The implementation of fully automated fab technologies will help ease the transition to 300mm manufacturing by making the most of the 300mm toolset capabilities. The transition to 300mm necessitates a level of process control improvement commensurate with the increase in the intrinsic value of the processed wafers. The key will be to keep these costs low while maximizing the value of each wafer. Part of the solution lies in establishing a fully automated system that allows for maximum predictability of output with manufacturing capabilities such as Advanced Process Control (APC). APC, a part of AMD’s Automated Precision Manufacturing (APM) technology, will be one of the key manufacturing technology that supports the transition. APC capabilities will need to evolve past lot-to-lot control to wafer-to-wafer control. 300mm tools will need to consider wafer-to-wafer control and extend the ability to change the process recipe for each individual wafer, in an automated fashion, as required. In addition, the control of individual processes will need to be integrated into a more holistic approach. This presentation will explore the evolution from unit process control to fab-wide automation. A holistic approach for factory automation goes beyond the optimization of performance within a given process or batch of wafers to focus on optimizing the output of the entire factory. The systems enabling optimization of process control are developed in coordination with advanced systems for automated yield analysis and production control. This integrated approach allows for a process control system that is both more flexible and more precise. Thomas Sonderman will discuss the manufacturing challenges that organizations face within 300mm and the benefits afforded to the market by moving to full automation. His presentation will draw on years of experience in the integration of these technologies to describe the essentials of a highly-automated 300mm manufacturing facility.