JPH0555346A - Work transfer system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To transfer data on works, such as FROM-TO data and instructions of processings of the works, in synchronization with the works. CONSTITUTION:An ID card 9 is mounted to the lower part of a work holding device 7 of a robot hand 7 of a mobile robot 1. ID card reader/writer 8 is arranged at the lower part of a transfer stage 5 of a processor 3 and transfer of data between the card 9 and the reader/writer 8 is performed. Data on works W, which are transferred from the stage 3 to the robot 1, is written on the card 9 and data on the works W, which are transferred from the robot 1 to the stage 3, is read from the card 9.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a work transfer system using a mobile robot for transferring a work between a plurality of devices facing the bay and a stocker, and more particularly, a work transfer system capable of moving data relating to the work together with the work. Concerning the transport system.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 4 shows an example of a semiconductor processing system in a semiconductor manufacturing process. A work (eg, a cassette containing a plurality of semiconductor wafers) is transported by the mobile robot 1. The mobile robot 1 transfers a work between the stacker 2 and each processing device 3 such as a masking device and a sputtering device by a robot hand, and travels along a transfer path 4. A plurality of mobile robots 1 run on the transport path 4, and usually 10 to 20 stackers 2 and processing devices 3 face one transport path 4. A unit including the transport path 4 and the stacker and the processing device 3 facing the transport path 4 is called a bay.
There are 10 to 20 bays in one system. The work is normally conveyed between the processing devices 3 via the stacker 2 and sent to the processing devices 3 in a fixed order to be subjected to various processing. The work which has completed all the machining steps in the bay is sent from the bay to the next system through the stocker 2.

[0003]

The work temporarily stored in the stocker 2 is sequentially sent to each processing device 3 as described above. At the time of transfer, it is possible to determine to what stage the work has been processed. It is necessary to instruct the mobile robot 1 to grasp and send to the next process in an accurate order, and to instruct the processing apparatus 3 what kind of processing should be performed on each of the sent works.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a work transfer system capable of sending data related to a work together with the work.

[0005]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a transfer of each device when transferring a work between a mobile robot for transferring a work between the devices and each device. Between the ID card reader / writer provided near the table and the ID card provided on the mobile robot, the data regarding the transferred work is transmitted from the person who handed the work to the person who handed it. A work transfer system was constructed.

[0006]

Since the present invention has the above-mentioned structure, the following operational effects are obtained.

In the work transfer system according to the present invention, data relating to the work is transferred between the ID card reader / writer and the ID card when the work is transferred. An ID card is provided on the mobile robot side, and each device is provided with an ID card reader / writer near the transfer table. When transferring the work from the mobile robot to each device, the data written in the ID card
When the card reader / writer reads the work and the mobile robot receives the work from each device, the ID card reader / writer writes the data to the ID card. The mobile robot and each device receive data regarding the transferred work via the ID card, and are controlled based on the data.

Therefore, according to the work transfer system of the present invention, the data relating to the work moves together with the work. Therefore, it is possible to control the mobile robot and each device by sending the data about the transportation and processing of the work to the mobile robot and each device together with the work.

[0009]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The embodiments shown in the drawings will be described below.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a mobile robot 1 and a processing apparatus 3 to which an embodiment of a work transfer system according to the present invention is applied, and FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the same embodiment. ..

A transfer table 5 is opened in the processing device 3 so as to face the transfer path of the mobile robot 1. Four works W can be placed on the transfer table 5. The mobile robot 1 can carry two works W. The mobile robot 1 is equipped with a robot hand 6,
The workpiece gripping device 7 at the tip of the robot hand 6 is a workpiece W.
The workpiece W can be transferred between the transfer table 5 and the mobile robot 1 by gripping.

Below the transfer table 5 of the processing apparatus 3, two ID card readers / writers 8 are arranged. An ID card 9 is attached to the lower part of the work gripping device 7 of the robot hand 6 of the mobile robot 1.
Data can be exchanged with the D card reader / writer 8. All other processing devices 3 and stackers 2 are also provided with similar ID card reader / writers 8.

As shown in FIG. 2, the host computer 1
0 is a stacker controller 11 that controls the stacker 2
Then, the FROM-TO data and other data regarding the specific work W are transmitted. Stacker controller 1
When the work W is transferred to the mobile robot 1, the data of the work W is transferred to the ID card reader / reader.
The writer 8 is controlled to write on the ID card 9. The communicable distance between the ID card reader / writer 8 and the ID card 9 is about 20 cm, and the performance is ensured when the work W is handed over and does not interfere with the adjacent ID card reader / writer 8 or the like. Is selected.

The data written in the ID card 9 is read by the mobile robot controller 12 which controls the mobile robot 1, and causes the mobile robot 1 to travel to the processing device 3 according to the data.

When the work W arrives at the target processing device 3 and the work W is transferred, the ID card reader / writer 8 reads the data relating to the work W. The read data is transmitted to the processing device controller 13 that controls the processing device 3, and processing is performed based on the data.

The workpiece W will be described in more detail with reference to FIG.
A process of exchanging data regarding the work W will be described.

In the order shown by to in FIG.
Can be replaced. That is, from the table A of the transfer table 3 to the tables a, c to A of the mobile robot 1 and B to b,
d to B. As a result, the work W placed on the bases c and d of the mobile robot 1 is transferred to the bases A and B of the transfer base 3.
Then, the works W placed on the tables A and B of the transfer table 3 are transferred to the tables a and b of the mobile robot 1, respectively.

At this time, the ID card reader / writer 8 writes the data on the work W placed on the transfer table 3 into the ID card 9 and the mobile robot 1
The data relating to the work W placed on is read from the ID card 9. The read data is erased by the ID card reader / writer 8.

As described above, according to the work transfer system of this embodiment, the data on the work W moves in synchronization with the work W. Therefore, the data about the transportation and processing of the work W is transferred to the mobile robot 1 and each processing device 3
It is possible to control the mobile robot 1 and each processing device 3 by sending the work W together with the work W. In addition, this method requires less wiring work than other methods. Furthermore, since the work W is attached to the mobile robot 1 without attaching the ID card, the number of ID cards 9 can be reduced.

The embodiment of the present invention has been described above.
It is needless to say that the present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiments and can be appropriately modified within the scope of the gist of the present invention.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a mobile robot and a transfer table to which an embodiment of a work transfer system according to the present invention is applied.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration of the same embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a schematic plan view showing a procedure for transferring a work in the same embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a schematic plan view showing an example of a semiconductor processing system to which the same embodiment can be applied.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Mobile Robot 3 Processing Device 5 Transfer Platform 6 Robot Hand 7 Work Grasping Device 8 ID Card Reader / Writer 9 ID Card

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. An ID card reader / reader provided near a transfer table of each device when transferring the work between a mobile robot that conveys a work between each device and each device.
A work transfer system, wherein data relating to a transferred work is transmitted between a writer and an ID card provided in a mobile robot, from a person who delivers the work to a person who delivers the work.