SEMI International Standards
Standards New Activity Report Form (SNARF)
Date Prepared: 05/08/2026Revised (if Applicable):

Document Number: 7493
SNARF for: Line Item Revision to SEMI E87-0225: Specification for Carrier Management (CMS), SEMI E87.1-0225: Specification for SECS-II Protocol for Carrier Management (CMS), SEMI E172-0725: SEMI E172 - Specification for SECS Equipment Data Dictionary (SEDD)

Originating Global Technical Committee: Information & Control
Originating TC Chapter: North America
Task Force (TF) in which work is to be carried out: GEM 300 Task Force
Note: If a new task force is needed, also submit a task force organization form (TFOF)

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1. Rationale:
a. Describe the need or problem addressed by this activity.
(Indicate the customer, what benefits they will receive, and if possible, quantify the impact on the return on investment [ROI] if the Document is implemented.)
SEMI E87 was updated to define support for well-known names (WKN). During implementation, some issues have been identified by Task Force members. This line item revision will address issues related to WKN, as well adding scenarios around CarrierRecreate to help readers of the Standard.

SEMI E172 describes the SECS-II interface for the manufacturing equipment, including parameters, collection events and alarms. Equipment users can take this content to develop factory software to communicate with the manufacturing equipment.

Some gaps have been identified in SEMI E172 as implementations consume SEDD information.
1. The Equipment Characterization matrix does not handle all internal buffer tool scenarios properly.
2. There may be an inconsistency how SECS identifiers handle alphabetic characters. For example, SEMI E5-complaint equipment that do not also support SEMI E30.

SEMI E87 description of internal buffer equipment is not complete.

This SNARF proposes updating SEMI E87 and E172 together because changes to SEMI E172 to better support internal buffer tools need to be synchronized with the changes to SEMI E87 that clarify internal buffer tool expectations and nomenclature.


b. Estimate effect on industry.
2: Major effect on an industry sector - identify the relevant sector
Sector or Company Information: Anyone implementing or using SEDD, using carrier management or internal buffer tools.

c. Estimate technical difficulty of the activity.
II: Some Difficulty - Disagreements on known requirements exist but developing consensus is possible

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2. Scope:
a: Describe the technical areas to be covered or addressed by this Document development activity. For Subordinate Standards, list common concepts or criteria that the Subordinate Standard inherits from the Primary Standard, as well as differences from the Primary Standard:
As part of the work on this Line-Item Revision, the task force will investigate:
Address issues with Well-Known Names (WKNs) defined in SEMI E87. For example, Clarify that there are no loadport-specific alarms for InternalBufferCarrierMoveFailures (remove loadport specific WKN)
Missing WKN – e.g. EC CarrierHoldTrigger, EC UnclampControlTrigger, CE related to Carrier Prediction.


Improve CarrierRecreate example scenarios in SEMI E87. (SEMI E87 R1-2 already contains a number of scenarios, but could be improved with a description of CarrierRecreate scenarios)

Clarifying SEMI E87’s expectations around internal buffer tools, loadports and carrier movements, including, but not limited to Recognizing loadports are external to the equipment (interact with operator and AMHS systems for carrier handoffs). Better define internal location/constructs that may support some loadport functionality (such as clamping, opening FOUP doors, etc. These should not be SEMI E87 loadports)

Update SEMI E172’s SEDD Equipment Characterization section to handle internal buffer tools properly (how to capture internal locations that may do some loadport functionality like clamp and opening doors.)

Can SEMI E5 implementations specify ID value that are alphabetic characters only (e.g., CEID value = ‘apple’) (SEMI E30 requires identifier values to be unsigned integers). If so, there is a gap in SEMI E172 SEDD support that needs to be addressed as SEDD schema files only allow numeric values in IDs.
Update TrackSys example SEDD included with SEMI E172 to address issues and gaps.

Any other changes to address features or defects, or issues with the Style Guide raised by Task Force members during the development and review of the proposed changes related to these line-item topics. Significant changes in scope still require a SNARF revision in compliance with SEMI Regulations.

b: Expected result of activity
Line-item revision to two or more existing Standards or Safety Guidelines

For a new Subordinate Standard, identify the Primary Standard here:


Modification of an existing part of Standard(s) or Safety Guideline(s) including Appendices, Complementary Files, and Supplementary Materials, Addition of one or more Appendices or Complementary Files to an existing Standard or Safety Guideline, Addition of one or more Related Information sections or Various Materials to an existing Standard or Safety Guideline, Revision or addition of one or more Subordinate Standards to an existing Primary Standard

For Standards, identify the Standard Subtype below:
Specification

Miscellaneous (describe below):

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3. Projected Timetable for Completion:

a: General Milestones
a. Activity Start: 05/01/2026b. 1st Draft by: 06/01/2026
c. (Optional) Informational Ballot by: d. Letter Ballot by: 07/01/2026
e. TC Chapter Approval By:10/01/2026

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4. Liaisons with other Global Technical Committees/TC Chapters/Subcommittees/TFs:
a. List SEMI global technical committees, TC Chapters, subcommittees, or task forces in your or other Regions/Locales that should be kept informed regarding the progress of this activity. (Refer to SEMI Standards organization charts and global technical committee charters and scopes as needed.)


b. List any planned Type I Liaisons with external nonprofit organizations (e.g., SDO) that should receive Draft Documents from Standards staff for feedback during this activity and be notified when the Letter Ballot is issued (refer to Procedure Manual § 7):


c. Intercommittee Ballots:
will not be issued

Identify the recipient global technical committee(s):

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5. Safety Considerations:
The resulting document is expected:
NOT to be a Safety Guideline

NOTE FOR "to be a Safety Guideline": When all safety-related information is removed from the Document, the Document is NOT technically sound and complete - Refer to Section 15.1 of the Regulations for special procedures to be followed.

NOTE FOR "NOT to be a Safety Guideline": When all safety-related information is removed from the Document, the Document is still technically sound and complete.

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6. Intellectual Property Considerations:
Note: Both a: and b: below should be checked for Revision of existing Standard(s) and Safety Guideline(s).

a. For a new Standard or Safety Guideline and for any part to be modified or added in a Revision of published Standards and Safety Guidelines:


If "patented technology is intended to be included in the proposed Standard(s) or Safety Guideline(s) " is selected above, then also check one:


b. For Revision, Reapproval, Reinstatement, or Withdrawal of existing Standard(s) and Safety Guideline(s):
there is no known material patented technology necessary to use or implement the Standard(s) and Safety Guideline(s)

c. The body of the Document and any Appendices, Complementary Files, Related Information sections, or Various Materials that may or may not be a part of the Document by reference:
the incorporation of Copyrighted Item will NOT be required



NOTE FOR ‘the use of patented technology or the incorporation of Copyrighted Item(s) is NOT required’: If in the course of developing the Document, it is determined that the use of patented technology or Copyrighted Item(s) is necessary for the Document, the provisions of Regulations § 16 must be followed.

NOTE FOR ’will incorporate Copyrighted Item’: A copyright release letter must be obtained from the copyright owner prior to publication.

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7. Comments, Special Circumstances:
None.

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8. TC Member Review:
is not required for this SNARF.

Member Review Start Date; None.
Member Review End Date: None.

NOTE FOR ‘TC Member Review’ is required by the Regulations for a period of at least two weeks
before approval of a new, or a major revision of an existing, Standard or Safety Guideline. (Refer to Regulations ¶ 8.2.1)
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9. SNARF Approval Dates:
TC Chapter or GCS07/31/2026
Recorded in TC Minutes

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10. SNARF Extension Dates:
TC Chapter Extension Granted on
Extension Expires on