cycles. This application, utilising the e-skin flat, was awarded the silver vector award in 2026!

Thanks to its low-noise and low-vibration properties, the energy chain system minimises the so-called polygon effect, which can occur when the energy chain is being unrolled. As there must be only a few µm between the target and actual positions, an absolutely uniform run is required, which is achieved with this modular flat cable. This repeatability and positioning accuracy is further enhanced by the lightweight of the e-skin flat.

For exposure and laser structure systems, igus provides complete pre-fitted energy supply systems, including strain relief, connectors, guide troughs, and mounting plates. These systems safely guide drive, measuring system, and compressed air cables, as well as other media, within the positioning unit. The main advantage of the so-called readychains is that they significantly reduce project planning and, above all, assembly costs.
While two very quiet energy chains from the E6 product range prove their strength on the Y-axis over a length of approx. 2m, the highly flexible energy chain from the T3 product range demonstrates its efficiency over a length of just under 400mm on the Z-axis. Both systems are also suitable for production under clean room conditions, which also prevail when exposing the PCBs and which is why virtually no abrasion may be generated.
In this application, with an inner height of 40mm and a bend radius of 63mm, all cables are guided safely on the Y-axis.
The T3 energy chain system is used on the Z-axis. It also combines smooth operation with low noise. Added to this is the ease of assembly. The side bands which snap together, replace a conventional pin/bore connection and prevent relative movements between the joints giving extremely low wear. This means virtually no wear or abrasion, which enables them to be used in cleanrooms. The geometrical shape of the "T-band" also means that hardly any polygon effect is generated in operation. It operates very harmoniously and smoothly and is therefore particularly low-vibration and quiet. The solution is suitable for applications with rather low fill weights and short strokes due to its low dead weight.