Build vs. Buy: Installed Base Intelligence for Semiconductor OEMs

Fab equipment downtime costs $1M per hour, yet most asset tracking platforms can't ingest telemetry at that scale without lock-in.

In Brief

Semiconductor OEMs face three paths: build custom asset tracking, buy closed platforms, or deploy API-first infrastructure that ingests telemetry without lock-in. The hybrid approach delivers predictive maintenance at fab scale while preserving integration flexibility and data sovereignty.

Strategic Decision Points

Build: Custom Development Cost

Building in-house asset tracking for lithography tools requires ML expertise, training pipelines, and continuous model maintenance. Many teams underestimate ongoing operational costs after initial development.

18-24 Months to Production

Buy: Vendor Lock-In Risk

Closed platforms trap configuration data behind proprietary APIs. When fab requirements change or vendors sunset products, migration becomes a costly emergency project with no clean exit path.

$2M+ Migration Cost Per Fab

Data Sovereignty Concerns

Process telemetry from EUV systems contains competitive intelligence. Builders need guarantees about where models train, how data flows, and whether proprietary recipes remain isolated from shared infrastructure.

73% Cite Lock-In as Top Concern

The API-First Alternative

Bruviti's headless architecture separates foundational models from integration logic. Your team writes Python or TypeScript to ingest chamber sensor streams, while pre-trained models handle anomaly detection and remaining useful life prediction without reinventing pattern recognition.

The platform exposes REST APIs for configuration queries, GraphQL for asset hierarchies, and streaming endpoints for real-time telemetry. Custom business rules run in your environment. Training data never leaves your infrastructure unless you explicitly push embeddings to shared model improvement pipelines. You control the data flow.

Technical Advantages

  • Deploy predictive maintenance in 8-12 weeks using pre-built models, avoiding 18-month custom builds.
  • Preserve API access to configuration data, enabling cost-free migration if requirements shift.
  • Train models on-premises with isolated telemetry, protecting process recipes from shared infrastructure exposure.

See It In Action

Semiconductor-Specific Implementation

Fab-Scale Deployment Considerations

Semiconductor fabs operate thousands of tools across lithography, etch, deposition, and metrology process areas. Each tool type generates distinct telemetry signatures. Lithography systems emit recipe parameter logs, EUV source stability metrics, and reticle alignment data. Etch chambers produce RF power traces, gas flow measurements, and endpoint detection signals.

The platform ingests heterogeneous sensor streams through standardized SECS/GEM interfaces and custom OPC-UA connectors. Asset hierarchies model tool-to-module-to-chamber relationships, preserving configuration lineage when components swap during preventive maintenance. This structure enables lifecycle queries like "which wafers processed through Chamber 3A between PM cycles 47-52" for defect source tracing.

Integration Roadmap

  • Pilot with lithography tools first, where $15M replacement costs justify predictive maintenance investment.
  • Connect existing MES and FDC systems via REST APIs, unlocking recipe correlation without data migration.
  • Track chamber component MTBF over 6-month horizons, proving ROI before expanding to etch tools.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does API-first architecture avoid lock-in compared to closed platforms?

Open REST and GraphQL endpoints give you direct programmatic access to configuration data and asset hierarchies. If you migrate platforms, standard API calls export your entire installed base without vendor-specific transformation logic. Closed systems trap data behind proprietary schemas requiring expensive ETL projects.

Can I train models on-premises with sensitive process telemetry?

Yes. The platform supports federated learning where models train locally on your infrastructure. Only aggregated model weights or embeddings transfer to central servers for ensemble improvement. Raw sensor data and recipe parameters never leave your network unless you explicitly configure cloud sync.

What's the realistic timeline for deploying predictive maintenance at fab scale?

Proof-of-concept on a single tool type takes 4-6 weeks. Expanding to full fab coverage typically requires 8-12 weeks, including MES integration and process engineer training. This assumes existing SECS/GEM infrastructure for telemetry collection. Custom sensor integrations add 3-4 weeks per tool family.

How do you handle configuration drift when components swap during PM cycles?

The asset registry tracks component-level lineage with timestamp logs. When Chamber 3A receives a new showerhead during PM, the system versions the configuration and links subsequent telemetry to the updated bill of materials. This preserves traceability for defect investigations correlating wafer quality to specific hardware generations.

What happens to custom business logic if I need to migrate platforms later?

Your Python and TypeScript code calls standard APIs, not proprietary SDKs. Business rules for anomaly thresholds, maintenance triggers, and escalation workflows run in your environment as containerized microservices. Migrating platforms only requires swapping the backend data source endpoint, not rewriting integration logic.

Related Articles

Explore the Architecture

See how API-first infrastructure preserves flexibility while accelerating time to predictive maintenance.

Request Technical Demo