Asyst Unveils Host of New Factory and Tool Automation Products; New SMIF, Minienvironment, WIP Tracking and Software Solutions Enable Enhanced Semiconductor Manufacturing.FREMONT Fremont (frē`mŏnt). 1 City (1990 pop. 173,339), Alameda co., W Calif., on San Francisco Bay; inc. 1956. Long an agricultural center, with champagne vineyards founded (1870) by Leland Stanford, it still ships fruits and vegetables. , Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--July 13, 1998--Asyst Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ NASDAQ in full National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations U.S. market for over-the-counter securities. Established in 1971 by the National Association of Securities Dealers (NASD), NASDAQ is an automated quotation system that reports on :ASYT), the leading supplier of manufacturing automation and Standard Mechanical InterFace (SMIF SMIF Standard Mechanical Interface SMIF Stream-based Model Interchange Format SMIF Shared Materials Instrumentation Facility (Duke University) SMIF Stanford Management Internship Fund SMIF SMAD4-Interacting Transcription Factor ) isolation systems for the global semiconductor industry, today unveiled a full spectrum of hardware and software products designed to enhance production of both 200 mm and 300 mm wafers wafers compressed roughage in flat plates useful for feeding to animals in transit. . Augmenting Asyst's leadership position in factory and tool automation, these new products and technologies deliver advanced capabilities in the SMIF/minienvironment, tool automation and material tracking/management markets. According to according to prep. 1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians. 2. In keeping with: according to instructions. 3. John Field, Asyst's vice president of marketing, Asyst continues to innovate in·no·vate v. in·no·vat·ed, in·no·vat·ing, in·no·vates v.tr. To begin or introduce (something new) for or as if for the first time. v.intr. To begin or introduce something new. in all three of these areas -- enhancing its existing solution set and addressing chipmakers' emerging challenges. "The new products on display this week at the SEMICON SEMICON Semiconductors Equipment and Material International Conference West tradeshow enable chipmakers to reduce their manufacturing costs, increase reliability, enhance process control and achieve greater levels of automation in their fabs," explained Field. SMIF Products In the SMIF and minienvironment sector Asyst pioneered, the company has added five new products that adhere to adhere to verb 1. follow, keep, maintain, respect, observe, be true, fulfil, obey, heed, keep to, abide by, be loyal, mind, be constant, be faithful 2. the industry's most advanced standards while delivering unprecedented particle particle /par·ti·cle/ (pahr´ti-k'l) a tiny mass of material. Dane particle an intact hepatitis B viral particle. control and cost-of-ownership (COO (Cell Of Origin) See mobile positioning. ) advantages. -0-
-- SMIF-LPT 2200 SE(TM): Responding to the industry's need for high
throughput SMIF I/O devices to optimize equipment utilization,
this newest SMIF robotic interface provides the fastest wafer
transfer in the industry, with cycle times under 35 seconds for
load/unload. It also incorporates several new features to improve
the robustness of the interface. As a result, its reliability
sets a new industry standard with a mean-time-between-failure of
more than 50,000 run cycles, better-than-Class 1 particle
performance in integrated minienvironments and less than one
wafer break per 100,000 wafer handling operations.
-- SMIF-Pod(TM) 300: Composed of advanced materials, this newest
addition to Asyst's growing 300 mm product family delivers
improved control over both organic and inorganic contamination.
Additionally, this is the first SMIF-pod to comply with the
stringent SMRD 4910 flammability protocol.
-- 200 mm Gen 5 SMIF-Pod: Incorporating the proven performance
benefits of Asyst's Gen 4 pod, the Gen 5 pod features contoured
side handles with independent handle rotation for improved
operator ergonomics -- a critical factor in less-automated 200 mm
fabs. By eliminating metal hardware inside the pod, Gen 5 also
eliminates the possibility of metallic contamination while
delivering advanced sealing capabilities for increased particle
control. Finally, the new system features a wash-in-place design
with a smoother interior to minimize water collection and make
cleaning the pod faster and easier.
Minienvironment Control
-- SMART-CMS(TM): Asyst's new minienvironment control monitoring
system automates protection of individual process tools in the
fab. Representing an important extension to Asyst's customized
tool-minienvironment product family, SMART-CMS enables continuous
"intelligent" monitoring and control of the internal
environmental conditions of the minienvironment. As such, it
provides a variety of monitoring/control options to manage
pressure, particle levels and detection capability for fire and
smoke. Upon detection of adverse environmental conditions,
SMART-CMS can either correct the condition, provide an audible
alarm to fab personnel or perform an emergency equipment shutdown
-- all based upon customer defined programming. In addition to
enhancing process results, this capability automates and
optimizes protection of valuable work in process (WIP), costly
process tools and the overall manufacturing facility.
