The SEMI Standards Team activities in Q2 focused on responding to the rapidly evolving needs of the microelectronics industry with critical revisions on key SEMI Standards. SEMI Standard F51, Guide for Elastomeric Sealing Technology, is a foundational standard for choosing and evaluating elastomeric seals. However, today’s manufacturing processes are demanding more seals with stronger chemical compatibility, lower particle and outgassing contribution, and other new and emerging considerations. SEMI is requesting industry feedback on F51 as part of its five-year review process. To participate in the next iteration of SEMI Standard F51, please complete the survey by October 15, 2026.Revisions are also underway for two important SEMI Standards. SEMI Standard E187, Specification for Cybersecurity of Fab Equipment, is currently being updated to include cybersecurity tiers based on application and need. Meanwhile, the revision to SEMI Standard E137, Guide for Final Assembly, Packaging, Transportation, Unpacking, and Relocation of Semiconductor Manufacturing Equipment, focused on an updated protocol that accounts for changes in the equipment handling environment. The revised version of E137, which included a title change, is being prepared for publication. The Korea Standards Team also hosted dedicated trainings for understanding and implementing SEMI S2, Environmental, Health, and Safety Guideline for Semiconductor Manufacturing Equipment. S2 covers the equipment used to manufacture, measure, assemble, and test semiconductor products, and it’s one of SEMI’s most widely referenced standards to date. With several new fabs coming online in 2026, SEMI Standard S2 is critical for establishing safety benchmarks ahead of tool installation. During Q2, the SEMI Water Management Group held a complimentary webinar that outlined its research findings for its two reports: Procedures Guide and Baseline and Water Savings Guide with Maturity Scale, and how the reports work with existing SEMI Standards. Some of these standards include SEMI Standard F98, Guide for Treatment of Reuse Water in Semiconductor Processing, and SEMI Standard F116, Guide for Drain Segregation for Semiconductor Manufacturing Tools to Support Site Water Reuse. The webinar can be accessed for free on demand. In addition, the SEMI Standards Team welcomed four new task forces chartered to respond to shifting industry demands. These task forces include the Flow Limiting Devices Task Force and the S2 Airborne Chemicals Task Force in North America, the Diagnostic Data Acquisition Task Force in China, and finally, the 310mm Square Panel Glass Carrier Task Force in Japan. Lastly, SEMI held 14 technical committee meetings in Q2 throughout Asia and Europe, with more than 20 standards either introduced or revised. To get involved in these SEMI Standards development efforts, become a member of the SEMI Standards Program. Membership is free. Feedback for SEMI Standard F51To adapt F51 to the modern manufacturing environment, the SEMI F51 Revision Task Force recently developed a feedback matrix outlining current priorities for this standard. For those working with elastomeric seals in any of the environments outlined on this webpage, please take a moment to provide additional input on which sealing characteristics, impurity concerns, and handling considerations should be most heavily considered in the revised version of F51. The SEMI F51 Revision Task Force is targeting a first draft by SEMICON West 2026, taking place from October 13-15. To have your feedback considered, please complete this survey by October 15, 2026. Revisions to SEMI Standards E187 and E137SEMI E187, Specification for Cybersecurity of Fab Equipment, is fundamental for outlining cybersecurity protocol for operating systems, network security, endpoint protection, and more. However, cyber threats are quickly evolving, and SEMI E187 will similarly need to be revised to address new and emerging concerns. One important revision to SEMI E187 is the introduction of three cumulative security levels (SLs), which will help equipment users and suppliers to select security profiles based on their needs. SL1 represents baseline compliance, while SL2 introduces stricter standards for equipment with greater exposure to cyber threats, like those with connections over public networks. Finally, SL3 is the most secure level of compliance, intended for applications with extremely sensitive assets to be protected. The revision of SEMI E187 represents an important step toward strengthening cybersecurity resilience across semiconductor manufacturing environments. The task force aims to advance this revision into the balloting stage this year, and continued industry participation will be essential to ensure that the final document reflects practical needs, global alignment, and broad technical consensus.Meanwhile, SEMI Standard E137, Guide for Final Assembly, Packaging, Transportation, Unpacking, and Relocation of Semiconductor Manufacturing Equipment, offers a reference for activities occurring between final assembly and moving equipment into a cleanroom. While today’s iteration covers recommended packing materials and step-by-step instructions for each subsequent process, it doesn’t account for changes in the equipment handling environment. In addition, the new version intends to be easier to understand while providing additional guidance on