KUSET, knowledge based user support for electron beam testing

The implementation of an expert system into the operating environment of an Electron Beam Tester (EBT) is presented. The concept of a knowledge based approach was chosen to meet the specific requirements for supporting the operation and maintenance of highly complex measurement equipment. The expert system KUSET (Knowledge-based User Support for Electron Beam Testing) allows an automatic online diagnosis of the EBT system's performance and offers a variety of tools to assure effectiveness and continuity in the EBT engineering work. A newly designed microprocessor-based hardware, the Modular Control System (MCS) provides a flexible and powerful link between the expert system KUSET and the hardware world of our measurement equipment.