FabONE is being built as a true greenfield project and was planned from the outset as a fully automated front-end factory. Black Semiconductor conducted a competitive tender process and selected Critical Manufacturing, which has proven expertise in state-of-the-art semiconductor manufacturing. The company’s extensive experience in front-end automation was a key criterion for choosing a partner that could confidently handle the requirements of a next-generation fab and build on proven automation technology.
“FabONE is a significant step for our technology and for the European semiconductor ecosystem,” explains Samivel Krishnamoorthy, Senior Director Fab Automation & Integration. “It was crucial for us to find a MOM partner with deep expertise in fully automated front-end environments – a partner that is also willing to keep up with the pace of our project. Critical Manufacturing stood out for the comprehensive functionality of its MOM platform, which goes far beyond a traditional MES – exactly what we needed given the start-up nature of Black Semiconductor. This is not a typical implementation. We are building something that needs to prove production readiness quickly, reliably and at scale. We hope this platform will provide us with the foundation to do just that now and in the future.”
The project includes Critical Manufacturing’s full suite of MES modules, native equipment integration (EI) via the Connect IoT modules, connectivity to the selected Automated Material Handling System (AMHS) and ERP, and an AI-powered data platform for advanced analytics and data-driven decision-making. Once commissioned, FabONE will run largely autonomously and enable Black Semiconductor to test process stability, demonstrate manufacturability and prepare for the move to volume production.
For Critical Manufacturing, the order is an important milestone in Europe. The company has spent years developing automation frameworks for customers in the compound semiconductor and microelectronics industries. FabONE shows that Critical Manufacturing is ready to fully support state-of-the-art 300mm front-end fabs.
“This project is significant not only because of its size, but more importantly because Black Semiconductor wants to break new ground with it,” says Tom Bednarz, Managing Director of Critical Manufacturing in Germany. “Graphene-based chip interconnects are a groundbreaking step for the industry. Turning this vision into a production-ready reality requires an MES that can keep pace with continuous innovation. We are proud to support Black Semiconductor in building a highly automated and highly flexible fab. Our MES has been developed precisely for such challenges.”
With the increasing importance of digital infrastructure for the competitiveness of the semiconductor industry, the partnership strengthens the role of Critical Manufacturing as an enabler of modern, data-driven manufacturing – in Europe and worldwide. At the same time, both companies are creating the basis to grow together as FabONE evolves from a pilot line to a central building block of the next generation of semiconductor manufacturing.
About Black Semiconductor
Black Semiconductor is a European deep-tech company enabling a new category of chips. The use of graphene creates high-performance chip networks that seamlessly connect thousands of chips – almost like a single system. Founded in 2020 by brothers Dr. Daniel Schall and Sebastian Schall, the company’s technology enables groundbreaking developments in data centers, high-performance computing, artificial intelligence, autonomous driving and robotics.
About Critical Manufacturing
Critical Manufacturing, a subsidiary of ASMPT and recognized as a leader in the Gartner® Magic Quadrant™, offers the industry’s most advanced manufacturing operations platform. The platform combines MES, connectivity, automation and analytics to help manufacturers create connected, intelligent factories of the future, where people and AI work seamlessly together to make Industry 4.0 a reality.
About ASMPT
ASMPT is a leading global provider of hardware and software solutions for semiconductor and electronics manufacturing. Headquartered in Singapore, ASMPT’s portfolio covers semiconductor manufacturing, especially assembly & packaging, as well as SMT (Surface Mount Technology). Solutions range from wafer deposition to systems that organize, assemble and package sensitive electronic components to serve a variety of end devices – including electronics, mobile communications, data centers, automotive, industrial applications and LED displays. ASMPT works closely with its customers and continuously invests in research and development to provide cost-effective, industry-shaping solutions that increase productivity, reliability and quality.
ASMPT is a constituent of the Hang Seng Composite MidCap Index (among the Hang Seng Composite Size Indexes), the Hang Seng Composite Information Technology Industry Index (among the Hang Seng Composite Industry Indexes) and the Hang Seng HK 35 Index. Further information can be found at www.asmpt.com.
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Further links
👉 www.criticalmanufacturing.com
Photo: Critical Manufacturing
