Brooks Automation Demonstrates Factoryworks on NT

Brooks Automation Inc. (Chelmsford, MA), a leading supplier of factory automation solutions for the global semiconductor, data storage, and flat panel display manufacturing industries, demonstrated its Factoryworks Manufacturing Execution System (MES) on the Windows NT platform at SEMICON Europa '99.

By leveraging Microsoft Windows DNA for Manufacturing (DNA), Factoryworks on NT will offer existing customers an easy, low risk migration path from Unix to NT and future customers more choice in their manufacturing operations.

Microsoft's DNA is a framework that allows manufacturing software applications to integrate seamlessly with one another, enabling plug-and-play interchange between applications, from enterprise resource planning (ERP) to the shop floor.

"Brooks Automation is committed to leveraging all the advantages of the Microsoft DNA initiative within Factoryworks," says Mike Smith, director of Engineering for the Factory Automation Solutions division at Brooks Automation. According to Smith, Factoryworks' object oriented architecture allows Brooks to move Factoryworks from its current Unix implementation to NT while preserving existing customer's investment in application logic, data model extensions and customizations. "This pre-integrated framework will provide Brooks customers with a clean, low risk path to NT while simplifying initial deployment and ongoing maintenance of a top-to-bottom factory automation solution," he adds.

According to the company, it will be the first MES maker with a 100% NT MES product in production by leveraging Microsoft's DNA technology with production proven applications and extensions from its partners.

Factoryworks is part of the Fastech product suite from Brooks Automation, which also includes Cellworks and Stationworks equipment automation software, and Xsite computerized maintenance management system (CMMS).