PEER Tool Orchestrator (PTO)

Best-in-class tool automation and control software for rapid development and integration

Reduce tool development and integration risk and costs with PTO – a fully customizable, SEMI Standards compliant automation and control framework.

Reduce your time to market and total cost of equipment ownership

PEER® Tool Orchestrator (PTO®) is a multiplatform, SEMI® Standards compliant, automation and control software solution used by OEMs to automate semiconductor equipment. Featuring a fully customizable and extensible framework and GUI-based tool designer, PTO lowers development risk and costs by simplifying tool design and accelerating integration into semiconductor manufacturing environments.

Offering support for Windows and Linux, containerization, and a flexible architecture using Microsoft .NET, PTO can be adapted and extended to fit the unique needs of any tool while taking advantage of a common framework and proven, standardized components. Utilizing the latest technologies and software development approaches means PTO is adaptable to emerging advanced manufacturing requirements such as cybersecurity, big data, analytics, and more.

With PEER Tool Composer (PTC), PTO’s GUI-based tool designer, users have access to an extensive library of hardware components and automation and workflow services to quickly and efficiently develop and deploy robust equipment solutions at the individual tool or platform level.

PTO Web UI: View sample screens for different tool types

Single Vacuum Chamber

MOCVD

Cluster Deposition

Key features

Using PTO as your common automation platform, you can leverage PTO’s flexibility to create a reliable, high-performance solution that matches the precise requirements of any highly automated tool. PTO’s flexible architecture and focus on rapid equipment design ensures that you can deliver your equipment to market on time and on budget.

Seamless factory integration

Full host connectivity capabilities and SEMI Standards compliance are built into PTO, enabling seamless integration with factory systems by tailoring equipment communications, including SECS/GEM (E30), GEM300 (300mm communications), Equipment Data Acquisition (EDA), or other non-standard communication protocols.

Rapid hardware integration

PTO’s extensible hardware interoperability framework enables pre-configured exchange of a large collection of drivers for all major commercial hardware, including robots, aligners, load ports, VCEs, pumps, valves, gauges, PLCs, I/O blocks, and more, allowing for the rapid development and integration of custom hardware components.

Predictive planner
Uses artificial intelligence (AI) to automatically determine the optimal wafer path and coordinate scheduling in multi-process, multi-chamber tools while avoiding deadlocks and unnecessary dwell time to improve overall throughput.
Flexible material management

PTO supports multiple material types, such as production wafers, panels, reticles, filler wafers, thin wafer holders, satellites, and JEDEC trays, with full control over contextual data for on-tool analysis or reporting to the factory host.

Tailored vacuum control

Create custom vacuum control sequences that match the vacuum schematic of your tool. Execute vacuum commands during fully automated, manual, or maintenance processes.

Dynamic recipe management

Create and manage recipes designed for any type of tool, from simple, single-chamber recipes to cluster tools with complex flow recipes and reusable modules.

Modular Web GUI framework

Use PTO’s modular Web UI framework and HMI designer to create tool-specific and standards-based screens with responsive design and localization. Screens can be accessed on-tool or remotely from any browser-based device that is connected to your organization’s factory network using the PTO Web UI.

Powerful data reporting and analysis

Collect and customize the way data is displayed and charted for on-the-fly analysis of your equipment status, or review performance trends using historical data. Visually navigate the time-series data generated by your tool to focus on the data of interest and understand your tool’s overall equipment effectiveness (OEE).

Expansive substrate map

Dynamically visualize substrate material with up to 100,000 dies. Ideal for high-volume substrate tools and advanced packaging applications.

Seamless release management

Easily configure the tool at the platform or individual tool level to allow quick customizations in compliance with varying factory requirements. PTO can support deployment and software upgrade scenarios spanning the lifecycle of a tool—from tool design in the lab, to in-field equipment integration, and full factory deployment.

Configurable security

Configurable, role-based security provides complete runtime control over the accessibility and capabilities available to each user. Add optional integration with organizational security infrastructure such as Active Directory, LDAP, or SSO. GUI screens can adjust their appearance and capabilities dynamically based on security settings while the PTO server environment verifies credentials before allowing any remote command to execute.

Seamless factory integration

Full host connectivity capabilities and SEMI Standards compliance are built into PTO, enabling seamless integration with factory systems by tailoring equipment communications, including SECS/GEM (E30), GEM300 (300mm communications), Equipment Data Acquisition (EDA), or other non-standard communication protocols.

