With a fully automated 300mm fab and gearing Europe’s graphene-chip ambitions, Black Semiconductor’s MES choice puts Critical Manufacturing at the heart of a major shift.
Portugal-based Critical Manufacturing has been selected to supply the Manufacturing Execution System (MES) and automation platform for Black Semiconductor’s new 300mm pilot fab in Aachen, Germany.
The facility, called FabONE, will support the company’s efforts to bring graphene-based chip interconnect technology to production scale. The firms see this as one of the most significant recent semiconductor investments in Europe.
FabONE is being developed as a fully automated, greenfield frontend fab. Black Semiconductor ran a competitive Request for Proposal before choosing Critical Manufacturing, citing the MES provider’s background in advanced semiconductor automation and experience with next-generation production environments.
“FabONE represents a significant step for our technology enablement and for the European semiconductor ecosystem,” said Samivel Krishnamoorthy, Senior Director of Fab Automation & Integration. He added that the company required a partner with “deep experience in fully automated frontend environments” and the ability to match the pace of a start-up pushing for rapid production readiness.
According to Krishnamoorthy, the Critical Manufacturing platform offered “completeness of MOM capabilities as a platform beyond just the traditional MES.”
The project will deploy the full suite of Critical Manufacturing MES modules, equipment integration through the company’s Connect IoT technology, and links to FabONE’s selected Automated Material Handling System and ERP systems.
An AI-enabled data platform will also be introduced to support analytics and decision-making. Once operational, the fab is expected to rely on minimal operator involvement, enabling Black Semiconductor to test process stability and move towards manufacturing at higher volumes.
For Critical Manufacturing, the contract marks an important win in the European market. “This project is important not only because of its scale, but because of what Black Semiconductor is trying to unlock,” said Tom Bednarz, Managing Director at Critical Manufacturing, Germany.
He noted that graphene-based interconnects require an MES capable of supporting continuous technological evolution.
The partnership positions both companies to expand alongside FabONE’s development, which is expected to evolve from a pilot line into a platform for future semiconductor fabrication in Europe.
