Company Microchip Manufacturer
A leading microchip manufacturer operated a campus spanning more than 500 acres. With limited technician resources, the company needed a way to remotely access machines used in manufacturing its materials/products across various locations. Rather than requiring technicians to physically travel to fabrication areas, they sought a solution that would allow them to access, monitor, and maintain the machines remotely via the existing and approved Virtual Network Computing (VNC) protocol.
For several years, the company searched for a viable solution. However, no provider had been able to effectively address their challenges — until Black Box stepped in.
Since the company had already approved and actively used the VNC protocol within the fabrication environment, Black Box recommended a combination of the Wizard IP Gateway and Emerald® IP KVM Zero U DVI TX equipped with new VNC firmware. This solution eliminated the need for technicians to be physically present in the lab by placing a transmitter at every machine, enabling full remote monitoring, maintenance, and servicing.
After successfully testing the new VNC-enabled setup, the company expanded the solution to all five of its global campuses. The deployment equipped several thousand machines with IP KVM transmitter connections.
The Black Box solution significantly improved operational efficiency. With 100% of the required machines now accessible remotely via VNC, technicians no longer needed to walk long distances, don lab suits, and then travel further to reach the fabrication areas — only to make a few mouse clicks before repeating the process in reverse. Previously, each of these trips took approximately 30 minutes, while the same task can now be completed remotely in just 10 minutes.
Beyond time savings, the solution reduced machine downtime by enabling instant remote access instead of waiting for a technician to arrive on-site. Overall, Black Box helped the company decrease troubleshooting and maintenance time.
By minimizing technician travel and optimizing labor efficiency, the company significantly lowered operational costs.
The flexible solution also standardized VNC firmware for IP KVM deployments, making it an ideal model for other chip manufacturers seeking to enhance efficiency and costeffectiveness.
“Black Box was the only company that delivered a working VNC firmware solution. Their responsiveness throughout development, testing, and implementation set them apart.”- Manager, Microchip Manufacturer
“Our customer is highly satisfied with the Black Box solution. We met their requirements quickly and effectively, delivering significant value as both a costsaver and profit driver.”- Solutions Architect, Black Box
Industry: Manufacturing & Industrial
Products: Emerald® 4K KVM over IP
Technology: KVM Switching & Extension
