Fremont, CA, July 13, 1998 - Asyst Technologies, Inc. (Nasdaq:ASYT), the leading supplier of manufacturing automation and Standard Mechanical InterFace (SMIF) isolation systems for the global semiconductor industry, today unveiled a full spectrum of hardware and software products designed to enhance production of both 200 mm and 300 mm wafers. Augmenting Asyst's leadership position in factory and tool automation, these new products and technologies deliver advanced capabilities in the SMIF/minienvironment, tool automation and material tracking/management markets.

According to John Field, Asyst's vice president of marketing, Asyst continues to innovate in all three of these areas-enhancing its existing solution set and addressing chipmakers' emerging challenges. "The new products on display this week at the SEMICON West tradeshow enable chipmakers to reduce their manufacturing costs, increase reliability, enhance process control and achieve greater levels of automation in their fabs," explained Field.

SMIF Products
In the SMIF and minienvironment sector Asyst pioneered, the company has added five new products that adhere to the industry's most advanced standards while delivering unprecedented particle control and cost-of-ownership (COO) advantages.

• SMIF-LPT 2200 SE™: Responding to the industry's need for high throughput SMIF I/O devices to optimize equipment utilization, this newest SMIF robotic interface provides the fastest wafer transfer in the industry, with cycle times under 35 seconds for load/unload. It also incorporates several new features to improve the robustness of the interface. As a result, its reliability sets a new industry standard with a mean-time-between-failure of more than 50,000 run cycles, better-than-Class 1 particle performance in integrated minienvironments and less than one wafer break per 100,000 wafer handling operations.
   
• SMIF-Pod™ 300: Composed of advanced materials, this newest addition to Asyst's growing 300 mm product family delivers improved control over both organic and inorganic contamination. Additionally, this is the first SMIF-pod to comply with the stringent SMRD 4910 flammability protocol.
   
• 200 mm Gen 5 SMIF-Pod: Incorporating the proven performance benefits of Asyst's Gen 4 pod, the Gen 5 pod features contoured side handles with independent handle rotation for improved operator ergonomics-a critical factor in less-automated 200 mm fabs. By eliminating metal hardware inside the pod, Gen 5 also eliminates the possibility of metallic contamination while delivering advanced sealing capabilities for increased particle control. Finally, the new system features a wash-in-place design with a smoother interior to minimize water collection and make cleaning the pod faster and easier.

Minienvironment Control

• SMART-CMS™: Asyst's new minienvironment control monitoring system automates protection of individual process tools in the fab. Representing an important extension to Asyst's customized tool-minienvironment product family, SMART-CMS enables continuous "intelligent" monitoring and control of the internal environmental conditions of the minienvironment. As such, it provides a variety of monitoring/control options to manage pressure, particle levels and detection capability for fire and smoke. Upon detection of adverse environmental conditions, SMART-CMS can either correct the condition, provide an audible alarm to fab personnel or perform an emergency equipment shutdown-all based upon customer defined programming. In addition to enhancing process results, this capability automates and optimizes protection of valuable work in process (WIP), costly process tools and the overall manufacturing facility.

Tool Automation

• Front-End Factory Interface Concept: The latest in a series of modular tool automation solutions from Asyst, the new Front-End Factory Interface Concept is a 200 mm and 300 mm compatible modular factory interface. Based on the SMIF-WMS™ and designed to automate the front-end of process tools, this important new product provides OEMs with a modular factory interface that can reduce tool footprint, optimize throughput, lower COO and ensure compatibility with fab-wide information systems. Since this modular interface can address both 200 mm and 300 mm requirements, it also provides a critical upgrade path for process tools, while helping to reduce the cost associated with 300 mm tool development.

Material Tracking/Management
To enhance the Auto-ID and automated material tracking/management capabilities afforded by its SMART-Traveler System (STS), Asyst has introduced two new paperless WIP tracking devices. Company officials report that this is an increasingly critical capability in today's fabs based on its ability to increase manufacturing yields by reducing rework and misprocessing.

• SMART-Tag 8400™: It features a larger graphic LCD display that allows multiple text lines and graphics, plus a two-way communication capability that can take the place of monitors or terminals in some areas of the fab. This saves valuable cleanroom floor space to make room for additional process tools or WIP storage. Incorporating a number of design advances over its predecessor, the new 8400 tag leverages industry standard SECS I/II messaging interfaces to speed configuration and enhance overall system efficiency.

Asyst reports that all of these new products will be displayed in the Asyst Booth #1338 at SEMICON West 98.

Except for statements of historical fact, the statements in this press release are forward-looking. Such statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from the statements made. These factors include, but are not limited to, general economic conditions, semiconductor industry cycles, risks associated with the acceptance of new products and product capabilities and other factors more fully detailed in the Company's most recent Forms 10-K and 10-Q, and annual report to shareholders.

About Asyst
The pioneer of the Standard Mechanical InterFace (SMIF), Asyst Technologies, Inc. is the leading provider of automated material handling systems critical to seamless factory automation in the most advanced fabs worldwide. Asyst's comprehensive solutions, which include industry-leading 200 mm and 300 mm product offerings, result in greater fab profitability and productivity. Through innovative developments in the software and integration services area, Asyst Software, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary, provides integrated circuit (IC) manufacturers fully automated solutions addressing their most advanced manufacturing challenges. Founded in 1984, Asyst Technologies, Inc. is headquartered in Fremont, CA, with facilities in Europe and the Pacific Rim. Asyst Software, Inc., is located in San Jose, CA