Technologies such as virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), and even mixed reality (MR) are evolving. These are collectively called XR, and EBARA has been researching and developing XR technologies, incorporating them into its business and operations in an effort to advance them.
These efforts are already underway with EBARA's CMP Systems, which are used in semiconductor manufacturing, and XR is being used to train engineers who use these systems. To date, we have provided equipment training to internal and external engineers.
In the past, we used real machines in a face-to-face format, but with the development of a new training program using XR, we are pursuing a format that utilizes the advantages of digital technologies, rather than replacing the real with the digital.
The Business Division and the R&D Division have been working together on XR development for training. Speaking about the behind the scenes of XR development, its merits, and future possibilities are Seiji Miura (Training Section, Service & Support Department, Equipment Division, Precision Machinery Company) and Takeshi Wakiyama (XR Technology Promotion Section, Strategic Technology Research Department, Corporate Technology, R&D, and Intellectual Property Group).
<br>Miura—For many years, I have been conducting equipment training for customers in Japan and overseas, as well as for engineers at EBARA affiliates. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it became difficult for people to travel for this training, and it became necessary to conduct training remotely instead of using the conventional face-to-face format. Switching to remote learning for classroom content that conveyed information and knowledge was not too difficult, but what concerned me was the practical skills, the hands-on training with actual machines.
I was trying to figure out how to supplement the practical skills training in a remote environment. It began when I heard from Wakiyama's XR Technology Promotion Section.
Seiji Miura
Wakiyama: Our organization has been conducting research and development on XR. For example, we use VR technology to build showrooms in the metaverse (virtual space created digitally) and hold product launches.
Researching and developing XR technology is important, but it is not profitable by itself. It is important to utilize the technology in EBARA's business, and equipment training was applicable to that. Specifically, we will use CAD data to represent real machines with VR and AR, and participants will learn how to operate the machines while simulating them. First, we made a sample, and then we repeated making improvements while everyone shared their feedback.
Miura—The training programs are tailored to the type of equipment and the relevant details content. There are about 250 training programs in total. Now we are making XR versions of these training programs, with the goal of making one per month.
The XR Technology Promotion Section has taken the lead and already accumulated various technologies and research results. But instead of just applying them to equipment training, I feel that we are able to listen to feedback from trainers and use our knowledge and technology together. I think this is a case where the Business Division and the R&D Division literally teamed up.
Miura—At first, we did outsource the development, but now we create everything ourselves. The reason for this is that we wanted to make something of high quality. The key to XR training is how close it is to the real thing and how realistic it is. Even if we verbally explain how it feels to operate a machine and the movements of the machine to an outside party who has no knowledge of the actual machine, there is a limit to the quality that is possible.
In that regard, Wakiyama was originally on the control team for CMP Systems, so of course he has considerable knowledge about the actual equipment. If I provide him with a rough idea, he will get it. Plus, because he is inside the company, we can talk quickly whenever we need to. But on the other hand, I made too many requests in the past, which put him in a tough spot on occasion.
Wakiyama: I was in charge of CMP Systems control for about five years, and after that I came to the XR Technology Promotion Section. When it began, I wanted to be involved in XR, so I applied and was transferred to my current department. I am grateful to my boss at the time and the company for letting me take on this challenge and do what I wanted to do. In that sense, I feel that I must deliver real results.
<br><br>Wakiyama: Although XR has taken off when it comes to games and entertainment, its use in manufacturing and industry is still limited, and there is not much information about it. I identified the essence of the technologies and systems used in 3D games that I thought could be used and applied them to these training programs. As an engineer, I have been involved in 3D games myself, and I have worked across multiple industries. I made it by combining my own knowledge with new information.
Takeshi Wakiyama
Miura—I have no knowledge of programming, so I just tell Wakiyama my ideas for what I want to be able to do, and how I want to create certain types of training using XR, and he always meets those demands. I sometimes am too confident he can meet my demands, but in fact, he always comes through for me.
Miura—Those who have received this training have properly acquired skills and knowledge, and I feel that it is veritably effective. In addition, inquiries from other departments within the company have increased. We are often asked who made it, so I always give Wakiyama's name. Projects using XR may increase in other departments as well.
Miura—It is true that there are a certain number of negative voices saying no one will learn that way or that training without actual equipment is meaningless. How to change those opinions is a major challenge and, conversely, a major motivational boost.
Of course, I don't think training using XR will exceed that using actual machines. But, it is also true that XR offers different merits not available when using actual machines. For example, in the case of a real machine, you cannot see the inside of a machine in operation. But with virtual spaces, we can make the device translucent and show what is happening on the inside.
This is not only true for CMP Systems but also for pumps, for example. Up until now, to understand the movement of water inside, information was obtained using numerical data called logs. But you might be able to use those numbers to digitally simulate the movement of water, and similarly make a VR pump translucent to see the movement of water inside.
Wakiyama—To take an extreme example, it is possible to reduce the size of the person participating in the training to about one tenth of their actual size, go inside the equipment, and check every inch of the structure. One merit with XR is that various types of training can be conducted depending on whatever the idea is.
Miura—Unlike actual machines, there is no limit to the number of devices, so many people can train at the same time. And we can see how other people operate the machines from the same perspective. In addition, the programs created by Wakiyama are interspersed with game-like production and effects, allowing participants to enjoy an element of fun that is unique to digital technology.
On the other hand, it is important that we cherish the sense of tension and the sense of delicate work that can only be experienced with real machines. We are not talking about only using real machines or only their digital versions, but rather merging the merits of both. We hope that many people will recognize it as an option along with training using real machines.
Wakiyama: I think it would be interesting if we could do network play with XR training. In the gaming world, this is a genre known as MMORPGs, where many players enter the same virtual world and play a role-playing game. If this system could be successfully applied to XR training, people in Japan and around the world could enter the same space and train at the same time. This would also encourage communication. I have been researching MMORPG systems recently and I hope we can bring this to life someday.
Miura—We are currently using XR technology for training, but we hope to expand this technology to work assistance in the future. For example, with MR, an engineer could put on a glasses-type device and look at the equipment and see a digital representation of the work methods and procedures. Digital technology supplements the experience and knowledge of workers, which should lead to safer and more reliable work. It may also be possible to use AI to detect abnormalities based on videos of the equipment captured by the device. That may lead to training-less work that does not require any training.
Semiconductor plants operate 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, so equipment problems can have a huge impact on operations. Work assistance tools like these would enable engineers on site to perform advanced tasks and reduce problems. Because we have such a great team now with this project, we want to add AI to the technology we have developed and make something even more advanced.
※Department names are as of 2023/12
Seiji Miura
Precision Machinery Company
Takeshi Wakiyama
Technology, R&D, and Intellectual Property Group
Read the cross-talk here