JP2020131319A - Grinding device and grinding method - Google Patents

Abstract

To prevent a plate-like object held on a sub-chuck table from moving during cutting.SOLUTION: A plate-like object W2 is placed on a holding surface 800a of a sub-chuck table 80 provided in a sub-chuck table mechanism 8. Clamps 82 are closed so that end portions W2d of the plate-like object W2 are pressed by pressing parts 821. Suction force exhibited by suction means 84 installed below the sub-chuck table 80 is passed to a suction passage 83 connected to the suction means 84, while the plate-like object W2 is fixed by the clamps 82, in order to transfer the suction force to the holding surface 800a communicating with the suction passage 83. The plate-like object W2 is held by suction, and a rotating cutting blade 53 cuts into the plate-like object W2 so that the plate-like object W2 is cut.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

The present invention relates to a cutting device.

In cutting, hairline alignment that adjusts the position of the cutting blade to form a cutting groove at the desired position of the work piece and dressing that adjusts the condition of the cutting edge of the cutting blade are performed before and during the cutting process. Is being done. Hairline alignment is performed, for example, by cutting a cutting blade into a dummy work for hairline alignment held on a sub-chuck table provided in a cutting device, and dressing of the cutting blade is performed, for example. , The dressing board held on the sub-chuck table is cut with a cutting blade (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

The sub-chuck table is made of, for example, metal, and a suction path connected to the suction means is formed inside the sub-chuck table. When aligning hairlines or dressing, a plate-like object such as a dummy work or dress board is placed on the holding surface of the sub-chuck table, and the suction force exerted by the suction means is applied through the suction path inside the sub-chuck table. By transmitting to the holding surface, the plate-like object can be sucked and held on the holding surface.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2000-049120

At this time, the plate-shaped material that is sucked and held on the sub-chuck table may have a large warp with respect to the sub-chuck table depending on the type of the plate-shaped material, and is arranged below the sub-chuck table. With the suction force exerted by the suction means, the plate-shaped object cannot be sufficiently sucked and held, and the plate-shaped object may move during cutting by the cutting blade. If the plate-shaped object moves during cutting, the cutting blade may be damaged. Therefore, a method of preventing the plate-shaped object from moving during cutting is desired. An object of the present invention is to prevent a plate-shaped object held by a sub-chuck table from moving.

The present invention is a cutting apparatus, in which a chuck table for holding a work piece, a cutting blade for cutting a work piece held by the chuck table, and a sub-chuck arranged adjacent to the chuck table. The sub-chuck table mechanism includes a table mechanism, and the sub-chuck table mechanism includes a holding surface for holding a plate-like object, and a sub having a suction path having one end communicating with the holding surface and the other end connected to a suction means. It is a cutting device having a chuck table and a clamp for fixing the end of a plate-shaped object sucked and held by the holding surface.

The present invention is a cutting method for cutting a plate-shaped object held by the sub-chuck table of the above-mentioned cutting device with the cutting blade, and comprises a mounting step of placing the plate-shaped object on the sub-chuck table. After performing the mounting step, it is possible to perform suction holding in the suction holding possibility determination step for determining whether the plate-shaped object can be suction-held by the sub-chuck table from the pressure in the suction path and the suction holding possibility determination step. When it is determined, the plate-shaped object is sucked and held by the sub-chuck table without fixing the plate-shaped object with the clamp, and when it is determined in the suction holding possibility determination step that suction holding is not possible, the plate is held by the clamp. Cutting including a holding step of fixing the end of the shaped object and sucking and holding the plate-shaped object on the sub-chuck table, and a cutting step of cutting the plate-shaped object held on the sub-chuck table with the cutting blade. The method.

In the above-mentioned cutting method, after performing the first holding step of sucking and holding the warped plate-shaped object with the sub-chuck table and fixing the plate-shaped object with the clamp, and the first holding step, the cutting method is performed. A first cutting step of cutting a plate-shaped object with the cutting blade while avoiding a clamp to eliminate the warp of the plate-shaped object, and a suction holding possibility determination step during or after the first cutting step are performed, and the step is performed. A plate that is suction-held by the sub-chuck table after performing the clamp opening step that releases the clamp when it is determined in the suction-holding possibility determination step that suction-holding is possible without fixing by the clamp, and the clamp opening step. It is desirable to include at least a second cutting step of cutting the region fixed by the clamp with the cutting blade.

