{"id":2258,"date":"2026-04-07T09:02:56","date_gmt":"2026-04-07T13:02:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/electronics-semiconductors\/?p=2258"},"modified":"2026-04-07T09:05:12","modified_gmt":"2026-04-07T13:05:12","slug":"single-device-tracking-how-semiconductor-leaders-transform-the-advanced-packaging-challenge","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/electronics-semiconductors\/2026\/04\/07\/single-device-tracking-how-semiconductor-leaders-transform-the-advanced-packaging-challenge\/","title":{"rendered":"Single Device Tracking: How semiconductor leaders transform the Advanced Packaging challenge\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-vertical is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-8cf370e7 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-rank-math-toc-block\" id=\"rank-math-toc\"><h2>Table of Contents<\/h2><nav><ul><li><a href=\"#the-core-challenge-how-do-you-achieve-complete-device-tracking-for-quality-and-compliance-without-compromising-production-efficiency\">The core challenge: How do you achieve complete device tracking for quality and compliance without compromising production efficiency?<\/a><ul><li><a href=\"#semiconductor-market-requirements\">Semiconductor market requirements<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li><a href=\"#why-quality-is-now-the-key-competitive-factor\">Why quality is now the key competitive factor<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#single-device-processing-and-tracking-basics\">Single device processing and tracking basics<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#the-critical-difference-between-tracing-and-tracking\">The critical difference between tracing and tracking<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#why-is-single-item-traceability-sit-essential-today\">Why is single item traceability (SIT) essential today?<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#what-are-the-challenges-of-single-item-traceability\">What are the challenges of single item traceability?<\/a><ul><li><a href=\"#carriers-item-structures\">Carriers \/ Item Structures<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li><a href=\"#what-are-the-challenges-of-single-item-tracking\">What are the challenges of single item tracking?<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#the-high-performance-solution-approach\">The high-performance solution approach<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#what-has-siemens-r-d-achieved-to-realize-single-item-tracking\">What has Siemens R&amp;D achieved to realize single item tracking?<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#fa-qs\">FAQs<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-cover alignfull is-light has-medium-font-size wp-duotone-midnight\" style=\"margin-top:0;padding-top:5vw;padding-right:5vw;padding-bottom:5vw;padding-left:5vw;min-height:507px;aspect-ratio:unset;\"><span aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-cover__background has-teal-background-color has-background-dim-100 has-background-dim\"><\/span><div class=\"wp-block-cover__inner-container is-layout-flow wp-block-cover-is-layout-flow\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-vertical is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-8cf370e7 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group wp-container-content-8eb0bdf3\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-flow wp-block-group-is-layout-flow\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading alignwide has-text-align-left\" id=\"the-global-semiconductor-packaging-market-size-is-expected-to-grow-significantly-with-a-cagr-of-9-10-until-2030-from-27-10-billion-in-2020-to-60-44-billion-by-2030-1-1\" style=\"font-size:21px\"><strong>The global semiconductor packaging market size is expected to grow significantly with a CAGR of 9.10% until 2030 (from $27.10 billion in 2020 to $60.44 billion by 2030 ).<sup>1<\/sup><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link has-white-color has-black-background-color has-text-color has-background has-custom-font-size wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/webinars.sw.siemens.com\/en-US\/single-item-tracking-for-semiconductor-manufacturing\/\" style=\"border-radius:0px;border-top-style:none;border-top-width:0px;border-right-style:none;border-right-width:0px;border-bottom-style:none;border-bottom-width:0px;border-left-style:none;border-left-width:0px;padding-top:14px;padding-right:36px;padding-bottom:14px;padding-left:36px;font-size:17px;font-style:normal;font-weight:700;letter-spacing:0px;text-decoration:none;text-transform:uppercase\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Watch the webinar<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group wp-container-content-9cfa9a5a\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-flow wp-block-group-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"has-small-font-size\">Expert speakers:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-small-font-size\"><strong>Frank Schaldach<\/strong>\u2014Electronics and Semiconductor Industry Manager, Siemens Digital Industries Software<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-small-font-size\"><strong>Dimitry Wishaupt<\/strong>\u2014Global Pre-sales Semiconductors, Siemens Digital Industries Software<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Today&#8217;s semiconductor market demands ever greater computing power in smaller node sizes, outpacing the traditional growth rate of Moore&#8217;s Law. To keep pace, leading manufacturers are adopting advanced packaging: integrating multiple chiplets into more efficient 2.5D or 3D packages.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This evolution creates new challenges: managing complex multi-chiplet production, mixed-product lots, and item-level device tracking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"the-core-challenge-how-do-you-achieve-complete-device-tracking-for-quality-and-compliance-without-compromising-production-efficiency\"><strong>The core challenge: How do you achieve complete device tracking for quality and compliance without compromising production efficiency?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Most manufacturers cannot perform single device tracking without slowing operations\u2014a critical challenge that must be overcome amid surging demand and global semiconductor shortages.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"semiconductor-market-requirements\"><strong>Semiconductor market requirements<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Growing product complexity has resulted in semiconductor demand reaching an all-time high, and expectations for chip innovation just keep soaring.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p><em>We are living in a time when there has never been a greater expectation for chip innovation.\u201d&nbsp;<\/em> &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-right\"> <strong>&#8211; Frank Schaldach<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"563\" src=\"https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/25\/2026\/04\/Screenshot-2026-03-08-155039-1024x563.