Asyst Technologies, Inc. , the leader in Agile Automation™, today announced the commercial availability of its VAO™ (Visualize Analyze Optimize) Productivity Solution.  VAO coordinates data acquisition from, and provides control of, a wide range of factory systems, including Automated Material Handling Systems (AMHS) and process and metrology tools, with the resulting information available in real-time. 

The product allows today’s large semiconductor manufacturers to handle the complex task of observing today’s very large factories, with real-time views of transport status, tool status, and data analysis to help focus on the critical items quickly.  When enabled, the Optimization Module applies control functions to key areas of the fab and its operations.  The VAO architecture, with its agent-based system, provides a distributable and scalable way to link Asyst solutions with other applications, including customer applications, such as MES, Alarm Management, and Maintenance Tracking.  Its web based architecture enables remote viewing and linkage of multiple fabs supporting today’s global business requirements.

The VAO system is in production today at Toshiba Corporation in one of the world’s largest fabs, linking data from factory control systems and transport control systems.  Its ability to display in real time both tool status and vehicle movement is unique in the industry.

Jim Holliday, Vice President and GM, Asyst Software Solutions, said, “VAO offers customers a way to combine data from multiple systems without duplicating large databases, providing a unified view with the ability to analyze that data and identify opportunities for productivity improvement.   We are delighted with the success of our initial installations at Toshiba and look forward to releasing the follow-on VAO modules in the coming months.”