Amid global supply chain pressures, adopting open hardware standards has become a critical strategy for innovation and resilience in the high-stakes semiconductor industry.

With a deep background in electrical engineering, robotics, and semiconductor technology, Sanjeev Mane has been at the forefront of this strategic shift. As a leader at Brooks Automation, a company whose semiconductor automation business was acquired for $3 billion, he has championed the use of open hardware standards to navigate the complex demands of vacuum robotics.

His work focuses on enhancing supply-chain stability and accelerating innovation in an industry that powers the global digital infrastructure.

This move toward openness addresses significant industry challenges, from component shortages to the need for faster development cycles. By fostering interoperability and reducing dependency on single suppliers, open standards provide a framework for building more robust and adaptable systems.

Mane's experience offers a compelling look into how this approach is not just a technical preference but a fundamental business imperative for mission-critical robotics and beyond.

The Foundational Need for Open Standards in Robotics

The journey toward more efficient and cost-effective technology development often begins with a fundamental re-evaluation of core design principles. For Mane, early experiences in engineering revealed the inherent bottlenecks of proprietary systems. He recognized that the speed and cost of bringing a product to market were critical, leading him to advocate for a more transparent and collaborative model.

"During my early experiences in Electrical Engineering and Robotics, I realized that the cost of the product and release of the product to market quickly are all critical parameters," Mane states. This insight drove his appreciation for open standards, which can significantly lower costs and accelerate timelines.

The benefits extend beyond financial, fostering a more transparent development ecosystem. "To achieve this, we need Open Hardware standards as they help to reduce cost and speed up innovation. Since they are openly available, we also get transparency about issues and learnings."

This transparency is crucial for rapid problem-solving and iterative improvement, which is a cornerstone of modern engineering. The push for such standards is reflected in broader industry movements, where open source methodologies are applied to create interoperable standards and reduce market friction.

Navigating the Challenges of Interoperability in Vacuum Robotics

The vacuum robotics segment presents a unique set of engineering challenges. These systems operate in highly controlled environments devoid of air and moisture, where precision and reliability are paramount.

The complexity and cost of these robots mean that any failure can have significant consequences for production and a company's reputation. This high-stakes environment makes interoperability a necessity, not a luxury.

Mane explains the critical nature of this field: "Vacuum Robotics is one of the most critical parts of robot design as we are looking for an environment with no air, moisture, and human presence." He adds that intelligence and safety are non-negotiable.

"Robots should also be highly intelligent to collect data in such an environment and come to a safe halt in case of emergencies. These Robots are costly, and any damage will have a heavy impact on the brand as well as future products." These demanding requirements compelled his team to adopt open standards, ensuring that components from different manufacturers could work together seamlessly.

This approach is vital for platforms like the MagnaTran family of vacuum robots, which are trusted by leading semiconductor fabs globally. The goal, as Mane puts it, is to "Use interoperable hardware standards so that different electrical components can exchange data and functionality with minimum user interface regardless of manufacturer or specific technology."

Accelerating Development in the Face of Supply-Chain Volatility

In today's volatile global market, supply chain disruptions have become a persistent threat to manufacturing. For complex industries like semiconductors, the ability to quickly adapt and source alternative components is crucial for maintaining production schedules. Open hardware standards provide a powerful solution by enabling greater flexibility in component selection and design, directly improving a team's agility.

According to Mane, these standards have a direct and positive impact on his team's workflow. "Open hardware standards have improved the Team's efficiency in selecting the correct electrical parts," he notes.

"Since these components are less expensive and all related sources are easily available, it helps to prove design concepts and make it First Time Right." However, reliance on proprietary components can quickly lead to bottlenecks.

"For specific technology, we need some specific connectors like EtherCAT and Ether Net, and if those are not available due to supply chain crisis, wars, or other issues, then we face a line down of issues and loss for the organization." This vulnerability highlights the strategic advantage of open systems, a lesson learned by other industries that have implemented future-proof hardware redesigns to enhance resilience.

Mane confirms that, "Open hardware standards help us to overcome these supply chain crisis issues."

The Pivotal Role of Collaboration in Implementing Open Standards

Successfully implementing open standards is not an isolated effort but one that thrives on robust collaboration. Working with external partners, manufacturers, and standards bodies is essential for creating a functional and widely adopted ecosystem.

This is especially true in the semiconductor robotics field, where new technologies require continuous interaction and validation from various stakeholders to ensure seamless integration and performance.

Mane emphasizes that this collaborative approach is fundamental to success. "Open collaboration with external partners and manufacturers plays an extremely important role in successfully implementing open standards for semiconductor robotics," he says.

He points to the demands of next-generation technologies as a key driver for this interaction. "New and emerging technologies like 5G, mmWave need continuous interaction and approvals from Antenna developers."

