Hirata Corporation – Semiconductor Fab Cleanroom Automation System

Hirata Corporation supplied cleanroom-compatible automated material handling and storage systems for a semiconductor fabrication facility running advanced process nodes. The system transports FOUPs (Front Opening Unified Pods) containing silicon wafers between process tools, stocker systems, and measurement stations using overhead hoist transport vehicles navigating along a rail network. Cleanroom compatibility requires all components to be constructed from low-outgassing materials, have particle-controlled surfaces, and operate without lubricants that could contaminate wafers. The system interfaces with the fab's Manufacturing Execution System (MES) to dispatch transport jobs based on process recipes and tool availability. Throughput is critical: the system must sustain high wafer starts per week without transport becoming the bottleneck. Redundancy and uptime requirements are extreme because any transport stoppage directly impacts wafer yield and delivery commitments.