09.02.2026
Tailor-made project for CEA in Grenoble: design, construction and hook-up process
The Commissariat à l'énergie atomique, a major player in scientific research in France, is active in the fields of energy, health, digital technologies and micro-nanotechnologies. The Grenoble site is renowned for its cutting-edge work in semiconductors and future technologies.
Deployment of the FAMES pilot line: a strategic project for tomorrow's technologies
This project illustrates the ability of Equans Process Solutions, a brand of Equans France, to meet the most demanding requirements in terms of technology, quality and safety, at the service of a strategic player in industrial innovation.
As part of the new FAMES semiconductor pilot line, a structuring program of the electronics strategy supported by France 2030, the CEA, in conjunction with its European counterparts, is preparing future advanced low-energy technologies for embedded components for artificial intelligence, telecommunications and sensors.
To house this new FAMES pilot line, the CEA called on the consortium led by Equans Process Solutions, a brand of Equans France, to build 2,000 m2 of ISO 5 clean rooms, designed to accommodate new-generation (300mm) equipment.
This ambitious, fully customized project includes design, construction, commissioning and process hook-up.
Engineering, construction and process hook-up are the three main stages of the project
Our teams carried out this project in three main stages:
1. Project design and detailed planning
- 8 months of studies, representing 40,000 hours of work
- 30 engineers and designers involved
- Use of BIM and virtual reality to optimize design
2. Construction, site coordination and supervision, installation, testing and commissioning of systems
- 24 months of design and construction work
- 280,000 site hours
Throughout the project, safety remained an absolute priority for our teams.
3. The hook-up process at the heart of the matter
Hook-up refers to all operations involved in connecting production equipment to the fluid, energy and control networks in a cleanroom. This is a critical phase which guarantees the functionality and performance of the installations.
As part of this project, Equans Process Solutions carried out :
- 3D studies of hook-up networks
- On-site installation, with augmented reality control
- Connection of machines in the cleanroom
- Control and fluidization of networks