EGsoft Enhances SORTmanager Software by Delivering Forty New Applications.

Business Editors/High-Tech Writers

SEMICON West 2002

Electroglas' EGsoft Division Releases Five SORTware Modules to

Improve Sort Floor Test Effectiveness, Adding Increased

Functionality to SORTmanager Software

EGsoft, a division of Electroglas, Inc.

(Nasdaq:EGLS), a leading supplier of process management tools for the semiconductor industry, today announced the release of five software modules containing over 40 new applications that expand the core functionality of SORTmanager -- EGsoft's Web-based process control solution for improving overall test effectiveness. The new offerings are targeted at increasing test floor yield and throughput by helping customers perform such tasks as optimizing sort floor equipment reliability and availability, as well as correcting process problems that contribute to yield loss.

"We are continually working to facilitate the flow of information to achieve automated floor level control throughout the manufacturing process in order to improve yield and throughput, and this most recent set of applications offers a perfect example of how customers can gain manufacturing efficiency through global data collection, analysis and process control," said Joe LaChapelle, vice president and general manager of EGsoft. "The sheer volume of applications we are releasing today clearly demonstrates the flexibility and efficiency of our Collaborative Process Management platform to deliver customer-specific application content to all areas of the manufacturing floor. Our customers can look forward to continued innovation on that front."

Divided into five modules, each with a specific focus, the SORTware applications provide added capability to SORTmanager, which connects Electroglas probers and test floor data sources to a customer's broader testing infrastructure. The new modules are:

Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) -- Optimizes throughput and

equipment utilization by providing the tools necessary to

record and measure sort floor equipment reliability and

availability. All of the applications in this module conform

to SEMI's E10 standard while graphically reporting historical

state transitions, enabling the user to easily view a summary

of sort floor operational utilization over a specified time

period and the percentage of time each prober has spent in the

E10 basic states. The applications in this module also enable

the user to both configure a test floor based on existing

equipment hierarchies and determine process issues for early

detection and correction.

Wafer Analyzer -- Speeds the identification of yield shortfalls

and reduces re-probe rates by collecting wafer maps from

multiple passes for all systems into a common database for

storage, viewing and analysis. The user can graphically view

single and composite wafer maps, wafer- and lot-yield trends

and underlying data for custom views of multiple lots,

enabling the most effective comparisons possible. Process

problems can be quickly identified so the user can make an

informed and immediate process adjustment to correct yield

loss.

Wafer-Level Bin Control -- Maximizes yields by allowing process

experts to implement specific wafer-level process rules that

can place violating wafers on hold for yield evaluation and,

once evaluated, release good wafers for the next process. A

user can be notified of rule violations via a number of

methods, including e-mail and pager.

Product File Management -- Ensures consistency and accuracy in

manufacturing by providing a central repository for product

files. A user-friendly interface and point-and-click sorting

capabilities allow the user to save "golden template" product

files to a secure, shared location that can be accessed by

multiple users and applied to multiple probers.

Remote Control -- Offers real-time control of probers to enable

troubleshooting and set-up from remote locations via a secure,

Web-based connection. The application runs behind the client's

firewall to provide maximum security and can include a Web

camera to ensure operational safety of the prober. Once

authenticated, the user can access and control probers as if

standing directly in front of the machine.

Availability

The five SORTware modules for SORTmanager are available now. To learn more about SORTware and other ways in which Electroglas is powering productivity throughout the semiconductor manufacturing process, please visit Electroglas in booth #10722 during the Final Manufacturing portion of SEMICON West 2002, being held July 17-19 at the San Jose Convention Center, San Jose, Calif., and in booth #5554 during the Wafer Processing portion of the show, being held July 22-24 at the Moscone Center in San Francisco. More information is also available by contacting Electroglas at 408/528-3000 or visiting www.electroglas.com.

About EGsoft

EGsoft, the collaborative process management software division of Electroglas, provides a broad and encompassing portfolio of infrastructure and applications, from design through test. EGsoft spans the manufacturing domain from interface to the EDA environment with our market leading failure analysis solutions, to our yield management system solutions in the fab, to our extensive suite of test floor solutions. EGsoft has operations in San Jose, Calif.; Corvallis, Ore.; and Mumbai, India.

About Electroglas, Inc.

Electroglas delivers essential tools for process management to enhance the profitability of semiconductor manufacturers. The company's wafer probers, inspection systems and software solutions serve as data collection, management and analysis tools that semiconductor manufacturers depend upon to improve their productivity and process control by optimizing sort floor efficiency. Electroglas has been a leading supplier of wafer probers for over 40 years and has an installed base of more than 15,000 systems. The company's stock trades on the Nasdaq National Market under the symbol "EGLS." The company's Web site is located at www.electroglas.com.