KR-20260063793-A - A METHOD AND A SYSTEM FOR INTEGRATED CONTROL OF MFC(MASS FLOW CONTROLLING) AND PRESSURE CONTROLLING BY PROVIDING INTERFACES

KR20260063793AKR 20260063793 AKR20260063793 AKR 20260063793AKR-20260063793-A

Abstract

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the method comprises configuring an integrated control operation interface that controls multiple MFC controls using an integrated control board and a pressure controller connected to the MFC on a single screen, and outputting the results through a display unit of a computer device communicating with the integrated control board. Accordingly, the present invention provides an integrated control system and a method of operation thereof in which a control signal according to the integrated control is appropriately converted and applied and rapidly corrected by feedback processing by providing a multi-signal bridge module configured to enable easy control according to user input by configuring an interface of an integrated control system capable of controlling and operating the MFC and the pressure controller in an integrated manner, and enabling efficient control of multiple controllers using the same.

Inventors

조진연
이동호
송동건
김민수
이병일

Assignees

주식회사 하우앳

Dates

Publication Date: 20260507
Application Date: 20241031

Claims (9)

A method of operation of an integrated control system including an MFC (mass flow controller), a sub-board, and an integrated control board, When the sub-board is coupled to a slot of the integrated control board, the sub-board transmits identification information of the sub-board to the integrated control board; A step in which the integrated control board determines whether the identification information of the sub-board overlaps with the identification information of another sub-board; If the identification information of the sub-board does not overlap with the identification information of the other sub-board, the integrated control board stores the identification information of the sub-board; A step in which the integrated control board determines at least one of the type of the sub-board and the type of MFC connected to the sub-board based on the identification information of the sub-board; The step of the integrated control board providing an integrated voltage to the sub-board; The step of the above sub-board generating a reference voltage based on the above integrated voltage; A step of generating a supply voltage based on at least one of the integrated voltage and the reference voltage, and selected based on the type of the MFC; The step of the above sub-board providing the above supply voltage to the MFC; A step in which the above sub-board acquires MFC measurement information related to the MFC using a sensor unit; The step of the above sub-board acquiring MFC reception information related to the MFC using an MFC communication unit; and The above sub-board includes the step of processing at least one of the information about the sub-board, the MFC measurement information, and the MFC reception information into MFC information and transmitting it to the integrated control board. The information regarding the above sub-board includes at least one of the information on the supply voltage and the information on the supply current, and The above MFC measurement information includes at least one of measurement voltage information and measurement current information, and The above MFC reception information includes at least one of reception voltage information, reception current information, reception flow rate information, reception calibration cycle, and reception error information, and The method further includes the step of configuring an integrated control operation interface that controls multiple MFC controls using the integrated control board and control of a pressure controller linked to the MFC on a single screen, and outputting the result through a display unit of a computer device communicating with the integrated control board. Operation method of the integrated control system.
In paragraph 1, The above integrated control operation interface includes one or more screen interfaces for multi-controlling the MFC and the pressure controller, and The above screen interface is, A main interface comprising visual flow information corresponding to the MFC, visual pressure information corresponding to a pressure controller linked to the MFC, a channel-specific flow setting interface of the MFC, and a pressure control interface for setting the pressure and controlling the valve of the pressure controller. Operation method of the integrated control system.
In paragraph 2, The above screen interface is, It includes a channel interface that provides a detailed flow rate setting interface for each MFC channel corresponding to the above MFC, and The above channel interface is, Includes a channel on/off setting interface, a maximum flow rate setting interface, a usage flow rate setting interface, a usage unit setting interface, a real-time flow rate information interface, a flow rate accumulation information interface, an MFC model information interface, an available flow rate interface, and a usage gas interface. Operation method of the integrated control system.
In paragraph 2, The above screen interface is, It further includes a detailed pressure control interface of the pressure controller corresponding to the above MFC, and The above detailed pressure setting interface is, The pressure controller corresponding to the above MFC includes a pressure value setpoint input interface, a maximum pressure value designation interface, a pressure unit setting interface, a pressure zero setting interface, a learning function interface, a pressure reaching speed interface, and a pressure reaching amount interface. Operation method of the integrated control system.
In paragraph 2, The above screen interface is, It further includes a pressure controller setting interface of the pressure controller corresponding to the above MFC, and The above pressure controller setting interface is, Includes a pressure sensor setting interface, a pressure reach speed adjustment interface, a maximum and minimum pressure value specification interface, an AD converter coefficient adjustment interface, an analog pressure proportional maximum voltage value setting interface, a control mode change interface, an error valve position setting interface, a pressure and position control selection interface, a valve maximum voltage setting interface, a valve direction setting interface, and a valve coefficient setting interface. Operation method of the integrated control system.
In paragraph 2, The above screen interface is, It further includes a communication connection setting interface for establishing a communication connection between the MFC and the pressure controller, and The communication connection setting interface includes a serial communication parameter setting interface corresponding to each of the MFC and the pressure controller, and a command setting interface. The above serial communication parameters are, Includes port parameters, baud rate parameters, data bit parameters, stop bit parameters, parity bit parameters, separator parameters, and connection parameters. Operation method of the integrated control system.
In paragraph 1, A step of configuring multi-communication bridge data corresponding to user input to the integrated control operation interface using a multi-signal bridge module; and The method further includes the step of performing multiple control of a plurality of MFCs and pressure controllers using the above-mentioned multiple communication bridge data. Operation method of the integrated control system.
A computer program stored on a computer-readable recording medium for executing a method described in any one of paragraphs 1 through 7 on a computer.
In an integrated control system including an MFC (mass flow controller) and a pressure controller, A sub-board that transmits identification information to the integrated control board when coupled to a slot of the integrated control board; and The system includes an integrated control board that determines whether the identification information of the sub-board overlaps with the identification information of another sub-board, and if the identification information of the sub-board does not overlap with the identification information of the other sub-board, stores the identification information of the sub-board, determines at least one of the type of the sub-board and the type of MFC connected to the sub-board based on the identification information of the sub-board, and provides an integrated voltage to the sub-board in correspondence with the determined type of the sub-board and the type of MFC connected to the sub-board. The sub-board generates a reference voltage based on the integrated voltage, generates a supply voltage selected based on at least one of the integrated voltage and the reference voltage and the type of the MFC, provides the supply voltage to the MFC, acquires MFC measurement information related to the MFC using a sensor unit, acquires MFC reception information related to the MFC using an MFC communication unit, processes at least one of the information about the sub-board, the MFC measurement information, and the MFC reception information as MFC information, and transmits it to the integrated control board. The information regarding the above sub-board includes at least one of the information on the supply voltage and the information on the supply current, and The above MFC measurement information includes at least one of measurement voltage information and measurement current information, and The above MFC reception information includes at least one of reception voltage information, reception current information, reception flow rate information, reception calibration cycle, and reception error information, and A computer device further comprising a computer device that communicates with the integrated control board and configures an integrated control operation interface for controlling multiple MFC controls using the integrated control board and control of a pressure controller linked to the MFC on a single screen, and outputs through a display unit. Integrated Control System.

