International Business Machines Corporation

Neil A Reitmeyer

Yutong Wu

Chaunese R Turner

Sean M Dickinson

A system which provides a graphical user interface for monitoring operational status of the tools in the factory is provided. In a factory where many manufacturing tools having individual status reporting formats are operated, the system collects reports from the tools in different formats, translates these into one of ten newly defined statuses, then displays the statuses in a single display monitor so that a supervisor of the manufacturing tools can comprehend these statuses immediately and can take necessary actions appropriately.

Method and apparatus for supervising manufacturing tools

Controlling stocker capacity in an automated facility and controlling monitor budgets by capped releases, capped FOUP supplies, and wafer reuse methodology. A Database is used to order, track, and reclaim test (monitor) wafers in the FAB. The database automatically controls the amount of FOUPs in the FAB as well as the amount of wafers released into the FAB each day. This database also interacts with the Control Center in helping to release monitor wafers in the FAB.

Growing community of inventors

Shohola, PA, United States of America

Neil A Reitmeyer