JP2001100830A - Production history managing and retrieving method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a production history managing and retrieving method, with which production histories in production processes connected by a network can be preserved stably over a long time and the production history of a target work can be retrieved speedily. SOLUTION: A data carrier 8 is added to a work 6 and made flow on a production line, all data generated in product processing are written and held in the data carrier 8 in one-to-one relation with a product and in the case of forwarding, the data carrier is detached and preserved in a library 10. Even when it is difficult to refer to data on a production managing system because of a long time interval from the completion of production caused by market troubles or the like, speedy data analysis becomes possible and following trouble avoidance or the like can be reflected with a speedy feedback.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a production facility for connecting a production line comprising a plurality of processing units to a host computer via a network and operating the processing units based on instructions from the host computer.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Regardless of the semiconductor product manufacturing industry, in the manufacture of products that require enormous and complicated processes, automation of information for managing production information using computers has been advanced from the viewpoint of labor saving. FIG. 5 shows a conventional example of a production facility that operates the processing devices 2a to 2d based on an instruction from the host computer 1.

The host computer 1 instructs processing contents to terminal computers 5a to 5d which manage the respective processing devices 2a to 2d via a network 4 based on a production plan stored in a database 3. The work 6 carried into the processing device 2a is processed by the processing device 2a operated based on the processing content under the control of the terminal computer 5a.
The work 6 that has been processed by the processing device 2a is processed by the processing device 2b operated based on the processing content under the control of the terminal computer 5b. Hereinafter, similarly, the processing devices 2c,
The workpiece 6 is carried into the 2d and processed, and the work 6 on which a series of processing is completed is shipped.

Here, a work 6 in a semiconductor manufacturing facility is used.
Is a wafer 6b supplied in a transfer container 6a, and the processing devices 2a to 2d are devices for performing a cleaning process, a film forming process, photolithography, an etching process, and the like. Manufacturing information (production history) during processing actually executed on the wafer 6b by the processing apparatuses 2a to 2d is reported from the terminal computers 5a to 5d to the host computer 1 via the network 4 and stored in the database 3. It is stored in association with the production number of the work 6.

[0005]

In such a manufacturing system, when a complaint such as a market defect occurs in a shipped product, a production history is referred to as to whether or not there is no abnormality during product processing at a production site. Is used. If you need data on production history,
Conventionally, the database 3 is searched and extracted using the serial number as a search key. However, due to the problem of the storage capacity of the manufacturing system, as the date goes back in the past, even if the data is deleted or stored, it is stored on another medium. The man-hours required for browsing, referencing, and analyzing have been relocated, which is enormous, and is often inconvenient in practice.

Further, since the processing devices 2a to 2d perform processing while the host computer 1 and the terminal computers 5a to 5d communicate with each other, if a communication failure occurs on the network 4 on the way, it is necessary to restore the production line. It requires a lot of time and effort. The present invention provides a production history management and retrieval method that makes it easier to extract data than before, even when complaints such as market defects occur in shipped products and data on production history at a production site becomes necessary. The purpose is to provide.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a production history management search method capable of realizing a quick recovery of a production line even when a communication failure occurs in a network.

