PRI Automation Announces Updates For Operational Planning and Scheduling Systems
New Leverage for Operational Planning and Leverage for Scheduling Systems Help Optimize Efficiency Within Semiconductor Fabs
SAN FRANCISCO, SEMICON West, Booth #6168, July 17 /PRNewswire/ -- PRI Automation, Inc., (Nasdaq: PRIA - news), a global leader in advanced automation systems, software, and services to the semiconductor industry, today announced the release of version 1.2 of the Leverage for Operational Planning® (LfOP) system, and version 4.2 of the Leverage for Scheduling® (LfS) system. Both new Advanced Planning and Scheduling (APS) systems will optimize the operations of semiconductor wafer fabs.
``These latest versions of Leverage for Operational Planning and Leverage for Scheduling systems have been designed to bring precisely-focused tools to the very challenging semiconductor planning and scheduling environment,'' said Henry Watts, PRI's vice president and general manager of Advanced Planning and Scheduling, a division of PRI Automation. ``Through a deep understanding of our customers' needs, PRI continues to create effective solutions to help our customers improve the performance of their factories.''
Using a comprehensive model of the manufacturing area's products, process flows and required resources, LfOP 1.2 translates a statement of desired output (orders) into a detailed operational plan. This allows customers to meet manufacturing objectives including on-time delivery and WIP line balance. Also, it produces an optimized starts plan, an outs plan, a full description of the timing of any materials that may be needed, and identifies bottleneck resources. New in this version is support for full optimization of part chains that include binning, downgrading and mid-inventories, the ability to automatically transfer the starts plan into the manufacturing execution system (MES), and 14 new tabular and graphic reports.
Leverage for Scheduling is the only true optimizing scheduler product tailored to meet the needs of the semiconductor industry. The release of LfS 4.2 combines the product's Dual-Span high-speed scheduling module with an integral real-time dispatcher component to provide shop floor dispatching capability in both manual and automated manufacturing environments. LfS not only produces schedules for all lots and machines, but also produces detailed reticle schedules, indicating exactly which reticles are required on exactly which steppers by earliest delivery time and exact time needed for production.
An MES-independent application, LfS supports TibcoRV and BMQ message bus communication. The Java-based application runs in both the WinNT and Win2000 environments and has an open API (Application Programming Interface) that enables direct dispatch list publication on to the existing shop floor MES terminals.
About PRI Automation
PRI Automation, Inc., headquartered in Billerica, Massachusetts, is a leading global supplier of advanced factory automation systems, software, and services that optimize the productivity of semiconductor and precision electronics manufacturers as well as OEM process tool manufacturers. PRI is the only company to provide a tightly integrated and flexible hardware and software solution that optimizes the flow of products, data, materials and resources throughout the production chain. The company has thousands of systems installed at approximately one hundred locations throughout the world. For more information, visit PRI online at www.pria.com.
Safe Harbor Statement
This release includes forward-looking statements, including, without limitation, statements relating to the expected benefits of PRI Automation products. These forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such statements. Such risks and uncertainties include; (i) the manner in which the customer uses the products and integrates them with other third party components; (ii) the ability of the Company to continue to successfully develop and market new products and product enhancements on a timely basis; (iii) the cyclicality of the semiconductor industry and the rapid technological change that characterizes the industry in which the Company competes; (iv) uncertainties affecting global markets and currencies, the effects of possible delays by semiconductor manufacturers in the adoption of 300 mm wafer manufacturing and other new technologies, (v) changes in our product sales mix; (vi) competitive factors, such as introduction of new products or technologies by our competitors, and pricing pressures; (vii) the possible impact of any mergers and acquisitions activity by the Company and its ability to successfully integrate and operate any acquired businesses; (viii) business and economic conditions affecting the semiconductor manufacturing equipment industry generally; (ix) and other factors identified in our registration statement on Form S-3, file number 333- 34584, as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on April 12, 2000 and amended thereafter. We assume no obligation to update any forward-looking information contained in this release. |
