SEMI launches Industry 4.0 Readiness Assessment Model to advance semiconductor smart manufacturing maturity

SEMI, USA, announced the availability of the new Industry 4.0 Readiness Assessment Model (IRAM) to help organizations across the semiconductor supply chain assess and track their smart manufacturing technology deployment progress and develop a roadmap for their digital transformations.

Created through a collaboration of the SEMI Smart Manufacturing Initiative and industry experts, IRAM aids companies in identifying technology enhancements critical to scaling and sustaining their Industry 4.0 transformation to improve chipmaking efficiency, productivity, and quality.

“The new SEMI IRAM will help semiconductor companies assess their Industry 4.0 compliance as they implement smart manufacturing practices that demand greater connectivity inside chip fabs and throughout the supply chain,” said Ajit Manocha, SEMI President and CEO. “Crucially, the service will also facilitate cybersecurity decision-making as semiconductor companies work with their supply chain partners to protect data traversing Industry 4.0 networks.”

IRAM is designed to support critical operations in fabs and back-end or enterprise-level facilities but also extends to supporting industries and most batch-based manufacturing lines, offering a benchmarking tool to compare Industry 4.0 deployment among peers or across industries. IRAM enables organizations to assess their Industry 4.0 maturity and take the necessary steps to maximize ROI.

“The IRAM model is specific enough for immediate utility and flexible enough for everything from individual operations to entire fabs or the enterprise,” said Andrew Seward, Field Solutions and Marketing and Analytics Manager at Tokyo Electron America, Inc. and co-chair of the SEMI Smart Manufacturing Guidelines Sub-committee. “The model will facilitate the identification of gaps and defining next steps, whether you're just beginning your smart manufacturing journey or are already well on your way.”

SEMI Smart Manufacturing Initiative has chapters in the Americas, China, Europe, Japan, Korea, Southeast Asia and Taiwan. Group members collaborate on smart manufacturing challenges and opportunities in their regions.