As semiconductor fabs accelerate scaling up and moving to fully unmanned operations, automated storage and transfer of ultra-expensive assets such as EUV masks has emerged as a task. The problem is that large equipment makers supply only standardised products, leaving a shortage of customised solutions tailored to individual fab environments. German cleanroom logistics automation specialist Vision in Automation GmbH has entered the South Korean market by targeting this niche.

Martin Hofmann (마틴 호프만), head of Asia sales at Vision in Automation, visited South Korea through the EU Business Hub programme to coincide with SEMICON Korea 2026. Hofmann said he expects demand for customised cleanroom logistics systems as South Korean companies aim to build fully unmanned fabs.

Vision in Automation was founded in Dresden, Germany, in 2013. Hofmann said large logistics equipment suppliers mass-produce standardised products, making it difficult to provide customised designs tailored to customers' specific needs. He said the company was founded to target that niche.

The company provides a lift system that transfers FOUPs between floors inside a fab. It is a vertical transfer solution that links transport by conveyor or OHT ceiling transport systems between floors, and can optimise logistics flow by freely configuring manual ports. Its current lift lineup ranges from level shifters that handle height differences of 0.1 to 2 metres to air-bearing short lifts of up to 5 metres and flex lifts of up to 30 metres.

It later developed a Long Term Storage system based on customer needs. It is a turnkey solution that automatically stores FOUPs, cassettes, reticle boxes and probe cards. With a modular design, it can be flexibly configured to fit a customer's fab space and height, and can be expanded up to 50 metres in length and 6 metres in height.

It meets ISO-5 cleanroom grade requirements and is compatible with SEMI E88 MES and GEM SECS standards, allowing integration into factory automation systems. Hofmann said there are cases of building a "Die Bank" by connecting multiple storage systems and operating them like a single large warehouse across an entire fab.

◆Supporting fully unmanned fabs through reticle automation

Managing ultra-expensive assets such as EUV masks is also a core business area. The company developed reticle classification and storage automation equipment and has a case of applying it to a ULVAC reticle cleaner. Previously, reticles had to be manually loaded into the cleaner, but full automation was implemented by linking Vision in Automation's reticle classifier.

On quality control, it has adopted a method of completing equipment manufacturing and long-term testing in its own cleanroom environment before shipping. Hofmann said all equipment is designed in modules so customers can assemble it simply in a plug-and-play way. He said this minimises installation risks.

It also supplies a FOUP Pod storage system. Hofmann said customers no longer want to manage FOUP pods manually, and large equipment makers do not develop such niche products because they see the market size as small. To that end, the company applied a modular design that allows load ports to be freely placed on the side, front or rear, depending on customer needs.

There are no cooperation cases with South Korean companies yet. But it raised expectations for orders by contacting several companies during the visit. Hofmann said some companies showed interest particularly in tool loaders and reticle storage and classification. He said the company plans cooperation with local partner companies for stable operations.