Mitsubishi has created an alliance with Xpaseo to provide RFID-based wafer tracking solutions for the semiconductor industry.

The solution is based on Mitsubishi Electric's Java-based Platform Controller (JPC), a real-time information gateway, capable of wirelessly collecting and managing real-time data from RFID reader networks and communicating directly to the Xpaseo RFID Integration Suite. Xpaseo's software is optimized to seamlessly integrate with existing ERP systems, reducing time and expense normally associated with the implementation of RFID systems.

In semiconductor applications, the Mitsubishi Electric-Xpaseo solution is capable of tracking the location of FOUPs and wafers throughout the manufacturing process, including inbound, WIP, outbound and spare parts inventories. In addition, real-time alerts are generated when a tool is unavailable, allowing wafers to be redirected to available processes, avoiding costly delays. The solution is RFID vendor-neutral, allowing the selection of the best RFID technology for each application.

"The Mitsubishi Electric-Xpaseo alliance provides solutions and enables customers to add visibility and efficiency to their manufacturing process, without incurring a huge expense," said Roger Reak of Mitsubishi.

"The fact that the Xpaseo software suite can seamlessly integrate with existing ERP systems differentiates this from other solutions we've seen."

The Mitsubishi Electric-Xpaseo technology brings a hardware-based wireless approach to RFID data collection and management, enabling very high throughput, handling and scalability unmatched by a traditional software approach.

"Xpaseo enables businesses to seamlessly introduce RFID technologies to their existing infrastructure," said Chellappa Dhanukodi of Xpaseo. "We provide niche applications that leverage RFID data, so semiconductor companies can realize rapid returns on RFID investments."