Which parts of semiconductor equipment require lubrication?

In wafer fabrication plants, chip transport is typically carried out through Automated Material Handling Systems (AMHS), which deliver wafers accurately to designated stations. They are then transferred by wafer handling modules into various process tools for fabrication. This highly automated flow imposes extremely high requirements on equipment positioning accuracy, motion stability, and reliability.

Any anomaly in the process may not only impact the yield of a single step but can also trigger downstream errors and production line stoppages, significantly affecting overall manufacturing efficiency and delivery schedules. Ensuring the stable operation of key transmission and motion components is therefore one of the core factors in maintaining smooth fab operations.

During wafer transport and process transfer, drive components such as linear guides, ball screws, bearings, and gears play a critical role. These mechanisms operate frequently and demand high precision. Many lubrication points are exposed to air, and any grease splashing can contaminate wafer surfaces and compromise yield.

To address such application needs, Brugarolas offers a series of G.BESLUX FLUOR specialized lubrication solutions, featuring:

• Ultra-low outgassing and low oil separation, suitable for cleanroom and vacuum environments
• High adhesion, effectively preventing splashing and vapor contamination
• Extremely low breakaway and running torque, preventing stick-slip and ensuring reliable operation under high-speed start-stop and instant acceleration conditions

In addition, for high-temperature process equipment such as furnaces, CVD (Chemical Vapor Deposition), ion implantation, and annealing systems, Brugarolas also provides the following high-temperature resistant grease series:

• G.BESLUX PLEX
• G.BESLUX PLEXBAR

These products deliver stable, long-lasting lubrication performance under high temperature and high vacuum conditions, effectively reducing maintenance frequency, ensuring process continuity, and stabilizing yield—making them the ideal choice for advanced semiconductor manufacturing equipment.

What other lubrication points in semiconductor fabs are easily overlooked?

Optical Platforms & Precision Positioning Modules

• Optical alignment stages (in steppers/scanners) often use air bearings or precision linear guides, requiring ultra-low friction and particle-free lubrication.
• Neglecting lubrication health can reduce positioning accuracy, affecting lithography overlay yield.

Internal Gears & Bearings in Dry Pumps

• Most attention is given to vacuum performance, while internal mechanical lubrication is often overlooked.
• Grease degradation or separation can release volatiles, contaminating the process chamber.

Load Port and EFEM (Equipment Front-End Module) Rails

• Wafer cassette loading/unloading involves rails and small actuators.
• Insufficient lubrication can generate particles or cause jamming, disrupting smooth wafer transfer.

O-Rings & Seal Lubrication

• Vacuum chamber doors, valve actuators, and quick couplings require suitable greases (low volatility, chemically inert).
• Without them, seal failure or micro-cracks from friction can release particles.

Cooling Line Connectors Inside Equipment

• Metal joints in liquid or air cooling systems need anti-seize and sealing lubrication.
• Often overlooked, but seizure or leakage can impair cooling and process stability.

Wafer Carrier / FOUP Locking Mechanisms

• FOUP locking and opening systems involve small springs and gears.
• Without lubrication, they may jam, operate roughly, or generate particles.

Transmission Components in CMP (Chemical Mechanical Polishing) Tools

• While CMP focuses on slurry and polishing pads, underlying motor bearings and platen guide rails also require high wear resistance, low-contamination lubricants.

Robotic Arms:
In robotic arm operations, a large number of high-speed, repetitive rotational and sliding movements are involved. The role of lubricants is to reduce friction and wear between components, ensuring smooth motion and precise positioning. Without proper lubrication, joints, bearings, and gears will experience accelerated wear, causing abnormal noise and vibration. Overheating or jamming may occur, leading to equipment failure that impacts line stability and product yield. In the long term, this significantly increases maintenance frequency and downtime costs—critical risks for high-precision automation equipment. Brugarolas G.BESLUX RBT-0 and RBT-00 greases have proven long-term stability in international robotic arm brands and are the preferred choice for OEM first-fill by leading robotic arm manufacturers.

Oil Analysis:
Unlike equipment failures, lubrication issues do not present immediate and obvious symptoms, leading many companies to underestimate the risks and maintenance value of lubricants before problems emerge. However, as tolerance for micro-contamination in equipment continues to decrease, lubricants that have degraded, become contaminated, or lost effectiveness can release particles, acids, or volatiles, creating contamination risks for high-precision processes.

In semiconductor fabs, critical components such as vacuum pumps, furnace drive systems, CVD equipment, robotic arms, AMHS transfer modules, optical platforms, and dry pumps all rely on lubricants. Without regular oil analysis and health monitoring, lubricant degradation may reduce equipment precision, introduce micro-contamination, and negatively impact yield and equipment uptime. Therefore, within TPM (Total Productive Maintenance) or PdM (Predictive Maintenance) strategies, oil analysis must be considered an indispensable element. We collaborate with internationally recognized third-party laboratories specializing in lubricant analysis, helping numerous companies save costs, issue early warnings of equipment conditions, and prevent costly production downtime.