Linear controllers are widely preferred in the industry for controlling motion platforms used in semiconductor and electronics manufacturing machines. However, as production demands for semiconductor devices increase, the performance of linear controllers reaches a plateau due to their intrinsic limitations, making further improvements increasingly difficult. Thus, the reset control has been explored as a potential solution as it can overcome the limitations and it consists of the frequency domain analysis tools.

Past research has shown that the CgLp (Constant in gain, Lead in phase) is the most advanced reset based filter and has shown performance improvements for an industrial machine. The non-linearity of these filters, which gives an advantage over linear filters, also makes their placement within a control loop highly critical. While the inherent non-linearity of these filters provides certain advantages, it can also be detrimental to system performance.

This thesis aims at developing architectures based on sequencing strategies to improve the performance of reset based filters by optimally utilizing the non-linearity. Also, the disadvantages of existing frequency domain analysis methods have been identified. Finally, the method of filtered architecture which can shape the non-linearity of reset based filters have been explored.

In industrial settings that necessitate high precision and speed, particularly within the semiconductor manufacturing industry, linear control solutions are frequently employed due to their intuitive tuning methods, namely through frequency-domain analysis, and their compatibility with tuning based on experimental measurements of the systems, Frequency Response Function (FRF). Nonetheless, inherent limitations exist, such as Bode’s phase-gain relationship and the waterbed effect, which constrain their achievable performance. Consequently, non-linear control solutions must be considered. Reset control presents an interesting solution as it has been proven to outperform linear controllers and also allows for frequency-domain analysis based on FRFs. Nonetheless, this kind of analysis is subject to a set of assumptions. The most recent reset control element developed for broadband phase compensation, the Parallel Constant in Gain Lead in Phase ((P)CGLP), presents several benefits towards meeting the required assumptions. However, tuning a control architecture that includes this element can be a challenging and time-consuming task, as no tuning rules have currently been established. This research focuses on the development of an automatic tuning framework to tune not only control architectures that contain the (P)CGLP element but also any reset control structure. The tuning framework was validated in an industrial wire bonding machine against an optimized linear control solution developed by the manufacturer. An average improvement in settling time of 7.1% was achieved and an average improvement of 13.5% in the RMS value of the error signal across different operational scenarios. The proposed framework proved to be capable of tuning reset controllers that outperform equally optimized linear solutions while maintaining a similar tuning workflow and not requiring additional expertise.

This thesis investigates the application of force control techniques to enhance industrial wire bonding processes. It entails the design of a simulation model for the Z-axis interaction between bondhead and environment, followed by the implementation of a Parallel Force Control architecture in Simulink. The study evaluates different force and position control methods, selecting those suitable for single-degree-of-freedom wire bonding. Simulation model validation through system identification and inclusion of an impact transition phase ensures accurate bondhead-substrate interaction representation. Results show that the implemented controllers effectively eliminate force overshoot, mitigating substrate damage risks, even with suboptimal controllers. This thesis contributes to the understanding of force control's potential in industrial wire bonding processes. The developed simulation model serves as a platform for evaluating controller effectiveness, optimizing process outcomes, and aiding future research and experimentation in this domain.

Linear time-invariant controllers are undoubtedly the most popular type of regulators used in industrial applications, with the overwhelming majority of companies employing them. The reason is mainly given by their simple design methods. In particular, frequency domain predictive performance analysis and stability methods allow the use of loopshaping techniques. Nevertheless, inherent limitations affecting linear controllers pose constraints on their performance that can only be overcome through the adoption of nonlinear control schemes. Promising findings in recent literature suggest that with reset control, a nonlinear control technique, it is possible to overcome these limitations. At the same time, reset control could also potentially allow the use of straightforward design techniques, thus making it suitable for industrial applications. The main goal of this work is to bring together the different concepts scattered in literature, in order to initialize the construction of a general framework for the design and analysis of reset controllers suitable for an industrial setting. Tuning guidelines for different structures using two classes of reset controllers, the first order reset element and the proportional Clegg integrator, were presented. Two frequency domain methods, namely open-loop higher order sinusoidal input describing functions (HOSIDFs) and pseudosensitivities computed through analytically derived (approximate) closed-loop HOSIDFs, were effectively applied to predict steady-state performance. Stability was (when possible) analysed through the frequency domain Nyquist stability vector method, which could also be implemented in the design process. The frequency domain analysis methods allowed the use of loopshaping techniques similar to LTI control for the design of reset controllers. The controllers, implemented digitally on an ASM Pacific Technology wire bonding machine, show that through reset control a significant decrease in the root mean square of the settling error compared to an equivalent LTI controller could be achieved. The existing frequency domain analysis methods, its straightforward implementation and the increase in performance achieved in experiments validate the potential of reset control as a suitable alternative to LTI control for industry. Nevertheless, limitations in the explored reset control structures still exist and further work is required in order to achieve the full potential that this technique has to offer.