JPH0430448A - Cassette transfer system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To improve a manufacturing equipment in productivity by a method wherein a cassette can be transferred without stopping a traveling carriage so as to improve the transfer line of an automated manufacturing equipment in transfer efficiency. CONSTITUTION:A specific position A is set in front of a transferring position B on a transfer line 10 which transfers a cassette between a station 21 and a truck 11, and the arm of a robot 40 is made to start operating when the carriage 11 reaches to the position A and the cassette is transferred from the truck 11 to the station 21 or vice versa by the arm of the robot 40 when the traveling truck 11 arrives at the transferring position B.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Summary] Regarding the improvement of the transport method in a cassette transport system, a station for temporarily storing cassettes is provided on the side for the purpose of improving the transport efficiency of cassettes. A predetermined position in front of the transfer position on the transfer line where the cassette is transferred between the station and the cart on the transfer line where the cassette is transferred between the station and the cart on the transfer line. The robot arm starts its operation based on the time when the robot arm reaches the predetermined position, and when the cart reaches the transfer position, the robot arm is used to transfer the cassettes and trays to the station. It is characterized by being able to be transferred to and from a running trolley.

[Industrial application field]

The present invention relates to an improvement in a transport method in a cassette transport system.

As integration technology for semiconductor devices such as ICs and LSIs has improved, patterns constituting circuits have been formed with line widths of only a few μm or submicrons. On the other hand, automation in the manufacturing process is progressing, and this automation is important not only to reduce costs but also to reduce dust, improve quality, and increase conversion.

The present invention relates to a transport method of a cassette transport system in this automated manufacturing process.

[Conventional technology]

In the wafer process of the semiconductor device manufacturing process, wafer cassettes are used to hold and transport a large number of wafers at once in order to improve mass production. It is called this because it holds wafers instead of dry plates. This wafer cassette
A cassette (hereinafter referred to as a cassette) is a box-shaped case that accommodates 25 to 50 wafers by fitting the wafers one by one into grooves.For example, it accommodates 25 wafers with a diameter of 6 inches φ. The size of the case is 1
．． It is approximately 8 cm square, and its size is standardized.

Each manufacturing device in the wafer process has a loader chamber and an unloader chamber attached to such a cassette, and when the cassette is stored in the loader chamber, the wafers are automatically taken out one by one and processed by the manufacturing device. automatically stored in a cassette placed in the unloader chamber,
So-called automated processing is performed.

In addition, a plurality of such manufacturing devices of different types are combined to form a manufacturing process line, for example,
In the photo process, in addition to the basic processes of resist coating, exposure, and development, processes such as cleaning and drying are also added to constitute one manufacturing process line. Furthermore, the wafer process consists of multiple manufacturing process lines, such as ion implantation process, etching/notching process, film growth process (CVD process, substrate/notching process, etc.).
It consists of many processes such as the photo process, etc.) and the photo process.

Therefore, in order to reduce dust, if we try to automatically process it without human contact, we will need an in-process transfer system that automatically transports the manufacturing process line and a process that automatically transports between manufacturing process lines. Two systems are used together: an intermediary transfer system.

However, stations for temporarily storing cassettes are required between these manufacturing apparatuses or between manufacturing process lines, since the processing times for each are different.

FIG. 4 shows such a transfer system, designated by the symbol 10.
2 indicates an inter-process transfer line (transfer line in an inter-process transfer system), and 20 indicates an intra-process transfer line (transfer line in an intra-process transfer system). On the inter-process transfer line 10, carts 11 are mounted at regular intervals. The trolley 11 is a transport vehicle that carries and transports cassettes.

Also, between the inter-process transfer line 10 and the intra-process transfer line 20, a place to temporarily store the cassettes is required, and that is the station 21, since the processing times for each are different. . Note that 25 indicates a manufacturing equipment area.

Now, if we illustrate a cart that carries and transfers cassettes and a robot that transfers cassettes between lines and stations, Figure 5 is another view of the cart, and Figure 6 is another view of the robot. This is an example used in a transport device.

