Cimetrix Tool Control Solution for 300 mm Substrate Handling

Cimetrix, a provider of factory automation software and solutions for the global semiconductor industry, has announced the availability of a new tool control solution -- CIMControlFramework. CIMControlFramework is the result of a joint development project between Cimetrix and semiconductor equipment provider, Axcelis Technologies. According to Cimetrix, the new software addresses the increasing demand for more efficient 300mm substrate handling and factory automation at the tool level as well as the need for more and better quality data.

"Our customers are demanding high-speed, dependable information from tool suppliers in order to improve yield, productivity, and reliability. Axcelis and Cimetrix developed software for our Integra RS tool using CIMControlFramework to deliver optimum data collection, storage, management, and analysis. Process and equipment engineers now have more information accessible to them for accurate monitoring and troubleshooting, saving them time and improving performance of the toolset," noted Bill Bintz, senior vice present of marketing, Axcelis Technologies..

"Our partnership with Cimetrix was based on a shared vision of industry needs. By working together as a team during this software development, Cimetrix will gain a new product for their customers and we will benefit from the latest solution for advanced tool control."

CIMControlFramework is a .NET-based software framework for OEMs that provides the supervisory control, substrate handling, and factory automation requirements of device manufacturers and the industry. Equipment suppliers can leverage the framework features, configure or extend the framework, or integrate their own process control technology.

The data-driven architecture, at the core of CIMControlFramework, utilizes Cimetrix's CIMPortal product as a high speed data router, to provide a high bandwidth backbone for diagnostics and process data that is fed to multiple applications within the tool and to external factory interfaces. In addition to CIMControlFramework, Cimetrix has extended its Global Services department with the addition of the new Cluster Tool Control Practice.

"Listening to the needs and concerns of our 300 mm customers led us to expand into advanced tool control," said Bob Reback, president and CEO of Cimetrix.

"Axcelis has been an invaluable partner in helping us create CIMControlFramework through the depth of their experience and our common industry vision. Cimetrix is now able to offer 300 mm equipment makers complete semiconductor equipment software solutions, allowing our customers to reduce their fixed costs and focus on their core competencies in today's highly competitive environment."