Introduction to the SEMI E190 Standard Suite
As semiconductor manufacturing grows more complex and data intensive, extracting actionable intelligence from equipment depends on one foundational requirement: consistent, well-organized data. SEMI E190 — Specification for Equipment Data Publication (EDP) — is the industry’s answer to that challenge.
First published in November 2024, SEMI E190 establishes a common framework for how equipment data is structured, categorized, and made accessible across the semiconductor manufacturing ecosystem. It represents a critical step forward in transforming raw equipment data into a strategic, factory-wide asset.
Purpose of the SEMI E190 Standard
SEMI E190 gives equipment suppliers clear, standardized guidance on how to:
- Categorize equipment data for specific component types
- Define the minimum data set required for each component type
- Establish a consistent, replicable approach that all suppliers can follow
Before this standard, equipment suppliers made independent decisions about how to organize and expose process-specific data from their tools — creating inconsistencies that burdened chipmakers and software developers. SEMI E190 makes equipment data more predictable, accessible, and actionable across the factory floor.
Key Concepts and Features of SEMI E190
SEMI E190 introduces several foundational concepts that determine how equipment data is organized and shared:
- EDP Component Type — A model for associating equipment data with corresponding physical components of the equipment in a structured, hierarchical fashion using defined category levels
- Shareable vs. non-shareable data — Formal rules defining what data can be accessed from a connected computing device and what cannot, addressing both intellectual property protection and operational transparency
- Subordinate standards — Practical implementation guidance for specific equipment types and clear expectations regarding the breadth and level of detail for the data to be provided:
- SEMI E190.1 maps the EDP framework to etch components, organizing data into categories such as gas, plasma, pressure control and optical emissions spectroscopy (OES)
- Additional subordinate standards are being developed that extend coverage across the full spectrum of critical equipment component types (implant, deposition, lithography, CMP, etc.)
- Manufacturer accountability — Compliance with E190 is the responsibility of the equipment manufacturer, ensuring data quality and organization sit with those closest to the equipment
Why SEMI E190 is Important to the Industry
SEMI E190 addresses one of the most persistent challenges in semiconductor manufacturing: not how data is transmitted, but what data is available and how it is organized.
While prior standards such as SECS/GEM and EDA/Interface A define the data communication protocols between manufacturing equipment and the factory information and control systems, E190 fills the critical gap of data content and high-level structure.
For equipment suppliers:
- A clear, industry-validated blueprint for structuring and publishing equipment data
- Specific expectations for each equipment type resulting in lower development cost and more consistent interface implementations
For semiconductor manufacturers:
- Equipment data from different suppliers can be more readily understood, integrated, and acted upon
- Reduced time and cost to connect new equipment to factory information and control systems
For software and analytics suppliers:
- Consistent data categorization lowers the barrier for building generic supplier-independent applications
- Accelerates development of advanced analytics, fault detection, predictive maintenance, and process control solutions
Strategic impact:
- Supports smart manufacturing goals by enabling richer, standardized equipment data
Feeds AI and machine learning models, digital twins, and data-driven process optimization — capabilities increasingly central to factory competitiveness
PDF Solutions Products that Support SEMI E190
The Cimetrix division of PDF Solutions has been a direct participant in the development of SEMI E190 from the beginning, holding leadership roles in SEMI’s Information & Control Committee and the Equipment Data Publication task force. This deep involvement means that Cimetrix brings both standards expertise and real-world implementation experience to this domain.
- Cimetrix® CIMConnect — Broad SEMI standards connectivity for equipment suppliers
- Cimetrix® CIM300 — SEMI equipment automation connectivity for 300mm environments
- Cimetrix® CIMPortal Plus — Equipment-side EDA/Interface A support including metadata model templates for each of the E190.x subordinate standards as they are approved