Rolls-Royce supplies PowerPacks for semiconductor manufacturer X-FAB Sarawak 

Rolls-Royce has supplied and commissioned four of its mtu Kinetic PowerPacks to X-FAB Sarawak, the Malaysian division of X-FAB, the world’s leading foundry group for specialty semiconductor applications. The dynamic uninterruptible power supply (DUPS) units secure the critical power load for operations at the company’s manufacturing site located in Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia.

mtu Kinetic PowerPacks are engineered to perform seamlessly under the most demanding power supply challenges. They provide immediate, high-quality power through the use of kinetic energy. The units eliminate the need for batteries as in a standard UPS configuration, offer a much smaller footprint and are environmentally-friendly due to their 20+ year equipment life and their ability to run on sustainable fuels such as HVO. 

Bryan Foo, Project Manager, Rolls-Royce Solutions Asia Pte. Ltd. said: “Being secure in the knowledge that your power supply is reliable and of the highest quality, even during times of grid instability or interruption, is important for any business but is especially vital for a company such as X-FAB Sarawak that has a consistent, high-level output of critical products and that supports many employees and corporate functions.”

The X-FAB site in Kuching manufactures semiconductor wafers for automotive, industrial and medical applications and has more than 1,400 employees and a wide array of operations such as finance and procurement.

The four installed mtu Kinetic PowerPacks feature a medium voltage, parallel system configuration offering 2000 kVA (1600kW). They replace older, existing DUPS units from a different manufacturer that were experiencing ongoing issues with dropping critical load from the mains. In normal operation, when the public power supply is working, the mtu Kinetic PowerPacks use a choke -– a heavy, rotating electromagnetic coil – to compensate for short-term current and voltage fluctuations in the power grid. The Kinetic PowerPacks also come with an mtu ValueCare service agreement, which provides preventative maintenance at regular intervals and technical support to ensure maximum performance.

Elvenrey Rios, Project Engineer, Rolls-Royce Solutions Asia Pte. Ltd. said: “Our project team upheld X-FAB’s strong safety culture, product quality and user-friendly equipment during the entire process. The reliable critical load support provided by the current mtu Kinetic PowerPacks has also resulted in the customer engaging Rolls-Royce for an additional unit.”