Asyst Automation- Wilmington MA.
had a problem. They had allowed one of their products to become a dozen. In an attempt to
meet individual customers' custom needs, they had weakened the strength of their Reticle
Stocker System (RSS). Also, numerous bugs had been introduced during these uncoordinated
programming efforts.
The task was to combine these multiple versions that ran at only one site
each into a single version that ran for every customer's Integrated Circuit Fabrication
Plants (FABs).
This system runs under a multi-threaded, multi-tasking
operating system. The system: controls a custom data base that tracks units' movements in
and out of the machine; interfaces with robot software that runs on the same machine;
communicates with HOST computers using the SECS communications protocol; and provides a
Graphical User Interface that allows the operator to specify which Reticles are loaded and
unloaded into SMIF PODs that are manually placed on the machine.
The new Universal Reticle Stocker System (URSS) has been installed
throughout Asyst's customer base. The end users are delighted that the new system has
inherited beneficial process changes used at other FABs.
The result is a cleaner-running, more maintainable system that benefits
both Asyst and their end users. Software Results is now the sole provider of software
support for this product.
On site support visits have been made to and references available from:
NOTE -
Software Results is a recommended design and coding resource from both GW
Associates and other producers of full lines of
SECS communications protocol stacks.
Bob Podd is a voting
member of SEMI. He focuses his efforts on the CIM Framework.