In the separate drawing of the trolley ■ in Figure 5, symbol 5 is the cassette 12.
is the rail of the transfer line, 13 is the duct 14 is the vehicle,
15 is a cassette stage, 16 is a LIM (linear induction motor), and the reason why the cassette 5 is placed at an angle is to prevent the wafers inside the cassette from vibrating, and the lower part of the cassette stage is designed to prevent vibrations. This is a part of the damper that absorbs water. Also, vehicle 14 and rail 1
If the vehicle runs on rollers (not shown) provided between the vehicle and the vehicle, there is a risk that dust will be generated, and the duct 13 is a cleaning duct for removing the dust.

Another drawing of the robot 40 shown in Figure 6 below is an arm robot hanging from the ceiling, and symbol 41 is the mounting flange,
42 is a rotating arm, and 43 is a vertically extendable arm.

44 is a front and back telescopic arm, and 45 is a wrist that moves up and down.

Reference numeral 46 indicates a gripper operating section, and 47 indicates a gripper (grip hand). That is, in this example, the cassette is held between the gripper 47 of such a robot using an arm that moves up and down, front and back, left and right, and is transferred between the transfer line and the station.

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

By the way, a plurality of carts 11 are arranged and running at regular intervals on the inter-process transfer line 10, but
When transferring the cassette 5 between the station 21 and the cart 11, the cart 11 is stopped on the line, and in this case, when one cart 11 is stopped, all other carts are stopped. become.

However, stopping all carts in this way reduces the efficiency of transferring cassettes, and this decrease in transfer efficiency impedes the productivity improvement of manufacturing equipment and manufacturing process lines. lead to problems.

The present invention proposes a cassette transfer system aimed at eliminating such problems and improving cassette transfer efficiency.

[Means to solve the problem]

The problem is to set a predetermined value ffA point ahead of the transfer position B point on the transfer line 10 where the cassette is transferred between the station 21 and the trolley 11, as shown in the principle diagram shown in FIG. The operation of the robot arm is started based on the point when the predetermined position A is reached, and when the traveling cart reaches the transfer position 7B, the robot arm is used to move the cassette to the station. This problem is solved by a cassette transfer system that transfers the cassettes to and from a moving truck.

[For production]

In other words, the present invention allows the truck to be moved without stopping the truck while it is running.
When the cart reaches the transfer position, the robot immediately picks up the cassette or places it on the cart. To do this, the robot is started to move at point A in advance so that the gripper moves quickly at point B.

In this way, the cassette can be transferred without stopping the running truck, improving transfer efficiency.

〔Example〕

Examples will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings.

First, to explain the principle diagram shown in Fig. 1, point A is the trolley 1
At the predetermined position 1, the robot starts the operation of transferring the cassettes, and at point B, the robot quickly places the cassettes on the trolley or moves the cassettes. This is a point to be taken away from the trolley.

However, since the operation time of the robot is different when placing the cassette on the trolley and when picking it up from the trolley, the position of point A will be different. This will be explained with reference to the drawings and FIG. Note that the symbols in FIGS. 2 and 3 are the same as those in FIGS. 1 and 4 to 6 described above.

Figure 2 18) to [C] are separate views of the case where the cassette is placed on the trolley, and Figure 2 (a) is a partial view of the transfer line near the transfer position, similar to the principle diagram, Figure 2 (b), , (C1 is an operation diagram of the robot. This robot 40 is placed just before station 21, almost directly above the transfer line 10, and station 2I is provided with partition shelves, and each A cassette can be placed in the column.Furthermore, the robot's movements are commanded from an outdoor work center (not shown), and the position of the cassette within the station 21 is also grasped on the display screen of the work center. ing.