crating materials for specific circumstances. The revised document officially passed technical review and will be available soon. SEMI Korea S2 Safety Training From June 10-12, the SEMI Korea Standards Team hosted a SEMI Safety Standards training course. Divided into beginner and advanced sessions, the course offered a deeper understanding of safe semiconductor design and equipment evaluation. Held at the Suwon Convention Center in Suwon, Korea, it covered everything from safety standard basics all the way to in-depth explanations and practical implementation strategies for SEMI Standard S2. The June 10 program introduced the basics of SEMI Standard S2, explaining safety interlocks and emergency shutdown protocols, before diving into electrical design, fire protection, ergonomics, chemical, radiation, sound pressure, and more. For those more familiar with SEMI Safety Standards, the advanced course from June 11-12 provided more guidance on the installation of emergency stop and safety devices, chemical safety, machine safety, electrical design safety, and optimal risk assessment techniques. The advanced session went beyond SEMI Standard S2 and covered material related to SEMI Standards S6, S8, S10, S14, S17, and S28.The next SEMI Korea Standards course, SEMI Semiconductor Test Technology Training, will be held on September 9 in person at the same location. Apply today. Water Management Explanatory WebinarIn Q2, the SEMI Water Management Working Group held a webinar outlining its research for the Water Management Strategy Reports and explained how findings interact with SEMI Standards. The webinar covered procedure guidelines, water saving and baseline setting, and the solutions maturity scale. The reports were developed to help improve company water posture through recycling and reclaiming after implementing water saving strategies. They work to go beyond existing standards to help water managers understand water balance and set reasonable goals for new solutions. The reports can be downloaded here free of charge, and the webinar can be viewed on demand. New SEMI Standards Task Forces As the microelectronics industry continues to expand, four new task forces were developed in Q2 to address emerging needs. The Flow Limiting Devices Task Force was established in May 2026 to address issues identified during a reapproval ballot of SEMI S5, as well as other matters related to SEMI Standard S5 that are later identified. This task force is based and operated under the North America (NA) EH S Technical Committee Chapter. The revision to SEMI S5 was issued for ballot in Cycle 6-2026. The ballot results will be reviewed and discussed at the next task force meeting, which will be held in conjunction with SEMICON West 2026 in San Francisco, California.Also created in May, the S2 Airborne Chemicals Task Forcewill modify section 23.5 to require that the assessment criteria be demonstrated, but not necessarily during equipment evaluation. The task force leader believes that an equivalent level of safety can be achieved through alternative assessment methods. For example, industrial hygiene (IH) monitoring could be performed before opening a process chamber while personnel are wearing appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE). The results of the assessment would then determine whether PPE can be removed or should continue to be worn during subsequent work inside the chamber. This task force is based in North America and will fall under the EH S Technical Committee.Based in China, the new Diagnostic Data Acquisition Task Force will investigate problems with the implementation of Equipment Data Acquisition (EDA)/Interface A Standards in the China region and propose suggestions for improvement. This task force will also develop new SEMI Standards for EDA/Interface A and diagnostic applications as needed, in addition to promoting cooperation with other task forces in China involved with EDA/Interface A. This task force was approved in June and will fall under the China Information Control Technical Committee chapter. Finally, in response to a Line-Item Revision ballot for SEMI Standard 3D20, Specification for Panel Characteristics for Panel Level Packaging (PLP) Applications, that is being revised to include smaller panel sizes, the 310mm Square Panel Glass Carrier Task Force was formed on June 5 to revise SEMI Standard 3D23 to also include specifications for 310mm square glass carriers used in panel level packaging. Currently, 3D23 covers 510 x 515mm and 600mm x 600mm panel sizes. In its efforts to expand the standard, the task force will determine the length, width, thickness, and associated tolerances for the 310 mm panel, features like orientation corner and reference edges, backside ID mark location, and other necessary specifications. This task force is based in Japan and falls under the 3D Packaging and Integration Technical Committee. Interested in joining a task force? Apply for SEMI Standards membership.Outcomes from Q2 Technical Committee Chapter Meetings Q2 included several Technical Committee chapter meetings across Asia and Europe, where upcoming ballots and initiatives were discussed. To exchange ideas in real-time, a community page is now available on the Connect@SEMI platform. Japan Meetings The Automation Technology Japan Technical Committee met on June 19 and presented reports from the AI, Surface Mount