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2262\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/25\/2026\/04\/Screenshot-2026-03-08-155039-1024x563.png 1024w, https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/25\/2026\/04\/Screenshot-2026-03-08-155039-600x330.png 600w, https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/25\/2026\/04\/Screenshot-2026-03-08-155039-768x422.png 768w, https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/25\/2026\/04\/Screenshot-2026-03-08-155039-900x494.png 900w, https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/25\/2026\/04\/Screenshot-2026-03-08-155039.png 1114w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>For over 50 years, Moore&#8217;s Law has been the key driver of chip innovation\u2014accurately predicting that the number of transistors on an integrated circuit will double about every two years, which has led to exponential growth in computing power and efficiency for the industry. However, with the continuous shrinking of node sizes, we may be approaching the physical limitations of miniaturization. The industry has noted that the rate of Moore\u2019s Law appears to be slowing down, evidenced by the fact that with each successive iteration, chip shrinking takes longer and costs more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p><em>Today, we are not that far away from the theoretical physical limit, which is thought to be 0.34nm, and keeping in mind that silicon&#8217;s atomic size is about 0.2 nm, you can see why the industry is looking for new ways to go beyond Moore\u2019s Law.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-right\"><strong>&nbsp;&#8211; Frank Schaldach<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p><a id=\"_msocom_1\"><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h1 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"beyond-moores-law-the-world-of-advanced-packaging\"><strong>Beyond Moore\u2019s Law: The world of Advanced Packaging<\/strong><\/h1>\n\n\n\n<p>The revolutionary new concept for chip innovation is based on high density advanced packaging, which enables the combination of multiple, diverse chips (chiplets) into one unit to improve performance, power efficiency, and cost-effectiveness without needing to shrink transistors further.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Instead of one large monolithic integrated circuit, the functionality is separated to a set of smaller dies that are tightly interconnected.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The diagram below shows a 3D die stacking model having one master die, and 3 slave dies on top that are connected using silicon vias.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"378\" height=\"344\" src=\"https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/25\/2026\/04\/Screenshot-2026-03-09-154551.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2263\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>The result: higher yield because of smaller dies, overall, 10% reduced manufacturing cost, increased performance, and a process optimized to IP blocks and greater flexibility. It is now even possible to combine chips from different vendors and make individual chiplets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Key semiconductor players are adopting high density advanced packaging to drive innovation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Industry leaders including Intel, AMD and TSMC have all committed to advanced packaging architectures as the primary path forward.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>These developments in advanced packaging are becoming mainstream and are foundational in the next phase of Moore\u2018s Law.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"why-quality-is-now-the-key-competitive-factor\"><strong>Why quality is now the key competitive factor<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>A recent semiconductor manufacturing survey by Tech-Clarity<sup>2<\/sup> shows that product quality and product reliability are key success factors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"530\" src=\"https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/25\/2026\/04\/Screenshot-2026-03-08-160617-1024x530.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2264\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/25\/2026\/04\/Screenshot-2026-03-08-160617-1024x530.png 1024w, https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/25\/2026\/04\/Screenshot-2026-03-08-160617-600x310.png 600w, https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/25\/2026\/04\/Screenshot-2026-03-08-160617-768x397.png 768w, https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/25\/2026\/04\/Screenshot-2026-03-08-160617-900x466.png 900w, https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/25\/2026\/04\/Screenshot-2026-03-08-160617.png 1177w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>In view of advanced packaging, several chips could be included in each MCM or chiplet, creating many opportunities for quality problems. This is why detailed tracking and tracing for each individual device in a chiplet is imperative.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Speed is also critical, as single device processing must also be equipped to maintain full production capacity to meet the pace of global demand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"single-device-processing-and-tracking-basics\"><strong>Single device processing and tracking basics<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Single device tracking typically requires production slowdowns\u2014a trade-off that semiconductor manufacturers can no longer afford in today&#8217;s accelerated market. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>However, a high-performance computing solution integrated with MES can upgrade single-device forward tracking and control at production speed to optimize capacity and avoid the need for additional capital.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"the-critical-difference-between-tracing-and-tracking\"><strong>The critical difference between tracing and tracking<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Most people use these terms interchangeably. But they&#8217;re fundamentally different:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Tracing answers the past: &#8220;Where did this come from?&#8221; It&#8217;s backward-looking genealogy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Traceability is the ability to trace a device\u2019s current status back to its point of origin, providing an audit trail. For example, to trace where a device comes from on the wafer, you must begin at the start of fabrication.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Traceability answers the backward question: it shows customers materials, origins, processing steps, equipment, and conditions for every device.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Customers demand both: complete history (traceability) and real-time visibility (tracking). Together, they provide the complete picture customers require today.