Light Tower Test

Light Towers are fixed to the side of Ion Implanters and other tools to indicate their operation state by colored light. For example, the light tower indicates if a tool is in use, needs maintenance, powered off, or turned on but not in use, by turning on colored LEDs where specific colors correspond to different operation states.
The Light Tower Test tests the wiring and LEDs inside the Light Tower itself as well as the harnessing connecting the Light Tower to an upper-level assembly.

For the Light Tower Tester project, I redesigned an old test. The test needed to be redesigned because multiple Light Towers are used around the building, and many have different wire run lists and connectors which the old test did not account for.

Solution:
• Researched all of the Light Towers used in the building (53 total) through Axcelis' PLM
system and determined their wire run lists and connectors.
• Created 5 new adapters to cover each combination of wire run and connector.
• Drew a new schematic for test.
• Built 3 of the new test boxes and corresponding adapters.
• Made BOMs and wire run lists for test boxes and all adapters.
• Designed in Creo and 3D printed boxes to organize the adapters to prevent technicians
from misplacing them.
• Included more user-friendly switches and labeling to improve technician compliance.
• Updated the procedure for this test to reflect these changes.

Outcomes:
• New test added 37 part numbers for 53 total, all tested for <$200.
• Improved test usability for operators.
• Closed all test gaps from old test.