MILPITAS, Calif., July 6 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- In advance of SEMICON West and Intersolar North America 2010, KLA-Tencor Corporation (Nasdaq: KLAC), the world's leading supplier of process control and yield management solutions for the semiconductor and related industries, today announced the launch of KlearPoint™, a unique new service model that utilizes KLA-Tencor experts to proactively manage tool performance through real-time tool monitoring. KlearPoint can be added to service agreements to improve tool performance and productivity for customers worldwide.

KlearPoint is aimed at maximizing Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) by increasing uptime and recipe success, reducing lost-time due to interrupts and enabling a more predictive and preventive service model. The KlearPoint client-server system resides within the customer site and connects to KLA-Tencor inspection and metrology tools using a customized data interface that collects operational and tool parameter data in real time. With this data—which is obtained and analyzed using algorithms specifically developed for this application—KLA-Tencor experts can conduct drill-down analyses and help determine the root causes of problems—providing a proactive service delivery model that results in improved tool performance and productivity.

"We're seeing customers around the world ramped to capacity and in need of maximizing the productivity of their existing install base of equipment," said Jon Geniesse, KLA-Tencor's senior vice president of Global Service and Support (GSS). "KlearPoint enables KLA-Tencor's global service experts to utilize tool data to improve the OEE of customers' inspection and metrology tools.  That, in turn, helps our customers' factories increase their yield of 'good wafers out' so that our customers can better meet their market demands."

KlearPoint is installed at multiple customer sites throughout the world. For additional information about KlearPoint or KLA-Tencor's worldwide service and support network, please visit www.kla-tencor.com/global-services.html.

About KLA-Tencor:  

KLA-Tencor Corporation, a leading provider of process control and yield management solutions, partners with customers around the world to develop state-of-the-art inspection and metrology technologies. These technologies serve the semiconductor, data storage, LED, photovoltaic, and other related nanoelectronics industries. With a portfolio of industry-standard products and a team of world-class engineers and scientists, the company has created superior solutions for its customers for more than 30 years. Headquartered in Milpitas, California, KLA-Tencor has dedicated customer operations and service centers around the world. Additional information may be found at www.kla-tencor.com. (KLAC-P)

Forward Looking Statements:

Statements in this press release other than historical facts, such as statements regarding the KlearPoint service model's ability to enable timely and successful identification and resolution of potential problems and the anticipated cost, operational and other benefits realizable by customers who use the KlearPoint service model are forward-looking statements, and are subject to the Safe Harbor provisions created by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements are based on current information and expectations, and involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ materially from those projected in such statements due to various factors, including the introduction of competing service offerings by other companies or unanticipated technological challenges or limitations that affect the implementation, use or success of the KlearPoint service model.

SOURCE KLA-Tencor Corporation