Exhibit 23.1






                           CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT ACCOUNTANTS



     We consent to the incorporation by reference in this registration 
statement on Form S-8 of PRI Automation, Inc. (the "Company") to register 
270,841 shares of Common Stock of our report dated November 13, 1998, except 
for the information in the first paragraph of Note K and Note T which is as 
of December 18, 1998 and November 24, 1998, respectively, on our audits of 
the consolidated financial statements of the Company as of September 30, 1998 
and 1997, and for each of the three years in the period ended September 30, 
1998, which report is included in the Company's 1998 Annual Report on Form 
10-K.

                                         /s/ PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP
                                         ------------------------------
                                         PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP


Boston, Massachusetts
March 8, 1999