First, when the traveling trolley 11 reaches the A0 point (predetermined value 1), the robot starts operating. Initially, the vertically telescoping arm 43 and the front and rear telescoping arm 44 of the robot 40 are moved as shown in FIG. 2(b). and insert the gripper 47 into the partition shelf of the station 21. Next, the gripper 47 holds the cassette 5.
holding it between the upper and lower telescoping arms 43 and the front and rear telescoping arms 44.
Move the cassette 7) back to the direction of the transfer port 10,
In addition, a wrist 45 and a gripper operating section 46 that move up and down
and position the cassette 5 slightly downward. At this time, in order to simultaneously position the cassette immediately above the transfer line 10, it is necessary to operate the rotating arm 42 that rotates at right angles, and this state is shown in FIG. 2 (C1). C) is a diagram rotated at right angles from FIG. 2(b).

Thus, when the cart 11 reaches point B (transfer position), the cassette 5 is released from the gripper 47 and placed on the cart 11.

Note that when this cassette is placed on a trolley, the movement of the cassette is almost constant; however, because the position of the cassette placed on the partition shelf of the station 21 is different, the movement of the vertically extendable arm 43 is It will just be different.

In this way, when the cassette 5 is placed, the robot returns to its initial position and the operation ends, but at the end of the operation, the trolley has reached the position of point C3.

Next, Fig. 3 fa) to (C) show the top down when the cassette is picked up from the cart, Fig. 3 (a) is a partial view of the transfer line near the transfer position, and Fig. 3 (b) and (C) are the partial views of the transfer line near the transfer position. It is an operation diagram of a robot. First, when the traveling cart 11 reaches point A2 (predetermined position), the robot operates, but first, as shown in FIG. Then, the front and rear telescoping arm 44 is retracted, the wrist 45 and the gripper operating section 46 are moved slightly downward, and the gripper 47 is expanded.

This is the same state as in Fig. 2 fc), but the gripper 4
The only difference is that 7 is open, and the gripper 47 is located at point B. Next, when the trolley 11 reaches point B, the gripper 47 grips the cassette 5, and the vertical telescoping arm 4
3 and the front and rear telescopic arm 44 to move the station 21.
Place cassette 5 on the partition shelf.

Thereafter, the robot is returned to its initial position, but at the end of this operation, the trolley will have reached the position of point 02. This post-operation takes a longer time than the post-operation of placing the cassette on the trolley, and the distance (B-C2) is longer than the distance (B-C,).

In this way, (B Cz ) > (B C,), while the distance of the previous operation is (At B) > (AXB
), and therefore, point A and point A2 are different. However, this difference can be distinguished by detecting the presence or absence of a cassette on the cart.

In addition, here, the distance between the carts on the transfer line is (B-C
2) and (AI-B).

In addition, although the operation according to the present invention is largely related to the traveling speed of the trolley, it is possible to slow down the speed slightly when transferring cassettes.
The running speed of the cart may be set at a speed or speed, and even if the running speed is set at a speed or speed, this does not significantly impair the improvement in transfer efficiency that is the objective of the present invention.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As is clear from the above explanation, according to the present invention, cassettes can be transferred without stopping the running cart, improving transfer efficiency in the transfer line of automated manufacturing equipment, and greatly contributing to improved productivity. It is something to do.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Figure 1 is a diagram of the principle; Figures 2 (a) to (C1) are when the cassette is placed on a trolley; Figures 3 (a) to fc) are when the cassette is picked up from the trolley; Figure 4 Figure 5 shows the transport system, Figure 5 shows the cart toppling, and Figure 6 shows the robot toppling. In the figure, 5 is a cassette, 10 is a transfer line, 11 is a trolley, 21 is a station, 40 is a robot, point B is a transfer position, points A, AI, and At are predetermined positions of the truck moving forward, C, , C2 point indicates the end position of the robot operation.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] A transfer line in which a station for temporarily storing cassettes is provided on the side, and an operation for transferring the cassettes between the station and a trolley on the transfer line is provided. A predetermined position is determined in front of the transfer position on the transfer line between the station and the trolley, and the robot arm starts operating based on the point at which the robot arm reaches the predetermined position. A cassette transfer system characterized in that, upon reaching a loading position, the robot arm is used to transfer the cassette between the station and a running truck.