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p><em>Because quality is increasingly critical, we must ensure that the traceability and the tracking we provide in our systems be able to provide sufficient detail needed to identify where quality issues are arising.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-right\"><strong>&#8211; Dimitry Wishaupt<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p><a id=\"_msocom_1\"><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"why-is-single-item-traceability-sit-essential-today\"><strong>Why is single item traceability (SIT) essential today?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong> Quality<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Quality requirements are becoming more stringent. Most semiconductor companies are experiencing higher expectations for product quality than even their customers\u201472 percent report stronger demand for quality.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The cost of non-quality is increasing. The cost of quality failures is increasingly being pushed upstream to semiconductor suppliers, raising the stakes for traceability data completeness.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Product Complexity<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Complex products cannot be tracked and traced using conventional means.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>For example, multi-chip modules (MCM), systems in packages (SIPs), and Insulated-gate bipolar transistor modules (IGBTs), need to be tracked at sub-device or chiplet level as well as the final package.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Product Mix<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Product mix is getting increasingly complex as customers are requesting specific capabilities and legacy products need to be supported for longer durations.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Enhanced automation and smart manufacturing capabilities can support high product variability on the shopfloor without impacting output\u2014enabling manufacturers to treat every single device as its own lot if needed.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Shopfloor systems need to be able to keep up with enhanced tracking and tracing capabilities resulting from higher product variability. These SIT requirements do not just apply to semiconductor products; also, batteries, PCB\u2019s and solar panels are examples of high-volume products requiring single item tracking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"what-are-the-challenges-of-single-item-traceability\"><strong>What are the challenges of single item traceability?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>1) Tracking of single device serial numbers throughout the manufacturing processes<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>This requires a serial number to be scribed, tagged (e.g. RFID) or pasted onto the device.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>This can be a challenge if there is not enough space on the device or the application of a serial ID can affect the processing and\/or the quality of the device.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Also, all the relevant processing equipment needs to be able to read this serial ID which adds costs and complexity to the equipment.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>2) Tracking can also be done by collecting coordinates of devices in carriers and equipment<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>For example, a die is taken from wafer 123 from coordinate (x,y) to strip ABC to coordinate (p,q).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The total traceability data cannot then be retrieved by looking up the Serial ID but needs to be inferred from the sequence of x,y,z translocations that have occurred during the production process.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"carriers-item-structures\"><strong>Carriers \/ Item Structures<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The Single Item Tracking solution provides functionality to start Individual serial lot(s) with or without a Parent.&nbsp;The solution also generates Carrier Lots with a lot is assigned to a Carrier whether it is Item Lots or Carrier Lots being assigned.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>During standard transactional processing, the Parent or Child lots can be tracked through any step and primary action \u2013 MoveIn, TrackIn, TrackOut or Moveout.&nbsp; The solution syncs the processed lots to the Child or Parent lots as required to maintain traceability of all single items.&nbsp; HPE transactions are used during this processing to optimize speed for high volume containers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Tracking and tracing must be flexible enough to adapt to different component types.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Let\u2019s look at a few examples.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"535\" src=\"https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/25\/2026\/04\/Screenshot-2026-03-12-173344-1024x535.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2265\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/25\/2026\/04\/Screenshot-2026-03-12-173344-1024x535.png 1024w, https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/25\/2026\/04\/Screenshot-2026-03-12-173344-600x313.png 600w, https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/25\/2026\/04\/Screenshot-2026-03-12-173344-768x401.png 768w, https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/25\/2026\/04\/Screenshot-2026-03-12-173344-900x470.png 900w, https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/25\/2026\/04\/Screenshot-2026-03-12-173344.png 1325w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Example 1: Hard disk heads manufacturer<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In this example, full genealogy can be maintained without the need to split or merge actual lots within the MES:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>First Tier &#8211; Wafer Lot \u2013 all units being tracked processed together (background, etc)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Second Tier &#8211; Section Lot \u2013 just the bars in a section of the wafer tracked at the same time (clean, bake)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Third Tier &#8211; Bar Lot \u2013 each bar is tracked individually (wire bond, lapping)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Bars are singulated and individual units are sorted based on characteristics<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Individual heads are placed on gimbal<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Example 2: IGBT (Insulated-Gate Bipolar Transistor) manufacturer<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>An IGBT module contains multiple integrated circuits (ICs) installed on a printed circuit board (PCB). Each IC carries its own set of traceable ID numbers, and the PCB itself carries an additional set of traceable IDs. This creates a multi-level traceability hierarchy\u2014from individual components to the complete assembly, which can be traced accurately on down the chain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Managing traceability at this scale and beyond requires a fundamental shift in how data is stored and accessed. Modern MES platforms must be architected to handle complexity efficiently and reliably.