[0008]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a production history management and retrieval method, wherein a production line comprising a plurality of processing devices is connected to a host computer via a network, and an instruction from the host computer is issued. In a production facility that operates the processing apparatus based on the data processing apparatus, a data carrier capable of reading and writing information is attached to a transport container that accommodates the work and supplies the work to the processing apparatus, and the manufacturing information of the processing received by the processing apparatus is used as the data Write the data into the carrier, remove the data carrier from the transport container when shipping the processed work, store it in correspondence with the serial number, search for the stored data carrier in response to the inquiry of production history, and search for the relevant work. Is characterized by reading out the production history and performing abnormality analysis during production.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a production history management and retrieval method, wherein a production line including a plurality of processing devices is connected to a host computer via a network, and the processing device is controlled based on an instruction from the host computer. In the operating production facility, a data carrier capable of reading and writing information is attached to a transport container that accommodates the workpiece and supplies the workpiece to the processing device, and the data carrier includes a work in the transport container via the network from the host computer. Writes the contents of the processing received by the processing device, reads the contents of the work from the data carrier of the transport container accepted by the processing device, executes the processing, and writes the manufacturing information of the processing received by the processing device to the data carrier. Write and process the completed work from the transport container to the shipping Remove the rear and store it in correspondence with the serial number, search for the data carrier stored in response to the inquiry of the production history, read out the production history of the relevant work, and analyze the abnormality at the time of production. I do.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a production history management and retrieval method according to the first or second aspect, wherein the data carrier is an IC card. According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a production history management and retrieval method, wherein a production line including a plurality of processing devices is connected to a host computer via a network, and the processing device is operated based on an instruction from the host computer. In equipment
A data carrier capable of reading and writing information is attached to a transfer container that accommodates the work and supplies the work to the processing device, and the manufacturing information of the process received by the processing device is written to the data carrier, and the completed work is shipped. The manufacturing information is transferred from the data carrier attached to the transfer container to the storage data carrier, stored in correspondence with the manufacturing number, and the storage data carrier stored in response to a production history inquiry is searched. Then, the production history of the corresponding work is read out and an abnormality analysis during production is performed.

[0011]

FIG. 1 to FIG. 4 show an embodiment of the present invention, in which components having the same functions as those in FIG. (Embodiment 1) FIG. 1 shows (Embodiment 1) of the present invention.

An IC card 8 as a data carrier is mounted on the transport container 6a. Each of the processing devices 2a to 2d has a reader / writer 9a to 9 that can read and write the IC card 8 of the received work 6 in a non-contact manner.
d is provided. The reader / writer 9a is connected to the host computer 1 via the terminal computer 5a. The same applies to the reader / writers 9a to 9d.

From the work computer 1 to the network 4
The terminal computer 2a is provided with a serial number and all processing instructions received when the work 6 passes through the processing devices 2a to 2d. Work 6 is processing device 2
a, the terminal computer 5a is connected to the reader /
The processing devices 2a to 2a are attached to the IC card 8 via the writer 9a.
All processing instructions received when the work 6 passes through d are written.

The reader / writer 9a reads the processing contents of the processing device 2a from the IC card 8 and operates the processing device 2a via the terminal computer 5a as a target value to execute the target processing on the wafer 6b. I do. The production history of the processing contents such as the actual execution value in the processing device 2a with respect to the target value is stored in an IC via the reader / writer 9a.
Written on the card 8.

The work 6 that has been processed by the processing device 2a is carried into the processing device 2b, and the reader / writer 9b reads the processing contents of the processing device 2b from the IC card 8 attached to the carried work 6. Using this as a target value, the processing device 2b is operated via the terminal computer 5b to execute a target process on the wafer 6b. The production history of the processing contents such as the actual execution value in the processing device 2b with respect to the target value is stored in an IC via the reader / writer 9b.
Written on the card 8. Hereinafter, similarly, the processing devices 2c,
In 2d, the reading of the processing contents and the writing of the production history are executed via the reader / writers 9c and 9d.

The operating states of the processing devices 2a to 2d are reported to the host computer 1 via the network 4 by the terminal computers 5a to 5d at appropriate idle times, and used for production management. The work 6 to be shipped after the processing in the processing device 2d is finished is stored in the library 10 with the IC card 8 removed from the transport container 6a. In response to the inquiry about the production history, the IC stored in the library 10
Since the card 8 is searched and the production history of the corresponding work is read to analyze the abnormality during production, the target production history can be quickly extracted without searching the database of the host computer 1 or the like. In addition, there is no danger of accidentally erasing past production history when updating the database, etc.
Safety is improved.