Technology, and F-GEM task forces. The Information Control Japan Technical Committee convened on June 17 and approved SNARF 7476 , Guide for Maintenance Robot Communication.The 3D Packaging Integration Japan Technical Committee conducted ballot reviews on June 5 for a line-item revision to SEMI Standard G82-1115, Specification for 300 mm Load Port for Frame Cassettes in Backend Process, as well as a line-item revision to SEMI G95-1120, Specification for Mechanical Features of 450 mm Load Port for Tape Frame Cassettes in the Backend Process. The EHS Japan Technical Committee met on June 3 to present several task force reports, including one from the Global Seismic Protection Task Force, another from the Mobile Maintenance Robot Safety Task Force, and several more from various SEMI Standard revision Task Forces. The Gases and Facilities Japan Joint Technical Committee reviewed the revision ballot for SEMI Standard E137-0705 on May 29. The committee approved the revision and a title change. Once published, the Standard will be called Guide for Final Assembly, Packing, Transportation, Unpacking, and Moving of Semiconductor Manufacturing Equipment. The Physical Interface Carriers Japan Technical Committee proposed a new primary standard, Specification for Enhanced Handoff Interface, and a complementary subordinate standard, Specification for Modbus Communication for Enhanced Handoff Interface, on May 21. These documents passed review and are currently being processed for publication.The Liquid Chemicals Japan Technical Committee met on May 21 to present several task force reports, including Liquid Filter Task Force, Liquid-Borne Particle Counter Task Force, and Valve Fitting Task Force. Ballot 7267A, Revision to SEMI C77-0818 with title change to: Test Method for Determining the Counting Efficiency of Liquid-Borne Particle Counters for Which the Minimum Detectable Particle Size is in the Range of 20 nm and 100 nm, was authorized in Cycle 8-2026, which will be issued in late September.The Information Control Japan Technical Committee met on April 17 to report the Ratification Ballot results for Line-Item Revision to SEMI E170-0520, Specification for Secured Foundation of Recipe Management System (SFORMS) and SEMI E170.1-0520, Specification for SECS-II Protocol for Secured Foundation of Recipe Management System. This ballot passed, and both primary and subordinate standards will be available soon. The Silicon Wafer Japan Technical Committee convened on April 17 to review ballot 6570D for a new SEMI Standard, Guide for Measuring Bulk Micro Defect Density and Denuded Zone Width in Annealed Silicon Wafers by a Laser Scattering Tomography Technique. This document passed review and is currently being processed for publication.Korea MeetingsThe EHS Korea Technical Committee also met on June 19 to discuss its Field-Based Safety Subcommittee, Regulatory Alignment Subcommittee, Robot Safety Task Force, and S2 Major Revision Liaison Task Force.The Information Control Korea Technical Committee reviewed reports from the GEM300 Task Force, the Diagnostic Data Acquisition Task Force, and the Advanced Back-End Factory Task Force, on April 23.China MeetingThe Information Control China Technical Committee met on June 2 and approved SNARF 7475, Line Item Revision to E90-1224, Specification for Substrate Tracking and E90.1-1224, Specification for SECS-II Protocol Substrate Tracking. The goal is to help both equipment manufacturers and factories using E90 achieve precise and consistent information exchange regarding substrate state.Taiwan MeetingThe FPD Metrology Taiwan Technical Committee discussed and adjudicated ballot 7352, Revision to SEMI D056-0519, Test Method for Measurement for Ambient Contrast of Flat Panel Displays, which failed technical review, on May 22. The updated ballot 7352A is issued in Cycle 7-26 and is scheduled for review on November 20, 2026.Europe MeetingThe Compound Semiconductor Materials Europe Technical Committee met on April 14. Ballot 7111, Revision of SEMI M81-0418, Guide for Defects Found in Monocrystalline Silicon Carbide Substrates, passed technical review. The revised SEMI M81 standard is being processed for publication and will be available for purchase online.In Case You Missed It – Standards Suite Overview White Paper The SEMI Standards team released a complimentary, 23-page white paper, titled Selecting the Right Standards for Your Factory Use Case and Technology Needs. This paper covers four SEMI Standards Suites to support equipment communications and automation. It breaks possibilities into smaller groups of existing standards to help factories and suppliers scale more efficiently. Download the white paper. New and Revised Standards Released in Q2 April 2026May 2026June 2026Get InvolvedSEMI Standards development activities take place throughout the year in all major manufacturing regions. To participate, join the SEMI International Standards Program.SEMI Standards are available through individual download purchases or online via SEMIViews. Watch this video to learn more about how SEMIViews offers a cost-effective and streamlined way to access 1,110+ SEMI Standards. Sign up for a 30-day SEMIViews trial.For more information, please visit the Standards website and events page. For any questions regarding SEMI Standards activities, please contact your local SEMI Standards staff.Paul Trio is Director of Standards at SEMI.
