Software integration speeds 300mm solutions

Edited by the Electronicstalk editorial team May 21, 2004

The Peer Group has successfully integrated equipment front-end module software into Solid State Measurements' industry leading semiconductor materials characterisation and process control equipment.

The Peer Group has successfully integrated equipment front-end module (EFEM) software into Solid State Measurements' industry leading semiconductor materials characterisation and process control equipment.

As part of a partnership with Asyst Technologies, Peer Group incorporated Asyst's conX300 equipment connectivity software to deliver a fully automated EFEM for SSM's FastGate 6000 series metrology system.

The EFEM control system was integrated to meet SSM's initial customer specifications, but is designed to be flexible enough to handle any other customer's automation requirements with minimal configuration.

"Peer Group has shown a clear understanding of our customer-driven objectives; it met our aggressive timeline and quality milestones with precision, and ahead of schedule", said Bill Alexander, Vice President of Engineering for SSM.

"Outsourcing our EFEM automation has allowed us to focus on applying our engineering resources to improving the technical performance of our equipment, while relying on Peer Group engineers to address the complexity of customer-specific automation requirements.

We look forward to an ongoing relationship, extending beyond this initial EFEM integration project".

Peer Group and Asyst began their partnership in 2003 to speed the delivery of more flexible equipment connectivity and EFEM control software solutions.

The complexity of new standards and stringent automation requirements for 300mm manufacturing have made the Peer Group/Asyst partnership an important resource for equipment vendors looking to quickly and cost-effectively ramp 300mm tools.

"We chose Peer Group as our connectivity and EFEM integration partner because of their reputation with both equipment and fab automation", commented Paula LuPriore, Vice President and General Manager of Connectivity Solutions at Asyst Technologies.

"Working with the Peer Group we are able to provide our customers with a complete automation solution - hardware, software and software integration services".

"This partnership has proven to be a successful one, providing our customers with experienced, high quality systems, on time and within budget".

Asyst's conX300 is an industry-leading software application for automating 300mm semiconductor wafer fabrication equipment.

It implements the Semiconductor Equipment and Materials International's (SEMI) communications standards required for all 300mm factory automation systems.

"Using a robust product like conX300 makes our integration job much easier", said Robert Harris, President of Peer Group.

"Not only have we proven that we can deliver EFEM automation quickly, but we are confident our solutions will run reliably in production".

Peer Group's EFEM automation services include integration of automation hardware components, carrier and wafer management, SECS/GEM communications, SEMI standards compliance, GUI development and testing to Sematech's 300mm operational scenarios.