Development of a private cloud-based new-generation virtual metrology system

Automatic virtual metrology (AVM) is the highest-level technology for VM applications from the perspective of automation. The existing PC-server-based AVM systems suffer several limitations, such as being incapable of parallel processing, having no high-availability and fault-tolerance consideration, etc. The new model of IT usage and advantage offered by the emerging cloud computing can bring commercial benefits to industries. In this paper, we based on private cloud architecture and virtualization technology to develop a novel cloud-based AVM system for overcoming the shortcomings of the existing AVM system. Integrated test results in a case study applying the AVM system to perform VM tasks for semiconductor equipment show that the proposed cloud-based AVM system could demonstrate a significant performance improvement over the existing PC-based AVM system, while achieving the similar prediction accuracy. This paper can be a useful reference for industrial practitioners to construct cloud-based equipment monitoring systems.