The sub-chuck table provided in the cutting apparatus of the present invention has a clamp, and since the plate-shaped object on the sub-chuck table can be sucked and held and fixed by the clamp, it is possible to prevent the plate-shaped object from moving. ..

Further, by measuring the pressure applied to the inside of the suction path, it is possible to determine whether or not the suction can be held by the suction force exerted by the suction means, and it is possible to determine whether or not the clamp should be used.

Furthermore, by fixing a plate-shaped object with a warp with a clamp and cutting it, and then opening the clamp after eliminating the warp, it is possible to perform cutting of the part in contact with the clamp, thereby forming a plate shape. The entire surface of an object can be cut.

It is a perspective view which shows the whole apparatus of a cutting apparatus. It is sectional drawing which shows the sub chuck table mechanism. (A) is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which a plate-like object is placed on a sub-chuck table, and (b) is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which a plate-like object is sucked and held on the sub-chuck table. ) Is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which a plate-like object is sucked and held on the sub-chuck table and fixed by a clamp. It is a perspective view which shows another example of a clamp. It is sectional drawing which shows the state of cutting a plate-shaped object. (A) is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which a plate-like object having a warp is placed on a sub-chuck table, and (b) shows a state in which the plate-like object having a warp is sucked and held and fixed by a clamp. It is a sectional view. It is sectional drawing which shows the state of cutting a plate-like object having a warp. It is sectional drawing which shows the state which opened the clamp after cutting. It is sectional drawing which shows the state of cutting the part which was in contact with a clamp after opening a clamp.

1 Configuration of Cutting Device The cutting device 1 shown in FIG. 1 is a device that cuts a workpiece W1 such as a semiconductor wafer held on a chuck table 30 by a cutting blade 53 provided in a cutting means 5.

A device D is provided in each of the grid-like regions defined by the planned division line L on the surface W1a of the workpiece W1. The back surface W1b of the workpiece W1 is attached to the dicing tape T. An annular frame F having a circular opening is attached to the outer peripheral region of the adhesive surface of the dicing tape T, and the workpiece W1 is supported by the annular frame F via the dicing tape T. The cutting device 1 cuts the cutting blade 53 provided in the cutting device 1 along the planned division line L of the surface W1a of the work piece W1, so that the work piece W1 is individually provided with the device D. Can be cut for each tip.

The cutting device 1 is provided with holding means 3 for holding the workpiece W1 supported by the annular frame F. The holding means 3 includes a chuck table 30, and the workpiece W1 is placed on the holding surface 300a of the suction portion 300 of the chuck table 30, and the suction means 84 arranged below the chuck table 30 is sucked. By exerting the force, the workpiece W1 can be sucked and held on the holding surface 300a of the chuck table 30. The chuck table 30 includes clamps 31 arranged on all sides of the chuck table 30, and both the chuck table 30 and the clamp 31 are fixed on the cutting feed table 32. The chuck table 30 can be rotated around a rotation shaft 36 in the Z-axis direction by a rotation means 35 arranged below the chuck table 30.

On the base 10 of the cutting device 1, an indexing feeding means 4 for reciprocating the cutting means 5 in the Y-axis direction is provided. The indexing feeding means 4 includes a ball screw 41 having an axial center in the Y-axis direction, a pair of guide rails 42 arranged in parallel with the ball screw 41, a motor 40 for rotating the ball screw 41, and a ball screw 41 having an internal nut. It is composed of a movable plate 43 which is screwed into a screw and whose bottom is in sliding contact with a guide rail 42. When the motor 40 rotates the ball screw 41, the movable plate 43 is guided by the guide rail 42 and moves in the Y-axis direction, and the cutting means 5 arranged on the movable plate 43 moves on the movable plate 43. The cutting means 5 is indexed and fed by moving in the Y-axis direction with the movement of.

