要分析任何制造业的先进制造领域，深入了解制造过程和材料处理系统至关重要。在设计和实施物料搬运系统之前，必须详细描述制造区域的特征。使用最先进的计算机模拟工具和结构化建模方法，可以轻松构建制造领域的通用模型，包括它们与物料处理系统的集成。这些模型包括设备、人员和物料搬运系统的细节，可以有效地理解制造区域的行为。 开发了一个通用的计算机模拟模型来描述半导体工厂中的蚀刻区域。

TO ANALYZE ADVANCED MANUFACTURING AREAS IN ANY MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY, AN IN-DEPTH UNDERSTANDING OF THE MANUFACTURING PROCESSES AND THE MATERIAL HANDLING SYSTEMS ARE ESSENTIAL. IT IS IMPERATIVE TO CHARACTERIZE THE MANUFACTURING AREA IN DETAIL BEFORE THE MATERIAL HANDLING SYSTEM IS DESIGNED AND IMPLEMENTED. USING STATE-OF-THE-ART COMPUTER SIMULATION TOOLS AND STRUCTURED MODELING METHODOLOGY, GENERIC MODELS OF THE MANUFACTURING AREAS INCLUDING THEIR INTEGRATION WITH MATERIAL HANDLING SYSTEMS COULD EASILY BE BUILT. THESE MODELS, WHICH INCLUDE DETAILS OF THE EQUIPMENT, PEOPLE, AND MATERIAL HANDLING SYSTEMS CAN EFFECTIVELY UNDERSTAND THE BEHAVIOR OF THE MANUFACTURING AREAS. A GENERIC COMPUTER SIMULATION MODEL HAS BEEN DEVELOPED TO CHARACTERIZE THE ETCH AREA IN A SEMICONDUCTOR FAB FACILITY.