Rapid hardware integration

PTO’s extensible hardware interoperability framework enables pre-configured exchange of a large collection of drivers for all major commercial hardware, including robots, aligners, load ports, VCEs, pumps, valves, gauges, PLCs, I/O blocks, and more, allowing for the rapid development and integration of custom hardware components.

Predictive Planner

Uses artificial intelligence (AI) to automatically determine the optimal wafer path and coordinate scheduling in multi-process, multi-chamber tools while avoiding deadlocks and unnecessary dwell time to improve overall throughput.

Flexible material management

PTO supports multiple material types, such as production wafers, panels, reticles, filler wafers, thin wafer holders, satellites, and JEDEC trays, with full control over contextual data for on-tool analysis or reporting to the factory host.

Tailored vacuum control

Create custom vacuum control sequences to exactly match the vacuum schematic of your tool. Execute vacuum commands during fully automated, manual, or maintenance processes.

Dynamic recipe management

Create and manage recipes designed for any type of tool, from simple, single-chamber recipes to cluster tools with complex flow recipes and reusable modules.

Modular Web GUI framework

Use PTO’s modular Web UI framework and HMI designer to create tool-specific and standards-based screens with responsive design and localization. Screens can be accessed on-tool or remotely from any browser-based device that is connected to your secure organization or factory network using PTO’s Web UI.

Powerful data reporting and analysis

Collect and customize the way data is displayed and charted for immediate analysis of your equipment status in real time, or review performance trends using historical data. Visually navigate the time-series data generated by your tool to focus on the data of interest and understand your tool’s overall equipment effectiveness (OEE).

Expansive substrate map

Dynamically visualize substrate material with up to 100,000 dies. Ideal for high-volume substrate tools and advanced packaging applications.

Seamless release management

Easily configure the tool at the platform or individual tool level to allow quick customizations in compliance with varying factory requirements. PTO can support deployment and software upgrade scenarios spanning the lifecycle of a tool—from tool design in the lab, to in-field equipment integration, and full factory deployment.

Configurable security

Configurable, role-based security provides complete control over the accessibility and capabilities available to each user. Add optional integration with organizational security infrastructure such as Active Directory, LDAP, or SSO. GUI screens can adjust their appearance and capabilities dynamically based on security settings while the PTO server environment verifies credentials before allowing any remote command to execute.

Architecture

PTO’s modular hardware and service components are organized into layers that provide incremental levels of functionality, from the minutiae of protocol-specific commands for individual hardware elements to the high-level requirements for job execution and host communications. Your solution can take advantage of this modular approach—use PTO’s fully developed, out-of-the-box tool components or augment with custom components for your tool’s specific needs. With a flexible architecture built using the widely accepted .NET platform, PTO can be adapted and extended to fit the unique needs of any tool while still taking advantage of a common framework and proven, standardized components.

PEER Group OEM Services

PEER Group OEM Services leverage our powerful software products, including PTO, and extensive industry knowledge and expertise to help OEMs reduce time to market, equipment costs, and risks by solving their most challenging tool automation, data management, and process control challenges. We offer a range of flexible service engagement models to best suit your specific needs.

Learn more about PTO

Product releases

Latest release

Version: 9.5 | Release Date: June 11, 2026


What's new

Overview

  • E87-0524
  • E90-0624
  • Visualization and material tracking support for high-volume substrate tools
  • Enhanced Gantt chart control

Supported technologies

  • .NET 10
  • Visual Studio 2026
  • Postgres 18

Want to know more? Contact us and a PEER Group representative will be in touch.


Previous releases

Click here to view previous product releases.

Supported SEMI Standards

Supported technologies

PTO supports the following technologies
Operating System Database .NET version Development environment Browsers
  • Windows
  • Red Hat
  • Ubuntu
The latest version of PostgreSQL 15, 17 or 18, with the latest version of TimescaleDB 2 .NET 10 Visual Studio 2026 (version 18.1.1 or later)
  • Google Chrome
  • Microsoft Edge
  • Mozilla Firefox
  • Safari

Click here to view previous technology support changes.

Training options

Remote or in-person training

PEER Tool Orchestrator (PTO) Jumpstart Developer Training. Learn best practices for using the PTO SDK to automate your equipment, including driver development, tool control, process module integration, wafer scheduling, and graphical user interfaces.

Training videos

Log in to our secure video library to watch PTO tutorials.

Customer success

Leverage the most advanced equipment automation software product on the market

Reduce time to market
Increase throughput

Book your PTO demonstration today

Fill in the form and we will be in touch.

Pardot iFrame Resizing

We take your data privacy seriously! At PEER Group, we strive to provide a safe online experience for our visitors. For more information on how we collect, use, and protect your personal data, see our privacy policy.