A wall portion 64 is integrally erected on the movable plate 43, and a cutting feed means 6 for reciprocating the cutting means 5 in the Z-axis direction is provided on the side surface of the wall portion 64 on the −X direction side. Has been done. The notch feeding means 6 includes a ball screw 61 having an axial center in the Z direction, a pair of guide rails 62 arranged in parallel with the ball screw 61, a motor 60 for rotating the ball screw 61, and an internal nut on the ball screw 61. A holder 63 whose screwed fixing portion is in sliding contact with the guide rail 62 is provided. When the motor 60 rotates the ball screw 61, the holder 63 is guided by the guide rail 62 and moves in the Z-axis direction, and the cutting means 5 supported by the holder 63 via the housing 52 is the holder 63. It is configured to move in the Z-axis direction as it moves.

The cutting means 5 includes a housing 52 supported by a holder 63, a spindle 51 rotatably supported by the housing 52, a motor 50 that rotationally drives the spindle 51 around a rotation shaft 55 in the Y-axis direction, and a spindle 51. It is provided with a cutting blade 53 mounted on the tip portion of the above.

A cutting blade 53 is mounted on the front end side (−Y side) of the spindle 51. As the spindle 51 is rotationally driven around the rotating shaft 55 in the Y-axis direction by the motor 50, the cutting blade 53 also rotates around the rotating shaft 55.

An alignment means 7 is arranged on the side surface of the housing 52. The alignment means 7 includes an image pickup means 70 for imaging the work piece W1, and the image pickup means 70, for example, has a light irradiation unit that irradiates the work piece W1 with light and the reflected light from the work piece W1. It includes an optical system for capturing and a camera composed of an image sensor (CCD) or the like that outputs an electric signal corresponding to the reflected light. The alignment means 7 can detect the division schedule line L to be cut of the workpiece W1 based on the image acquired by the image pickup means 70. The alignment means 7 and the cutting means 5 are integrally formed, and both move in the Y-axis direction and the Z-axis direction in conjunction with each other.

A cutting feed means 2 for reciprocating the chuck table 30 in the X-axis direction is arranged on the base 10 of the cutting device 1. The cutting feed means 2 includes a ball screw 21 having an axial center in the X-axis direction, a pair of guide rails 22 arranged in parallel with the ball screw 21, a motor 20 for rotating the ball screw 21, and a ball screw 21 having an internal nut. A movable plate 23 which is screwed into a screw and whose bottom portion slides into contact with the guide rail 22 is provided. Further, the cutting feed table 32 is supported by four columns 24 erected on the movable plate 23, and when the motor 20 rotates the ball screw 21, the movable plate 23 becomes a guide rail 22 accordingly. The chuck table 30 is guided and moves in the X-axis direction, and the chuck table 30 arranged above the movable plate 23 moves in the X-axis direction as the movable plate 23 moves, so that the workpiece held by the chuck table 30 is processed. The object W1 is cut and fed.

A sub-chuck table mechanism 8 arranged adjacent to the chuck table 30 is placed on the cutting feed table 32. The sub-chuck table mechanism 8 is provided with a plate such as a dress board into which the cutting blade 53 is cut for hairline alignment for aligning the indexing feed direction of the cutting blade 53 and dressing for adjusting the state of the cutting edge of the cutting blade 53. A substantially rectangular parallelepiped sub-chuck table 80 on which the object W2 is placed is provided. In hairline alignment, the dummy work is held on the sub-chuck table 80, the cutting groove formed by cutting the cutting blade 53 into the dummy work is imaged by the imaging means 70 or the like, and the positions of the cutting blade 53 in the indexing feed direction are aligned. .. In dressing, a dresser board made by solidifying green carborandom and arandom abrasive grains into a plate shape with a resin bond or the like is held on a sub-chuck table 80, and the cutting blade 53 is cut to check the state of the cutting edge of the cutting blade 53. Arrange. The above dummy work and dresser board have a substantially rectangular plate shape.

