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FPD/PCB NEWS～November 7


AGC Achieves Success in Demonstration Test of Solar Panel Cover Glass Recycling

AGC announced that it has succeeded for the first time in Japan in a demonstration test to recycle about 24 tons of used solar panel cover glass into raw material cullet (pieces of broken glass).

The test was conducted from October 19 to 22, 2023 at the AGC Yokohama Technical Center's figured glass production furnace. For the recovery of glass from solar panels, the test used the heat treatment technology of the commercial solar panel recycling production line of Mitsubishi Chemical Group company Shinryo Corporation.

In this demonstration test, it was confirmed that solar panel cover glass can be turned into raw material cullet that can be reused for flat glass production through a special heat treatment. This will reduce industrial waste and conserve raw materials derived from natural resources such as silica sand and soda ash, thereby contributing to the promotion of the circular economy.

FPD/PCB NEWS～October 13


Canon releases Nanoimprint lithography semiconductor manufacturing system

Canon announced the launch of the FPA-1200NZ2C nanoimprint semiconductor manufacturing equipment, which executes circuit pattern transfer, the most important semiconductor manufacturing process.

This technology enables patterning with a minimum linewidth of 14 nm, equivalent to the 5-nm-node required to produce most advanced logic semiconductors which are currently available. Furthermore, with further improvement of mask technology, it is expected to enable circuit patterning with a minimum linewidth of 10 nm, which corresponds to 2-nm-node.

FPD/PCB NEWS～October 12


Gunze to Invest 5.7 billion JPY to Expand Konan Plant for Growth of Engineering Plastics Business

Osaka-Gunze announced to invest in the expansion of its Konan plant with a target completion date of March 2025 to support the growth of its engineering plastics business. This investment is in response to growing demand in the medical device and semiconductor markets.

FPD/PCB NEWS～October 3


Fujifilm Completes Acquisition of Electronic Chemicals Business from Entegris

FUJIFILM announced that it has completed its acquisition of the electronic chemicals business (formally CMC Materials KMG Corporation) of Entegris: ENTG for $700 million.

The organization, which is being re-named FUJIFILM Electronic Materials Process Chemicals, is part of Fujifilm's growth strategy to further position the business as a leader in semiconductor materials manufacturing.

FPD/PCB NEWS～August 31


AGC and Mitsubishi Gas Chemical Study on Production and Sales of Circular Carbon Methanol Made from CO2 Generated from Glass Production

AGC and Mitsubishi Gas Chemical Company (MGC) have agreed to begin the study regarding the production and sale of methanol made from CO2 generated from AGC's architectural glass production, by applying the methanol production technology developed by MGC. This study targets commercialization by around 2030 at AGC's Kashima Plant, and when achieved, it will be the world's first case of producing and selling “Circular Carbon Methanol (CCM)”that effectively utilizes the CO2 generated from glass production.

FPD/PCB NEWS～Ｊuly 6


DNP Enters into development and manufacture of encoder disks

Dai Nippon Printing (DNP) announced to enter into the development and manufacturing of Encoder Disks (ED) employed in electronic components that detect the position, movement direction and rotation angle of industrial robots.

An ED is a disk onto which fine scales have been engraved. Mounted inside the encoder, various sensors detect reflected light on, or transmitted through, the disk, and by converting this into electrical signals detect and control whether industrial robots are moving and rotating in the correct manner.

As factory automation has progressed in recent years, there has been increased demand for encoders capable of detecting the movement and rotation of robot motors. In response to this situation, DNP has decided to enter the development and manufacturing of ED. The company will combine proprietary strengths in precision thin film coating and patterning technology cultivated in connection with the development of a variety of display products.

FPD/PCB NEWS～Ｊune 27


AGC succeeded in the world's first demonstration test of glass production using ammonia as fuel in an actual production furnace

AGC announced that it has recently succeeded in the world's first demonstration test of glass production using ammonia as fuel in an actual production furnace under the project entitled “Technology Development for the Utilization and Production of Ammonia as Fuel”which is being undertaken as a commissioned project by New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO).

This time, a pair of burners developed by Taiyo Nippon Sanso to prevent a rapid rise in flame temperature through multi-stage combustion were installed in the glass melting furnace (actual production furnace) used to produce architectural glass at the AGC Yokohama Technical Center, and the world's first demonstration test using ammonia as fuel was conducted for two days from June 18 to 19th, 2023.
In the demonstration test, compared with conventional combustion methods using heavy oil as fuel under various conditions, the effects on the quality of glass, furnace materials, and control of the flame temperature, furnace temperature, and NOx emissions were verified. In this test, the NOx concentration in the exhaust gas was found to be below the environmental criterion value while maintaining the required temperature of the glass melting furnace.

FPD/PCB NEWS～Ｊune 13


DNP Increases Number of Wide Range Coating Devices for High Function Optical Film at Mihara plant

Dai Nippon Printing (DNP) announced to increase the number of wide-range coating devices suitable for the manufacture of high function optical film with a maximum width of 2,500 mm. The device has been added at the Mihara plant in Hiroshima prefecture in response to the ongoing shift to large screen televisions.

In this latest development, DNP introduced a new coating device capable of accommodating a 2,500 mm width as a second manufacturing line. As a result, the production capacity, on an area basis, has increased by more than 15%.

The newly added wide-width coating equipment is designed to be able to coat two layers at the same time. As displays become more sophisticated and diversified in the future, multi-layered coatings will become necessary, and DNP will continue to meet the demand for Anti-glare-Low Reflection (AG-LR) film and Low Reflection (LR) film.

FPD/PCB NEWS～Ｊune 2


DIC Acquires Photoresist Polymers Manufacturer PCAS Canada

DIC announced to acquire 100% of the shares of Quebec-based PCAS Canada from French based company PCAS S.A., which manufactures and sells polymers used in photoresists for semiconductor photolithography.

PCAS Canada has since been renamed “Innovation DIC Chimitroniques”. Looking forward, DIC will work to expedite the company's development of products for cutting-edge processes, make capital investments to strengthen its supply capabilities, and create a corporate organization suited to the needs of DIC Group customers in both North America and Asia. Through these efforts, DIC will continue to supply materials that underpin the growth and evolution of the semiconductor industry.