Generic operational models and factory control

摘要

Abstract: Semiconductor equipment suppliers tend to view the world through the lens of their own equipment. Process engineers who typically are responsible for selecting equipment tend to view the world through the lens of a particular process step. Neither of these views is sufficient for the whole semiconductor manufacturing process for making devices out of bare silicon wafers. The focus of this paper is the importance of generic operational models of equipment for automated factory manufacturing, using the Semiconductor Equipment and Materials International standard E30-93, `Generic Model for Communications and Control of SEMI Equipment (GEM)' as an example of the type of operational model that is required. To do this, different areas of GEM will be discussed to provide a better understanding of the kinds of issues that are seen as important by automation engineers and how these issues may impact equipment design.!2