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p><em>MES is the key source of data for traceability. But we typically have two databases. We have a production database. And we have a reporting database. The production database must be purged periodically to keep the production speed fast. But the reporting database is able to keep the data for as long as you need it.\u201d&nbsp;<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-right\"><strong>&#8211; Dimitry Wishaupt<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"what-are-the-challenges-of-single-item-tracking\"><strong>What are the challenges of single item tracking?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Performance<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>With millions of devices to be traced, first of all the greatest challenge is achieving performance to prevent impacting shopfloor output.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Going from lot level or even wafer level traceability to single item traceability can increase the amount of transactions MES needs to process by multiple orders of magnitude.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Traditional MES is typically not architected to manage these types of transaction levels.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Flexibility<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Also, the system needs to be flexible to support a multitude of trackable entities and switching between these (processing a wafer at one step, a carrier with items at the next and individual items after that for example).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p><em>You must have the flexibility to easily switch back and forth from these different levels of traceability for both automatic and manual production flows.\u201d <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-right\"><strong>&nbsp;&#8211; Dimitry Wishaupt<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Analytics<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Tracking and traceability data is valuable only if you can extract and report on it effectively. Without efficient, actionable reporting, you lose visibility into quality, compliance, and product performance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Reporting is critical to customer acceptance and faster time to market. The right analytics platform transforms raw tracking data into insights that drive informed decisions and reduce risk for both manufacturers and customers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"the-high-performance-solution-approach\"><strong>The high-performance solution approach<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p><em>To enable single item traceability Siemens R&amp;D has rearchitected the Opcenter EX server and built a High Performance Engine (or HPE) within it.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-right\"><strong>&nbsp;&#8211; Dimitry Wishaupt<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"539\" src=\"https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/25\/2026\/04\/Screenshot-2026-03-08-165943-1024x539.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2266\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/25\/2026\/04\/Screenshot-2026-03-08-165943-1024x539.png 1024w, https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/25\/2026\/04\/Screenshot-2026-03-08-165943-600x316.png 600w, https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/25\/2026\/04\/Screenshot-2026-03-08-165943-768x404.png 768w, https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/25\/2026\/04\/Screenshot-2026-03-08-165943-900x474.png 900w, https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/25\/2026\/04\/Screenshot-2026-03-08-165943.png 1164w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p><em>It is essential to not slow down the shop floor equipment while you pull tracking information.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-right\"><strong>&#8211; Dimitry Wishaupt<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"what-has-siemens-r-d-achieved-to-realize-single-item-tracking\"><strong>What has Siemens R&amp;D achieved to realize single item tracking?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Siemens developed a fundamentally different approach to single item tracking\u2014one that transforms it into a high-speed operation without compromising shop floor performance. The solution, called HPE (High-Performance Engine), shifts processing load from the application server to the database server, dramatically reducing the number of round trips required between the two.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A significant number of shopfloor transactions has been modified to utilize the HPE.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>New objects, shopfloor transactions and relationships have been added to support a flexible SIT model.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>High volume, multi-server testing has been performed to prove the solution is robust and fast (achieving &gt; 300 MES transactions per second).<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The results are remarkable. Semiconductor leaders can now achieve up to 98% improvement in HPE transaction execution time compared to standard execution\u2014a significant advantage when processing parents with more than 1,000 child lots.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p><em>With the Siemens HPE, we\u2019re now able to track thousands of transactions per second to keep pace with customer demands.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-right\"><strong>&#8211; Dimitry Wishaupt<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Advanced packaging is reshaping semiconductor manufacturing today. We\u2019ve added a few of the critical advanced packaging questions below that manufacturers need to answer. Please take a few minutes to review them and explore the links provided for additional insights.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Ready to eliminate the bottleneck in single device tracking?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Watch the full webinar <a href=\"https:\/\/webinars.sw.siemens.com\/en-US\/single-item-tracking-for-semiconductor-manufacturing\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Single device tracking that supports advanced semiconductor packaging | Siemens<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Or download the compelling white paper <a href=\"https:\/\/resources.sw.siemens.com\/en-US\/white-paper-semiconductor-manufacturing-with-single-device-tracking\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Semiconductor Manufacturing with Single Device Tracking | Siemens<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<!--nextpage-->\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"fa-qs\"><strong>FAQs<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>1. What is the core manufacturing challenge with advanced packaging?