A semiconductor, photo-voltaic (solar panel) and battery manufacturing plant in Montana produces cost leading, high-purity silicon solutions with strict quality standards. One particular application this plant specializes in is Hexachlorodisilane, or HCDS, production. HCDS is used as a precursor, or a substance used in chemical reactions to produce products like semiconductors. This chemical is highly reactive, sensitive to process variations, and expensive to produce, so having accurate and reliable measurements is the key to making sure nothing goes wrong across multiple levels. Before finding a comprehensive solution to increase safety, control processes, and minimize lost product, this facility relied on traditional mechanical pressure gauges.
It's easy to fall back on something you've used for a while. But using the same thing just because it's convenient doesn't necessarily mean it's the best choice for your application. Highly reactive chemicals, like HCDS, can degrade mechanical pressure gauges over time, causing leaks or inaccurate measurements. When you're dealing with expensive materials, small variations in pressure can significantly affect gas flow rates and negatively impact quality standards.
Long-term, using the old methods of measurement translated to issues this plant could no longer brush under the rug. Plant operators need accurate pressure information to minimize costs, protect their employees, and maintain their high-quality and high standards reputation for their clients.
When VEGA representatives reached out to this manufacturing plant, plant operators welcomed them with open arms. Staff at the plant had previous industrial experience with VEGA, and after discussing their current mechanical gauge limitations, a new solution was presented: the VEGABAR 83.
Plant personnel appreciated how the new sensor enabled increased process visibility – with Bluetooth connectivity, measurements can be obtained from a distance, and setup, calibration, and troubleshooting can be performed via the same connection. The Swagelok VCR connection, adapted specifically for the plant’s uses, prevents measurement drift and future leaks from occurring. The sensors are so accurate that operators have been using them to not only keep record of their vessel levels, but to verify the measurements made by less-accurate sensors associated with transfer pumps and flow meters.
With a new highly accurate and reliable sensor at their disposal, this manufacturing plant has already seen major process improvements. Bluetooth connectivity increases process visibility and safety, as workers no longer have to get up close to check the reading. Any process variations can be easily detected and mitigated, and overall measurement accuracy across the plant has gone up.
No matter where you are or what you’re doing in life, there is always room for improvement. When you’re dealing with expensive and highly reactive chemicals, boosting your safety and profitability with a reliable and accurate sensor is the key for your business’s continued success. That’s why this power generation manufacturing plant switched to the VEGABAR 83.