SMIF (Standard Mechanical Interface) technology was developed the 1980s to create small cleanroom spaces for the storage and transport of silicon wafers. These are generally transparent plastic boxes, known as SMIF pods. SMIF pods reduce the manual handling of wafers and store them in a climate-controlled, contaminant-free environment. Handling of the SMIF pods themselves has now been largely automated. The latest development in this segment comes from Adept Technology and is on display for the first time at HANNOVER MESSE 2014.

The Adept SPH-2200 is a fully automated, autonomous indoor transporter for handling 150 or 200 mm SMIF pods in semiconductor production. It is immediately operational with no infrastructure modifications, and moves securely through narrow or populated environments with no adverse effects on daily operations. The Adept SPH-2200 enables fully automated transfer of SMIF pods from various stations including production facilities and shelves, with the relevant transport tasks initiated by its Adept Enterprise Manager Software.

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