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Advanced packaging creates complex manufacturing, quality and compliance challenges: managing production of multi-chiplet modules, mixed-product lots, and item-level device tracking\u2014all without sacrificing production speed or quality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The core challenge is achieving complete device tracking for quality and compliance without compromising production efficiency, which is compounded by the fact that most manufacturers cannot perform single device tracking without slowing operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>2. What is the difference between tracing and tracking?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>These terms are often used interchangeably but are fundamentally different:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Tracing answers the past: &#8220;Where did this come from?&#8221; It&#8217;s backward-looking genealogy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Traceability is the ability to trace a device\u2019s status back to its point of origin, providing an audit trail.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Traceability answers the backward question: it shows customers materials, origins, processing steps, equipment, and conditions for every device.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Customers demand both: complete history (traceability) and real-time visibility (tracking). Together, they provide the complete picture customers require today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>3. Why is single item traceability essential?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Single item traceability is critical for three main reasons:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>1. Quality<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Quality requirements are increasingly stringent<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Must identify where quality issues arise with sufficient detail<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Cost of downstream quality issues pushed upstream to suppliers, demanding complete and detailed traceability data<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>2. Product Complexity<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Complex products (multi-chip modules, systems in packages, IGBTs) cannot be tracked using conventional means<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Must track at sub-device or chiplet level AND final package level<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Advanced packaging compounds product complexity and quality challenges<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>3. Product Mix<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Product mix gets increasingly complex with customer-specific capabilities and legacy product support<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Enhanced automation supports high product variability without impacting output (enabling lot size = one)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Shopfloor systems must keep pace with enhanced tracking and tracing capabilities<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>4. What are the main challenges in implementing single item tracking?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Three critical challenges must be overcome:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>1. Performance<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Millions of devices must be traced simultaneously<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Moving from lot\/wafer level to single item traceability increases MES transactions by multiple orders of magnitude<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Traditional MES (Manufacturing Execution System) architectures cannot handle these transaction levels without impacting shopfloor output<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Must achieve performance without slowing production speed<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>2. Flexibility<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>System must support multiple trackable entities (wafers, carriers, individual items)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Must easily switch between different levels of traceability<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Must accommodate both automatic and manual production flows<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Example: Processing a wafer at one step, a carrier with items at the next, individual items after that<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>3. Analytics<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Little value in recording single item data without extraction and reporting capabilities<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Must provide meaningful insights from massive datasets<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Requires thoughtful data structure and reporting architecture<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>5. Why can&#8217;t traditional MES systems handle single device tracking?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Traditional MES systems were architected for lot-level or wafer-level traceability. Single item tracking increases transaction volumes by multiple orders of magnitude, creating performance bottlenecks. Standard MES systems cannot:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Process millions of individual device transactions without slowing shopfloor output<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Flexibly switch between different traceability levels<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Efficiently handle the database load from single-item level tracking<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Provide real-time performance at production speed<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>6. How can a High Performance Engine (HPE) equip MES for single device tracking?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>HPE is an architectural innovation within Siemens Opcenter EX that enables single item tracking without slowing down production. It works by:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Load Shifting:&nbsp;Moves processing from the application server to the database server, reducing bottlenecks<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Optimization:&nbsp;Reduces the number of round trips between servers<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Transaction Modification:&nbsp;Redesigns shopfloor transactions to leverage HPE capabilities<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Flexible Modeling:&nbsp;Supports multiple trackable entities and switching between them<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Speed:&nbsp;Achieves &gt;300 transactions per second with up to 98% improvement in execution time<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Enabling tracking of thousands of transactions per second<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>7. What is the role of MES in single item traceability?