Further, since the processing contents are written in the IC card 8 attached to the work 6 and moved to the processing devices 2a to 2d, even if a communication failure occurs in the network 4 on the way, the production line is re-established. In the start-up, the processing can be continued based on the processing content of the work 6, and the operation can be restarted in a short time. In the above embodiment, it has been described that the IC card 8 is detached from the work 6 and stored in the library 10 at the time of shipping. However, another IC card for storage (not shown) is used from the IC card 8 attached to the work 6. The same effect can be expected even if the data is transferred to the library 10 and the storage IC card is stored in the library 10.

(Embodiment 2) FIGS. 2 and 3 show (Embodiment 2). FIG. 2 shows an IC card reader / writer (1-
The case where the control of 6) is performed by the device controller (1-4) is shown. (1-1) is a processing-related database,
(1-2) is a shop floor controller, (1-
3) is a cell controller, (1-4) is a device controller, (1-5) is a card reader controller different from the device controller (1-4), and (1-6) is a card controller.
A reader / writer (1-7) is a manufacturing apparatus corresponding to the processing apparatuses 2a to 2d in the first embodiment. In this (Embodiment 2), the IC card 8 is attached to the work 6 in the same manner as in (Embodiment 1).

FIG. 3 illustrates message handling. The components below the device controller (1-4) are not shown, but must be completed within the same hub or repeater. The process flow data of a plurality of steps is once passed to the device controller 4 and the IC card 8 by the message handling as shown in FIG. 3 in the hierarchical arrangement of FIG.
Processing can be instructed directly at the C card level. A series of operations will be described below.

First, a work 6 of a lot to be processed is carried into a manufacturing apparatus (1-7), and a trigger signal from a detector (not shown) such as a presence sensor causes an IC card / workpiece to be processed.
A reader / writer (1-6) reads data from the IC card 8 attached to the transport container. Alternatively, the card reader / writer (1-6) may receive I
Some devices have a function of detecting a C card. In this case, an IC card can be detected without relying on a presence sensor.

The read data is transferred to the device controller (1-4) as shown in (2-1) of FIG.
The read device position and the read process flow data are compared with the process database 1 via the cell controller 3 in (2-2) (2-3), and (2-4) (2-5)
The apparatus controller (1-4) issues processing data and a processing start instruction to the manufacturing apparatus 7 via the interface (2-6).

The control of the IC card reader / writer 1-6 may be performed directly by the device controller 1-4 or by a dedicated card reader / controller (1-5). . The operation of writing data necessary for processing to the IC card is as follows.

The device controller (1-4) which has detected the IC card attached to the lot which has been subjected to the process of allocating the lot or rewriting the data, downloads the data to the cell controller (1-3). A rewrite request is issued (2-2), and the cell receiving the request
The controller (1-3) stores processing data such as manufacturing conditions up to a predetermined step during lot processing or the like in a factory controller (1-2) having a processing database (1-1) of a shop floor controller hierarchy.
(2-4), receives data from the factory controller 2 (2-5), passes it to the device controller (2-3), and the device controller (1-4) prepares for rewriting. Write to IC card 8 (2-
6). Thereafter, processing data such as manufacturing conditions in the process is read from the IC card 8 attached to the work 6 arriving at the manufacturing apparatus, and an instruction is given to the processing apparatus (2-
7). At the end of the processing, the processing result is stored in the IC card 8
(2-8) (2-9) (2-10).
This series of operations is performed in each step, and a plurality of steps are executed. Since the upper-level processing database is collectively notified during the time of actual product processing, even if a network failure occurs and the upper-level system is disconnected, the IC card 8 is notified.
If the device is restored during the time of product processing in the process where the information is stored, the product processing will not be affected at all.

As described above, even if a failure occurs in the network constituting the CIM in the manufacturing process, the information necessary for the progress of production is already stored on the cell controller (1-3) when the product arrives at the processing device. And the device controller (1-4) holds the data, and the process can be started in such a manner that the process start is issued by the device controller (1-4) upon detection of the IC card 8.