This collaborative spirit is mirrored in initiatives like the Telecom Infra Project's OpenWiFi, which leverages open architecture to foster a competitive marketplace. The ultimate goal is to ensure data integrity and speed, which Mane notes, "It plays important roles for Robotics operation, and this is achieved by using open hardware standards."

Improving Resilience Through Open Interfaces at Brooks Automation

The theoretical benefits of open hardware become tangible when applied to specific, high-stakes projects. At Brooks Automation, a company with a history of strong market performance, the adoption of open interfaces has directly translated into improved supply-chain resilience and reduced operational risks. Brooks Automation is an active member of the EtherCAT Technology Group (ETG) and considers the requirements of all partners in EtherCAT development.

By leveraging openly available designs and components, the company can mitigate the impact of shortages and accelerate development without being locked into a single supplier's ecosystem.

Mane provides a concrete example of this strategy in action. "At Brooks Automation, we use a lot of critical ICs and power regulators," he explains. "By using open hardware interfaces like block diagrams, recommended schematics, and circuit designs openly made available by distributors and manufacturers help us to save time and cost through rework."

This approach was particularly valuable in a recent advanced project. "Recently, for very critical robot design with mmWave technology, we used the SoM (System on Module) concept with the help of the manufacturer."

This practical application aligns with the company's broader strategy of developing solutions for advanced semiconductor manufacturing, such as its intelligent vacuum robot platform for nodes at 10 nanometers and below.

Balancing Proprietary Innovation with the Benefits of Openness

While open standards offer clear advantages, a successful strategy must also account for the need to protect intellectual property (IP) and maintain a competitive edge. In complex systems like robotics, certain innovations are core to a company's value proposition and require protection. The key is to strike a strategic balance, leveraging openness for standardization and efficiency while safeguarding proprietary technology that drives unique performance.

Mane describes this as a calculated, hybrid approach. "Intellectual property and protection of those are important parameters in the design of robotics systems. It helps to beat the competition and keep our trade secrets safe," he asserts.

This protection is not all-encompassing but targeted at the most critical areas. "At the same time, these are complex systems, so we do have Patents for critical sections like movement and transfer substrate systems, and for other sections of the product, we follow open hardware standards."

This model allows for both differentiation and interoperability, a strategy also seen in ecosystems like the Open Compute Project (OCP), where members contribute designs to drive industry-wide efficiency while still competing in the marketplace.

Future Trends in Open Standards for the Semiconductor Industry

As supply chain disruptions continue to challenge global industries, the adoption of open hardware standards is poised to become an even more critical trend in the semiconductor sector. The inherent fragility of a supply chain concentrated in a few geographic regions, combined with the increasing complexity of chip design, necessitates a move toward more flexible and collaborative models. This shift is not just about mitigating risk but also about fostering innovation.

Mane foresees a broader embrace of this strategy across the industry. He states simply, "Yes, a major part of the semiconductor industry might look for open hardware standards to address the challenges of supply-chain disruptions."

This trend is already taking shape with the rise of modular designs and chiplets, which depend on standardized interfaces to function. However, this move toward heterogeneous integration also introduces new hardware security risks that must be managed. The development of open standards like RISC-V for various applications demonstrates the industry's momentum toward creating a more resilient and innovative ecosystem through shared, open foundations.

Guidance for Engineering Leaders on Building Resilient Supply Chains

For engineering leaders looking to navigate the complexities of the modern supply chain, implementing an open hardware strategy requires more than just a technical shift; it demands a strategic mindset. It involves a deep understanding of a product's architecture to identify where proprietary technology provides a true competitive advantage and where open standards can deliver greater resilience and efficiency. This balanced approach is key to future-proofing designs against unforeseen disruptions.

Mane's advice to his peers is direct and pragmatic, focusing on foundational engineering principles. "We need to understand our products and know requirements to build the next generations," he advises.

This deep product knowledge is the basis for making informed decisions about technology adoption. He concludes that this understanding is what ultimately enables the right strategic choices: "This will help us to balance between IP and open hardware standards."

This guidance underscores a critical reality in today's market: building adaptable systems is not just about adopting new standards but about thoughtfully integrating them into a long-term vision for innovation and resilience, a principle that is essential for ensuring functional robustness in emerging technologies.

The strategic adoption of open hardware standards represents a paradigm shift in the semiconductor industry, moving from a reliance on closed, proprietary systems to a more collaborative and resilient ecosystem. The challenges of global supply chain volatility and the relentless pace of innovation have made this transition a necessity.

Leaders who successfully navigate this landscape are not only mitigating risk but are also positioning their organizations at the forefront of technological advancement, ensuring that the critical infrastructure of our digital world is built on a foundation of stability and shared progress.