Description

A method and a system for integrated control of MFC (Mass Flow Controller) and pressure controller and a method of operation thereof The present invention relates to an integrated control system and a method of operation thereof. More specifically, the present invention relates to an integrated control system and a method of operation thereof that constructs various MFC (Mass Flow Controller) equipment and pressure controllers as a single integrated control system and provides an interface that enables the system to be freely controlled and monitored through a computer device. Semiconductor manufacturing plants and hydrogen refueling stations utilize gases, and the control of various gas flows is referred to as a Mass Flow Controller (MFC). While control modules are used to manage MFCs, fine-tuning of gas supply and exhaust can become problematic due to the aging of the control modules and valves. For example, semiconductor manufacturing plants utilize equipment such as Mass Flow Controllers (MFCs) to regulate argon gas flow, Plasma Generators for plasma generation, and Vacuum Chambers; control modules are connected to each of these devices to manage them. While newly established semiconductor factories incorporate a system that collects data on control module aging and defects to determine maintenance cycles, existing factories currently rely on the know-how and experience of personnel due to the absence of such systems. For instance, maintenance is determined manually by detecting minute noises during the process and differences in input and output voltages supplied to motors and valves. However, when maintenance is decided manually in this manner, maintenance may be delayed due to production schedules, or problems may go unrecognized due to a lack of user experience. A prime example is the case where a TSMC factory in Taiwan experienced a six-hour power outage and shutdown due to a delayed maintenance decision. The estimated damages resulting from this shutdown are 1 billion Taiwanese dollars. If a semiconductor factory were to require the reconstruction of new equipment due to an accident, the expected losses would be massive and impossible to estimate. Furthermore, even when using control modules to determine maintenance, they can only control a single MFC, and there is no equipment capable of integrally controlling various devices. Additionally, the equipment supported by the control module may be limited. Consequently, when a single MFC is replaced, poor hardware or software compatibility with the control module may necessitate replacing both the software and hardware of the control module as well. Even if equipment within a semiconductor factory is replaced, production must be maintained to the maximum extent possible by minimizing process idle time. To achieve this, an integrated control module must manage multiple pieces of equipment, stopping only the faulty equipment for replacement while allowing the remaining equipment to continue operating. Consequently, various studies are being conducted on such integrated equipment. Furthermore, semiconductor factories are equipped with pressure controllers that work in conjunction with MFCs to control the overall gas pressure within the vacuum chamber; however, as explained earlier, in existing systems where integrated control of MFCs is difficult, pressure control linked to MFC control is not functioning smoothly. In particular, accurate control via data communication and analog control must be coordinated based on feedback from the MFC and pressure sensors within the system, and correction values must be set and modified controls performed promptly whenever equipment is connected. However, the current system interface requires individual verification and adjustment for each piece of equipment every time, which is very inconvenient and reduces work efficiency. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an integrated control system according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 2 is a drawing showing an integrated control board according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an integrated control board according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a sub-board according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 5 shows a circuit diagram of a reference voltage generation unit according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of an integrated control system (100) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of an integrated control system according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 8 is a drawing showing a connecting cable according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 9 is a block diagram illustrating a sound processing unit according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG