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Why AIR?
Automated Industrial Robotics (AIR) unites technical depth, operational strength, and modern capability in a single partner built for ambitious manufacturers.
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Sectors
Discover how AIR can help your drive innovation, efficiency, and scale.
Sectors overview
Medical
Driving innovation in medical device assembly, surgical instruments, orthopedic, cardiology & CRM, peripheral and continence care, and more.
Pharma
AIR partners with leading pharmaceutical companies to design, build, and support advanced automation systems for complex, highly regulated production environments.
Semiconductor
Enabling startups, global semiconductor equipment OEMs, and semiconductor fabs to scale to high-volume production systems.
Food & beverage
Proven experience across a wide range of food and beverage manufacturing processes and products including tea, bakery, pet foods, ready meals, beverage and tobacco.
Automotive
We bring the latest automation thinking, expertise, and equipment from ultrasonic welding, clipping, screwing, and snapping to materials handling, inspection, and traceability.
Consumer goods
AIR brings together deep, specialist automation expertise to deliver complex solutions across cosmetics, personal care, pet care, and electronics manufacturing.
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About AIR
AIR combines deep engineering expertise, industrial scale, and advanced capability in one powerful partner for ambitious, progressive manufacturers.
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Capabilities
Deep process and systems expertise, engineered to optimize performance, efficiency, and long-term operational success.
Capabilities overview
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Sectors
We partner with ambitious, progressive manufacturers across the medical, pharma, semiconductor, food & beverage, automotive, and consumer goods sectors. Discover how AIR can help your drive innovation, efficiency, and scale.
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Sectors
Emerging technology,
semiconductor and more
AIR in Silicon Valley focuses on high-tech industries, offering specialized expertise in semiconductors, medical products, renewable energy, emerging technologies and data storage. Across our six sites, we work in a range of sectors:
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Sectors
Medical, pharmaceutical
and more
AIR in Shannon, Ireland focuses on advanced automation for the MedTech industry. Across our six sites, we work in a range of sectors:
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Sectors
Deep expertise for
progressive manufacturers
Across our six sites, we offer specialized expertise and automation innovation to a range of sectors:
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Sectors
Pharma, medical, food and beverage,
consumer goods and more
Across our six sites, AIR works in a range of sectors:
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Sectors
Medical devices, filling
machines and more
AIR in Sligo, Ireland delivers advanced automation solutions for medical and life sciences manufacturers, including flexible filling systems and high-speed filling systems. Across our six sites, we work in a range of sectors:
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Sectors
Deep automotive
expertise and more
AIR in Rochester Hills specializes in the design and manufacture of fully integrated stand-alone assembly, specialized machines, and automated and secondary assembly equipment. Across our six sites, we work in a range of sectors:
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Maximizing throughput with advanced single wafer cleaning automation

Project snapshot
Client:
Leading Semiconductor Manufacturer
Location:
N/A
Sector:
Product type:
Single Wafer Cleaning Automation System
Challenge

Maximize throughput while protecting delicate 65 nm structures

Wet cleaning remains one of the few batch processes in the modern fab. The client had developed a single wafer cleaning process for low-K materials and delicate structures that are highly sensitive to damage. They required a wafer handling system that would leverage their advanced cleaning chamber, deliver outstanding throughput, and fit within a compact footprint.

Innovation

Optimized wafer handling and system architecture

We evaluated multiple architectures and component options to optimize performance, cost, and footprint:

  • Simulated system performance with several automation suppliers to identify the best configuration.
  • Developed custom wafer handling mechanisms to interface with the cleaning chamber.
  • Engineered the full system layout including frame, power, and facility integration.
  • Collaborated closely with the client’s process engineers to ensure process integrity.
Result

Market success and industry recognition

The system was successfully introduced to the market and recognized as a “Top Ten” product of the year by a leading semiconductor industry trade group.

Case studies

Backside contamination inspection and other process advancements require wafers to be loaded into process or inspection chambers in a 90° or 180° flipped orientation. Adding a wrist to a robot can meet…

Manual handling of polysilicon rods caused yield loss due to breakage and contamination. Rod diameters varied widely and spacing was tight, creating a mechanical challenge. The manufacturing environment…

The customer needed to deliver their confocal IR laser scanning technology on a fully automated 300 mm platform. Developing in-house automation would have diverted engineering resources and delayed commercialization….

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Let’s talk

Talk to AIR’s team about your latest manufacturing challenge. We’re here to help you bring your latest innovations to market quickly and at scale. Ideating, designing, building, commissioning, and supporting your next wave of automated manufacturing.