Here, for example, data for each lot can be stored in the IC card 8 in IC card units, so that analysis can be performed in IC card units at any time at any time. The IC card used in this system is assumed to be a wireless power supply / wireless read / write method in consideration of the atmosphere of the production site. However, if there is a method that can be used in another method, it is not necessarily required. It is not limited to the wireless type.

(Embodiment 3) FIG. 4 shows (Embodiment 3)
This is a modification of (Embodiment 2) except that the IC card reader / writer 1-6 is controlled by another control, but the physical structure is different from that of (Embodiment 2). Since the purpose and purpose are the same, it can be considered as a variation of the same system.

[0027]

As described above, according to the production history management and retrieval method of the present invention, all data generated in product processing is held and stored in a data carrier that is associated with a product on a one-to-one basis. Analysis at the data carrier unit is possible at any time. Therefore, even if it is difficult to refer to the data on the production management system due to a large time gap after the completion of production due to market troubles, etc., quick data analysis is possible, and prompt feedback can be reflected to avoid troubles after that. is there.

In the case where the contents of the work are written in the data carrier attached to the work, the work instruction is read from the data carrier of the carried-in work and the processing is executed, the network is connected to the host computer. Even if a communication failure occurs, the production line can be quickly restarted with reference to the production history for the work.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a production process showing (Embodiment 1) of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of a production process showing (Embodiment 2) of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of a communication procedure of data processing according to the embodiment;

FIG. 4 is a configuration diagram of a production process showing (Embodiment 3) of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a configuration diagram of a conventional production process.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Host computer 2a-2d Processing device 4 Network 5a-5d Terminal computer 6 Work 6a Transport container 6b Wafer 8 IC card (data carrier) 9a-9d Reader / writer 10 Library (1-1) Processing related database (1- 2) Shop floor controller (1-3) Cell controller (1-4) Equipment controller (1-5) Card reader controller (1-6) Card reader / writer (1-7) Manufacturing equipment

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page F term (reference) 3C042 RH03 RH05 RJ07 RJ13 RJ15 RK15 RK17 RK29 5B049 AA02 BB07 CC21 DD04 EE21 EE59 FF08 5H269 AB27 BB10 KK01 KK03 KK08 QC06 QE34

Claims (4)

[Claims] A production line connected to a host computer via a network to operate the processing apparatus based on an instruction from the host computer, wherein the production line accommodates a workpiece and performs the processing. Attach a data carrier that can read and write information to a transport container that supplies work to the device, write the manufacturing information of the process received by the processing device to the data carrier, and transfer the completed work from the transport container to the shipping container for shipping. A production history management and retrieval method that retrieves the stored data carrier in response to a production history inquiry, reads out the production history of the corresponding work, and analyzes the abnormalities at the time of production in response to a production history inquiry . 2. A production facility for connecting a production line composed of a plurality of processing units to a host computer via a network and operating the processing units based on instructions from the host computer. A data carrier capable of reading and writing information is attached to a transport container that supplies a work to the apparatus, and the data carrier writes contents of a process that the work in the transport container receives at the processing device via a network from the host computer. The work contents are read out from the data carrier of the transport container received by the processing device, and the process is executed.The manufacturing information of the process received by the processing device is written into the data carrier, and the completed work is transported to the shipping container. From the data carrier and store it in correspondence with the serial number , Traceability search method searching for the data carrier which is kept to an inquiry production history reads production history of the relevant work performing abnormality analysis during production. 3. The production history management search method according to claim 1, wherein the data carrier is an IC card. 4. A production facility for connecting a production line composed of a plurality of processing units to a host computer via a network and operating the processing units based on instructions from the host computer, wherein a work is accommodated in the production facility. A data carrier capable of reading and writing information was attached to a transport container that supplies the work to the device, manufacturing information of the process received by the processing device was written to the data carrier, and the completed work was attached to the transport container for shipping. The manufacturing information is transferred from the data carrier to a storage data carrier, and stored in correspondence with a serial number. A production history management and retrieval method that reads out data and performs an abnormality analysis during production.