Tool Automation
-- Front-End Factory Interface Concept: The latest in a series of
modular tool automation solutions from Asyst, the new Front-End
Factory Interface Concept is a 200 mm and 300 mm compatible
modular factory interface. Based on the SMIF-WMS(TM) and designed
to automate the front-end of process tools, this important new
product provides OEMs with a modular factory interface that can
reduce tool footprint, optimize throughput, lower COO and ensure
compatibility with fab-wide information systems. Since this
modular interface can address both 200 mm and 300 mm
requirements, it also provides a critical upgrade path for
process tools, while helping to reduce the cost associated with
300 mm tool development.
Material Tracking/Management
To enhance the Auto-ID and automated material tracking/management
capabilities afforded by its SMART-Traveler System (STS), Asyst has
introduced two new paperless WIP tracking devices. Company officials
report that this is an increasingly critical capability in today's
fabs based on its ability to increase manufacturing yields by reducing
rework and misprocessing.
-- SMART-Tag 8400(TM): The SMART-Tag 8400 features a larger graphic
LCD display that allows multiple text lines and graphics, plus a
two-way communication capability that can take the place of
monitors or terminals in some areas of the fab. This saves
valuable cleanroom floor space to make room for additional
process tools or WIP storage. Incorporating a number of design
advances over its predecessor, the new 8400 tag leverages
industry standard SECS I/II messaging interfaces to speed
configuration and enhance overall system efficiency.
-0- Asyst reports that all of these new products will be displayed in the Asyst Booth No. 1338 at SEMICON West 98, to be held July July: see month. 13-15 at Moscone Center The Moscone Center is San Francisco, California's largest convention and exhibition complex. The complex consists of two main underground halls underneath Yerba Buena Gardens, Moscone North and Moscone South, as well the three-level Moscone West exhibition hall across 4th Street. in San Francisco San Francisco (săn frănsĭs`kō), city (1990 pop. 723,959), coextensive with San Francisco co., W Calif., on the tip of a peninsula between the Pacific Ocean and San Francisco Bay, which are connected by the strait known as the Golden . Except for statements of historical fact, the statements in this press release are forward-looking. Such statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from the statements made. These factors include, but are not limited to, general economic conditions, semiconductor industry cycles, risks associated with the acceptance of new products and product capabilities and other factors more fully detailed in the Company's most recent Forms 10-K and 10-Q, and annual report to shareholders. About Asyst: The pioneer of the Standard Mechanical InterFace (SMIF), Asyst Technologies, Inc. is the leading provider of automated au·to·mate v. au·to·mat·ed, au·to·mat·ing, au·to·mates v.tr. 1. To convert to automatic operation: automate a factory. 2. material handling systems critical to seamless factory automation in the most advanced fabs worldwide. Asyst's comprehensive solutions, which include industry-leading 200 mm and 300 mm product offerings, result in greater fab profitability and productivity. Through innovative developments in the software and integration services area, Asyst Software, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary Wholly Owned Subsidiary A subsidiary whose parent company owns 100% of its common stock. Notes: In other words, the parent company owns the company outright and there are no minority owners. , provides integrated circuit integrated circuit (IC), electronic circuit built on a semiconductor substrate, usually one of single-crystal silicon. The circuit, often called a chip, is packaged in a hermetically sealed case or a nonhermetic plastic capsule, with leads extending from it for (IC) manufacturers fully automated solutions addressing their most advanced manufacturing challenges. Founded in 1984, Asyst Technologies, Inc. is headquartered in Fremont, Calif., with facilities in Europe and the Pacific Rim Pacific Rim, term used to describe the nations bordering the Pacific Ocean and the island countries situated in it. In the post–World War II era, the Pacific Rim has become an increasingly important and interconnected economic region. . Asyst Software, Inc., is located in San Jose San Jose, city, United States San Jose (sănəzā`, săn hōzā`), city (1990 pop. 782,248), seat of Santa Clara co., W central Calif.; founded 1777, inc. 1850. , Calif. Asyst's homepage is located on the World Wide Web at http://www.asyst.com
CONTACT: Asyst Technologies, Inc.
Jill Enterline, 510/661-5000
Laura Guerrant, 510/661-5000 (Financial Community)
or
MCA, Inc.
Sheryl Moreno, 60/968-8900
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