Today, social issues such as global environmental problems and a worker shortage are becoming more apparent, and society’s values are changing. The same happens to production processing technology, which is required not only to improve the functionality and reliability of manufactured products, but also to meet diversified needs, such as information technology, intelligence, and energy conservation, in addition to conventional high-speed and high-precision technology. To this end, various research and development activities are being conducted, including new machining methods such as additive manufacturing, technologies for monitoring machine conditions, and technologies for collaborative systems between operators, robots, and machines.

This special issue is composed of various topics in current production and processing technology, with this year marking the end of the first quarter of the 21st century. For example, we invite papers on the following technologies in production technology;

• High-speed, high-precision machining,
• Highly reliable measurement and evaluation technology,
• Flexible automation technology,
• Innovations in machine element technology,
• Intelligent information processing technology,
• And other related technologies.

Chemical mechanical planarization/polishing (CMP) is one of the most important processes in the manufacturing of semiconductor devices, and it is being developed and improved continuously each year. CMP has gained prominence in related industries, and its application areas are expanding. From the user’s point of view, technical demand is increasing , as are additional applications beyond the semiconductor industry.

This special issue aims to provide researchers the opportunity to access the latest research and practical case studies on recent technologies, including FEOL and BEOL CMP, 3D/TSV, fundamentals of CMP, polishing processes, consumables, equipment, green devices, new applications, metrology, cleaning, defect control, process control, CMP alternatives, SiC, GaN, and sapphire and diamond. Topics of interest in this special issue include, but are not limited to, the following:

•FEOL CMP
•BEOL CMP
•Defects, reliability issues, and post-CMP cleaning
•CMP fundamentals, modeling, and simulation
•Equipment, process control, and metrology
•Emerging and alternative CMP technologies
•CMP consumables
•3D ICs/TSV/packaging applications
•CMP for MEMS and hybrid applications
•Substrate polishing, including Si, SiC, GaN, and Diamond

Positioning systems play an important role in industrial and scientific applications. Therefore, their performance improvements and functional expansions are crucial. Positioning systems generally consist of mechanisms, actuators, controllers, and sensors, and the performance and functions of the system depend on their integration. Therefore, positioning technologies encompass these elements and their integration. Furthermore, technologies such as AI and IoT are being incorporated to improve the performance and functionalities, and expand the applications. This special issue aims to provide researchers with access to the latest research and practical case studies on elemental technologies for positioning, and industrial and peripheral technology applications. The topics of interest in this special issue include but are not limited to the following:

– Elemental technologies: Design and Characteristics of Mechanisms and Actuators, Control technology, Sensors, Measurement technology, System design, Simulations, Materials

– Industrial applications: Machine tools, Semiconductor manufacturing equipment, Measuring instruments, Robots, Scanning probe microscope

– Applications of peripheral technologies: AI, IoT, Signal processing, Image processing, DX, Green Technology.

The demand for sensing in robotics and automation is increasing with a decrease in labor force. Backed with recent developments in computational performance, image processing technology is widely used for various applications. This special issue aims to provide researchers the opportunity to access the latest research and practical case studies on advanced image processing, computer vision, and sensing techniques for robotics and automation. Topics of interest in this special issue include, but are not limited to, the following:

– Theory and algorithms: Image Processing, Computer Vision, Pattern Recognition, Object Detection, Image Understanding, Media Understanding, Machine Learning, Deep Learning, 3D Measurement, Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM), Multispectral Image Processing, Visualization, VR/AR/MR, Datasets for Image Processing

– Industrial applications: Factory Automation, Machine Vision, Visual Inspection, Monitoring, Surveying, Logistics

– Sensing techniques for robotics and automation: Robot Vision, Advanced Driver-Assistance Systems (ADAS), Autonomous Driving, Robotic Picking, Assembly, and Palletizing

– Image processing hardware and software: Image Acquisition Devices, Image Sensors, Image Processing Systems, Sensor Information Processing

– Man machine interface: Visualization, Human Interface Devices

The development of machining and measurement systems is strongly driven by the demands of digital transformation (DX) and green transformation (GX). Specifically, it is necessary to solve critical challenges in various fields, such as design, manufacturing, inspection, maintenance, and recycling, in response to the requirements of labor reduction, skill-free operation, and efficiency improvement throughout the entire production process. Furthermore, it is necessary to maintain social prosperity while controlling resource consumption by connecting these challenges. Therefore, tools that have supported production, such as machine tools, assembly machines, industrial robots, and measuring instruments, need to improve their conventional basic performance. It is also vital to circulate design, evaluation, and operational information in the value cycle.

The papers in this special issue discuss the concept of design, manufacturing, and evaluation technologies of production machines, methods of circulating information for individual tools, and evaluation methods from the perspective of GX.

•Optimal design of production machines and measurement systems
•Digital twin of production machines and machine elements
•New evaluation methods for production machine and machine elements
•On-machine process evaluation
•Design and evaluation of sensor fused intelligent systems

Always welcome