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>MES (Manufacturing Execution System) is the key source of data for traceability. However, a two-database architecture is typically required:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Production Database:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Optimized for real-time shopfloor operations<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Purged periodically to maintain fast production speed<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Handles high-volume transactions<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Reporting Database:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Maintains complete historical traceability data<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Preserved for as long as needed for compliance, audits, and quality investigations<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Supports analytics and reporting on single item data<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Database separation allows manufacturers to achieve production speed without sacrificing traceability data completeness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>8. How does single item tracking improve quality management?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Single item tracking improves quality management by:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Root Cause Analysis:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Provides sufficient detail to identify exactly where quality issues arise<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Enables tracing of problematic devices back to specific equipment, conditions, and processing steps<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Supports rapid corrective action<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Quality Requirements:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Meets increasingly stringent quality standards<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Addresses 72% of semiconductor companies experiencing stronger customer demand for quality<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Captures complete history: materials, origins, processing steps, equipment, and conditions<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Cost Management:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Identifies quality issues upstream before they become expensive downstream problems<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Reduces cost of non-quality by catching issues early<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Provides detailed traceability data demanded by customers and suppliers<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Compliance:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Maintains complete audit trail for regulatory requirements<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Supports quality certifications and customer audits<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Enables rapid response to quality recalls or investigations<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>References:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>1. Allied Market Research, Semiconductor Packaging Market (2021-2030), 2021, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.alliedmarketresearch.com\/semiconductor-packaging-market-A09496\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Semiconductor Packaging Market Size, Share Analysis &#8211; 2030<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>2. Julie Fraser \u2013 Tech-Clarity, Retool Semiconductor Innovation for Profit: A Lifecycle Approach for Smart Products and Devices, Page 4, 2021, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.plm.automation.siemens.com\/media\/global\/en\/LMSD-Tech-Clarity-Retool-Semiconductor-Innovation-Research-Paper_tcm27-94810.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Microsoft Word &#8211; Tech-Clarity-White-Paper-Retool-Semiconductor-Innovation-final.docx<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a id=\"_msocom_1\"><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a id=\"_msocom_1\"><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Today&#8217;s semiconductor market demands ever greater computing power in smaller node sizes, outpacing the growth rate of Moore&#8217;s Law.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":79315,"featured_media":2259,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"spanish_translation":"","french_translation":"","german_translation":"","italian_translation":"","polish_translation":"","japanese_translation":"","chinese_translation":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[613,1,8],"tags":[322],"industry":[257,260],"product":[116],"coauthors":[333],"class_list":["post-2258","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-semiconductors","category-news","category-product-updates","tag-semiconductor","industry-electronics-semiconductors","industry-semiconductor-devices","product-opcenter-execution-semiconductor"],"featured_image_url":"https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/25\/2026\/04\/Picture1.png","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/electronics-semiconductors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2258","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/electronics-semiconductors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/electronics-semiconductors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/electronics-semiconductors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/79315"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/electronics-semiconductors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2258"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/electronics-semiconductors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2258\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2291,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/electronics-semiconductors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2258\/revisions\/2291"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/electronics-semiconductors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2259"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/electronics-semiconductors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2258"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/electronics-semiconductors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2258"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/electronics-semiconductors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2258"},{"taxonomy":"industry","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/electronics-semiconductors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/industry?post=2258"},{"taxonomy":"product","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/electronics-semiconductors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/product?post=2258"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/electronics-semiconductors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=2258"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}