Rigging and transport for semiconductor equipment

The move between two cleanrooms

Most semiconductor tools were designed to be installed once. Moving one means getting crates weighing anything from tens of kilograms to several tonnes through doors, corridors and lifts that were not planned for them, onto a truck, across a country or a border, and into another building. Rigging and transport is the part of an installation where the tool is most exposed: to shocks, tilting, moisture and handling by people who do not know what is inside the crate.

We plan that move and supervise it. The physical lifting and driving is done by specialist riggers and carriers that we appoint and brief.

Route survey

Before we size crates we survey the route at both ends. We measure door widths and heights, corridor turns, lift dimensions and capacities, ramp angles and floor loading along the way, and how the tool will enter the cleanroom: through a dedicated equipment door, a removable wall panel or the gowning area. We also check where a truck can park and unload, and whether a crane or forklift is needed.

Older buildings often hide an obstacle, such as a lift that is too small or a raised floor that cannot carry a mainframe. Finding it on paper means you can plan a wall panel removal or a floor reinforcement in good time.

Transport planning

From the survey we write a transport plan: crate sizes and weights, rigging method at each end, carrier and vehicle type, route and dates. Sensitive tools travel on air-ride suspension trucks. Long or cross-border moves are planned with your freight forwarder. We fit each crate with shock and tilt indicators, and for tools that are especially sensitive to vibration, such as steppers and electron microscopes, we can add a data logger that records shocks, temperature and humidity along the way.

For cross-border moves, used process tools can fall under export control rules. Our export compliance page explains what can apply, and our blog post on moving a semiconductor tool covers the practical steps.

On the day

An engineer from our team is present at loading and unloading. We check that the crates leave the old site in the condition they were packed, and that they arrive in the same state. At delivery we read every shock and tilt indicator before the crate is opened and photograph each crate. The riggers then bring the modules to the cleanroom, through the cleaning area where your site requires it, and set them on the marked footprint.

Typical duration

A move within one city can often be done in a single day once crates are packed. Moves across a country take a few days. International moves depend on the distance, the forwarder and customs, and are planned together with export paperwork that may itself take weeks.

What you provide

• Access to the route at your site, with lift bookings and any permits for loading areas
• A marked tool footprint and a cleaned staging area inside or next to the cleanroom
• Your site rules for bringing equipment into the cleanroom
• Your forwarder's contact details for international moves

Results and documentation

You receive the route survey, the transport plan and a delivery record with indicator readings and arrival photos. If anything shows signs of damage, the record is the evidence for the insurer. Once the tool is in place, the project moves on to hook-up and facilities.