PTO Release History

Release Information

 

Version: 5.1
Release Date: January 16, 2012
Customer Support: support.pto@peergroup.com

 

 

What's New in this Release

PEER Tool Orchestrator (PTO™) version 5.1 is an upgrade release that provides supports the latest version of the Equipment Data Acquisition (Interface A) set of standards as well as incremental improvements in the areas of user interface, scheduling, configuration and security.

 

EIB™ 6.3 Integration

This release of PTO integrates with EIB 6.3, which provides support for the 0710 version of the Interface A SEMI standards.

 

Enhanced Installer

The installer now provides more flexibility with regards to the installation of hardware drivers and launch options for the PTO server process.

 

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Release Information

 

Version: 5.0
Release Date: October 31, 2011
Customer Support: support.pto@peergroup.com

 

 

What's New in this Release

PEER Tool Orchestrator (PTO™) version 5.0 is a major new release that builds on the strength of the existing product. The primary goals for this release are better support for customization and maintenance, accelerated integration development and adoption of the latest technologies.

 

New GUI Screens 

The PTO UI has been completely re-written with usability in mind. Its design is well suited for the SEMI conductor industry as well as other high tech industries such as LED, PV and flat panel. Screens are simpler to use while giving operators more visibility into equipment operations and control over critical processes.

 

EIB Integration

PTO now integrates with EIB (Equipment Interface Bridge) for host connectivity. However, EIB provides more than just a host connection; its robust data reporting gives you the ability to supply data for Interface A, analysis, charting, and status animations. Because PTO and EIB run in the same process space, high data volumes can be pumped into EIB’s data model.

 

Configuration Editor

PTO’s new configuration editor, PEER Tool Composer (PTC), provides a single interface to manage all PTO configuration activities with no manual modification of files required. All of the editors within PTC are extensible, allowing custom or equipment-specific components to be edited alongside core PTO components.

 

Vacuum Control

PTO now uses Microsoft Workflow Foundation (MWF) to implement vacuum control. Workflow sequences can be defined to vent or pump down a chamber without the need to write code. The sequences are integrated with PTO’s automated wafer scheduler and manual control infrastructure and can be tailored to work with the equipment’s exact vacuum hardware and implement custom failure/retry logic. This infrastructure makes it easy to deploy a tool into the field, swap out a turbo pump or migrate a vacuum configuration from one tool to another.

 

Visualization 

A new, powerful Visualization Engine supports the creation of equipment-specific graphical status and control screens. In the PTC application, a WYSIWYG editor lets anyone create screens by dragging graphical elements – for example load ports, robots, pumps, valves - onto the screen and linking them to either EIB data or PTO commands.

 

SDK Support

PTO 5.0 was designed with the understanding that many of our customers are also software developers;  it has been made more SDK-friendly by improving code extensibility, documentation, installer customization, and enabling different deployment modes.

 

Client/Server Architecture 

The entire PTO product, including EIB, is written in .NET, fully supporting both x86 and x64 platforms.  
The user interface runs in a separate process from the services, allowing multiple UI connections to a single tool.

 

Installer

The installer has been enhanced to include all the applications that make up PTO, including PTO Services, PTO UI, PTC, and EIB.  The command line interface has been retained so PTO’s installer can be encapsulated within a customer tool installer. Licensing – necessary to run both PTO and EIB – is also now managed by the installer.

 

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For global contact information, click on the "Sales and Support" link in the navigation menu on the right side of this page.

Release Information

 

Version: 4.2
Release Date: January 31, 2011
Customer Support: support.pto@peergroup.com

 

 

What's New in this Release

PTO version 4.2 is an upgrade release with a focus on expanding operating system support, simplifying the installation process, as well as increasing product flexibility and defect fixes.

 

Operating System Support

PTO now runs on the Microsoft® Windows® 7 platform (32-bit and 64-bit).

 

Improved Installation Process

PTO now ships with an installer, which includes the base PTO framework as well as core connectivity products (SDR™, GWGEM®, and ConX300™). In addition, PTO’s MSI-based installer publishes an interface that enables OEMs to incorporate the PTO installer within their own tool-wide installer. PTO now installs with two sample ECS applications−one for an Atmospheric tool and another for a Vacuum tool−so that you can evaluate the screens and capabilities that are available in PTO.

 

Configurable Overview / Manual Control Screens

PTO now includes configurable Overview and Manual Control screens that can be customized to display elements such as contextual load port information and vacuum status for chambers. Configuration is done through XML files.

 

Scheduler Enhancements

In addition to numerous scheduling enhancements made to PTO’s new planner-based scheduling, we have added a Manual Planner and associated Manual Control GUI that enables movement of a single wafer between any two locations, including locations at different pressure levels.

 

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Release Information

 

Version: 4.0
Release Date: January 10, 2010
Customer Support: support.pto@peergroup.com

 

Introduction

PEER Group's PEER Tool Orchestrator 4 (PTO™ 4) is a major software release targeting the development of high throughput, multi-chamber equipment. PTO 4 features a new wafer scheduler along with a myriad of new user interface and control capabilities, as well as ready-to-use software drivers for the latest hardware components from leading automation suppliers. Leveraging the experience of 35 tool platforms, PTO 4's new capabilities enable equipment suppliers of today's most advanced tool configurations to quickly customize their equipment for each factory's unique process and automation requirements.

 

What's New in this Release

This version of PTO contains the following new features and enhancements.

 

Cluster Tool Controller and Wafer Scheduling Software

PTO 4's new scheduling software enables OEMs to take control of the timing, sequencing, and speed of automation components in order to achieve the highest possible throughput, even for individual tool shipments. The scheduler is fully extensible, allowing OEM software engineers to consider process timing information from the tool's control system and make predictive sequencing decisions. A PTO 4 beta user has achieved 400 WPH throughput for their vacuum cluster tool and has successfully tested a wide variety of difficult recovery scenarios.

 

User Interface Development Environment 

PTO 4 also features a new user interface development environment that provides OEMs advanced visualization techniques for presenting tool data. Designers can graphically represent the tool's topography, creating a user experience that is grasped quickly by the wide variety of engineers, technicians, and operators that may need to operate the tool manually. Information access has been improved with new quick-job editor, log viewer, and job history screens, enabling easier tool operation and troubleshooting. OEMs can efficiently create modern, tool-specific user interfaces that are loaded with information for real-time decision making.

 

Embedded Components 

By embedding the latest hardware drivers and factory requirements as configurable software components, PTO has always reduced the cost of developing and maintaining equipment software. With PTO 4, PEER Group is now able to offer producers of the most complex, multi-chamber equipment a rapid and robust software development platform that meets their customers' requirements for high throughput, flexible configuration and reliability.


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Read how one OEM delivered flexible wafer scheduling using PTO.
 
 
 
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