Direct one-to-one replacement is generally not feasible. Warped wafers and Bernoulli chucking impose special requirements on the suction method, airflow control and robot end-effector structure. Custom evaluation shall be performed according to the on-site process flow.

 The cleanliness class shall bases on inspection. It is recommended to request the supplier to provide test report and check standard version, report number, issuing organization and covered equipment model.

This figure is the manufacturer’s nominal value, corresponding to specific working conditions for EFEM used in bonding or etching processes. WPH is strongly correlated with wafer size, number of concurrent tasks and pick & place method. When conducting comparisons, request the supplier to provide calibration conditions consistent with your own scenario.

 The coverage description may vary across different models and document. During selection, the wafer size range specified in the datasheet of the purchased model shall prevail, and ensure that it is consistent with the wafer types of your own production line.

SR8220 is the model series name. The EFEM robot refers to its application configuration for integration with complete EFEM units.

Wafer handling robot is the core module which responsible for packing & placing actions within the EFEM. EFEM also includes some components such as Loadport, pre-aligner and airflow control. Equipment manufacturer can not only purchase the robots separately for integration, but also purchase the complete EFEM directly.

The cleanliness class requirements are determined by process type (front-end wafer fabrication/back-end packaging and test), whether the equipment is installed inside a chamber or operated under ambient environments, and the baselines cleanliness class of the workshop. The back-end packaging production lines are generally less than front-end for micro-particles sensitivity. Many 8-inch front-end applications adopt ISO 2~4, while the ISO Class1 belongs to the ultra-high class with substantial costs. For 12-inch front-end or the process segments of strict particle control, they shall be evaluated as Class 1. 

 WPH (Wafers Per Hour, wafer processes per hour) is strongly related to wafer dimensions, pick & place methods and the number of concurrent tasks, and there is no universal high threshold. Nominal figures from one manufacturer change under different working conditions. For comparison, it is necessary to request the other party to provide calibration conditions matching your actual scenario. 

In mature process and 8-12-inch atmosphere wafer handling scenarios, domestic solutions have achieved system integration. Substitution feasibility depends on your process node, cleanliness class and integration protocol. It is recommended to compare parameters based on specific scenarios instead of drawing generalized conclusion.

It is recommended to compare according to three lines: For advanced process projects, priority should be given to protocol adaptation cases from international vendors. For standardized production lines of mature processes, domestic standard solutions can be compared.

Sorter is responsible for wafer is responsible for wafer sorting and reordering, and is typically one of the handling modules inside the EFEM. During selection, both are usually provided by the same supplier.

 EFEW (Equipment Front End Module) is located at the front end of processing equipment. It is responsible for the wafer transfer, pre-alignment and information reading between Loadport and processing chamber, serving as the standard component for automation in semiconductor lines.