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HCL Aligns With Microsoft to Support Interface A Adoption By the Hi-Tech Manufacturing Industry

Posted on: Thursday, 3 February 2005, 09:00 CST

HCL Technologies (HCL), a leading provider of Information Technology and Business Process Outsourcing solutions, today announced that it has aligned with Microsoft to promote Interface-A standards-based solutions for the Semiconductor and Hi-Tech Manufacturing Industry.

As a global systems integrator, HCL provides e-Manufacturing solutions, based on Microsoft .NET technology, for the emerging SEMI standard Interface A, for equipment data acquisition. Microsoft .NET is a set of software technologies for connecting systems and devices, including semiconductor equipment.

"HCL is applying its deep experience to improve process performance for semiconductor manufacturing," said John McCallum, high tech industry manager for the Manufacturing Industry Unit at Microsoft. "By building on .NET and adhering to the emerging SEMI standards, HCL has developed a robust Interface A solution, and other e-Manufacturing solutions, for Hi-Tech manufacturing."

Interface A refers to a new port on manufacturing equipment, used for sending data from the tool to the factory systems. This interface enables fabs to have access to detailed process, measurement and operational data from fab equipment. The enhanced data from the Interface A port is designed to be used by a fab's Advance Process Control environment and other manufacturing applications. Interface A is intended to complement and overcome deficiencies of the existing SECS/GEM port on fab tools.

"HCL's building block based solutions approach to e-Manufacturing is novel and targets both equipment and factories to provide end to end solutions around the new SEMI standards of Interface-A. It helps reduce time-to-market for customers' products while concurrently making these solutions customizable to suit specific customer needs," said Anup Mathur, Project Director for HCL's e-Manufacturing Initiative.

Identifying industry priorities, HCL is developing software solutions under the e-Manufacturing initiative to fuel growth and innovation. Notable solutions include - HCL iDA, for Equipment and Factory Interface-A based solutions; HCL e-Diagnostics (a next generation remote diagnostics and access system coupled with the data collection capabilities of Interface A, demonstrated in Nov. 2003 to International Sematech); HCL factory automation solution suite for GEM/SECS and 300MM automation; HCL EPT Solution Suite for Equipment Performance and Utilization Tracking and HCL SimQualify based Test Solutions Suite for factory automation standards conformance including SECS/GEM, 300MM and Interface A.

"This milestone reinforces HCL's commitment to providing leading edge Factory automation solutions, based on the Microsoft platform, to the Semiconductor and Hi-Tech industries. Essential to this commitment is a collaborative and partnering approach with consortia such as ISMI and with our customers, who are leaders in the semiconductor industry. We look forward to working with Microsoft to bring together Interface-A as well as other evolving standards and delivering value to the industry," said Divakar Maddipatla, Corporate Vice President-Semiconductor Practice at HCL Technologies.

"HCL has demonstrated Microsoft-based Interface A solution suite to International SEMATECH in June 2004. This is currently being tested for pilot deployment in fabs. HCL Interface A uses the latest Microsoft technologies like .NET, Web Services and SOAP/XML to achieve performance and scalability expectations of the Hi-Tech manufacturing industry from this data collection port. A leading IC maker has already endorsed HCL's Interface A (.1) solution capabilities," added Harsha Raj Subrahmanian, Deputy General Manager- Semiconductor Practice at HCL Technologies.

The names of actual companies and products mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners.

About HCL

HCL is one of the leading, Global, Technology and IT enterprises with annual revenues of around $2.0 billion, with IT Products and Services contributing to revenues of over $1 billion. The 29 year old group founded in 1976, is one of India's original technology garage start up companies. Its range of offerings span Product Engineering, Technology and Application Services, BPO, Infrastructure Services, IT Hardware, Systems Integration and distribution of technology and telecom products. The HCL team comprises 24,000 professionals of diverse nationalities, who operate from 26 offices across 15 countries. HCL has global partnerships with leading Fortune 1000 firms, including several IT and Technology majors.

About HCL Technologies

HCL Technologies is one of India's leading global Technology & IT services companies, providing software-led IT solutions, BPO and infrastructure management services. Making a foray into the services domain in 1997-98, HCL Technologies focuses on technology and R&D outsourcing, working with clients in areas at the core of their business. The company leverages an extensive offshore infrastructure and its global network in 15 countries to deliver solutions across select verticals including Banking, Insurance, Retail & Consumer, Aerospace, Automotive, Semiconductors, Telecom and Life Sciences. For the twelve month period ended 31st December 2004, HCL Technologies along with its subsidiaries had revenues of $ 664 million and 20,249 employees. For more information, visit www.hcltech.com

Source: Business Wire

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