Three-tier client/server computing: Advancing semiconductor manufacturing into the 21st century

Today's dynamic manufacturing environment requires an equally agile automation solution. The modularity and "openness" of a 3-tier client-server architecture enables one to achieve this goal by dividing data presentation, supervisory control, and data storage into 3 separate, but fully integrated application layers. The result is an automation solution independent of hardware platforms, operating systems and vendor specific application content. The user benefits from increasing profits as a result of both productivity gains and scrap reductions resulting from real-time access to process and business data throughout the manufacturing environment. Additionally, the user realizes low lifetime cost of ownership from decreased maintenance costs, reusable hardware resources and integration of the latest off-the-shelf applications.