The sub-chuck table 80 shown in FIG. 2 has a suction path 83 having one end communicating with the holding surface 800a and the other end connected to the suction means 84 via an opening / closing valve 81. Has been done. Further, on the holding surface 800a, grooves 800b communicating with the suction path 83 are formed vertically and horizontally. As shown in FIG. 3A, in the sub-chuck table 80, a plate-like object W2 such as a dress board which is a substantially rectangular thin plate is placed on the holding surface 800a of the sub-chuck table 80, and FIG. As shown in (b), the valve 81 is opened, and the suction force exerted by the suction means 84 arranged below the sub-chuck table 80 is transmitted to the holding surface 800a through the suction path 83 to form a plate. The object W2 can be sucked and held on the holding surface 800a. The chuck table 30 and the sub-chuck table 80 are not necessarily sucked from below by the same suction means 84, and may be sucked by different suction means, for example.

Two sets of openable / closable clamps 82 facing each other are arranged on the side of the sub-chuck table 80. The clamp 82 has an L-shape having a pressing portion 821 and a fixing portion 822. When the sub-chuck table 80 moves in the cutting feed direction (X-axis direction in FIG. 1) in a state where the clamp 82 as shown in FIG. 2 is open, the cutting blade 53 and the clamp 82 come into contact with each other. In order to avoid this, the height position of the upper end 821a of the holding portion 821 of the clamp 82 is lower than the height position of the holding surface 800a of the sub-chuck table 80.

As shown in FIG. 3B, the plate-shaped object W2 is placed on the holding surface 800a of the sub-chuck table 80, and the plate-shaped object W2 is pressed from below the holding surface 800a by the suction force exerted by the suction means 84. While sucking, as shown in FIG. 3C, the holding portions 821 of the clamps 82 on both sides face each other in a pair of end portions W2d in the region of the end (outer peripheral side) of the substantially rectangular plate-shaped object W2. The work piece W2 can be fixed by pressing.

As shown in FIGS. 3 (a)-(c), a pressure gauge 85 for measuring the pressure applied to the inside of the suction path 83 is provided between the suction path 83 and the suction means 84. The plate-shaped object W2 is placed on the holding surface 800a, and the pressure inside the suction path 83 is measured using a pressure gauge 85 while sucking the plate-shaped object W2 by the suction means 84, and the measured pressure is measured. By checking whether the value has reached the lower limit for holding the plate-shaped object W2 on the holding surface 800a, whether or not the plate-shaped object W2 can be sucked and held on the holding surface 800a without using the clamp 82. The operator or the like can determine whether or not. The measured pressure value has reached the lower limit for holding the plate-shaped object W2 on the holding surface 800a, and the plate-shaped object W2 can be sucked and held on the holding surface 800a without using the clamp 82. If it is determined that the clamp 82 is not closed, the clamp 82 is sucked and held as shown in FIG. 3 (b). On the other hand, if it is determined that the measured pressure value does not reach the predetermined value for suction-holding the plate-shaped object W2 on the holding surface 800a and suction-holding is not possible, the clamp 82 is as shown in FIG. 3C. Is closed to fix the plate-shaped object W2 and hold it by suction.

As shown in FIG. 4, the sub-chuck table mechanism 8 may include a slide type clamp 82A instead of the open / close type clamp 82. The sliding clamp 82A is composed of a pressing portion 820a and a fixing portion 820b, and the fixing portion 820b of the sliding clamp 82A is provided with an elongated hole 86 formed so as to extend in the vertical direction.

When the sub-chuck table mechanism 8 is provided with the sliding clamp 82A as described above, the sub-chuck table mechanism 8 further includes a screw 87, and the sub-chuck table 80A is attached to the above-mentioned screw 87 on its side surface 800d. A corresponding screw hole 800e is provided. The holding surface 800a is provided with a plurality of suction grooves 800b, and a suction path 83 communicating with the suction grooves 800b is formed inside. A suction means 84 is arranged below the sub-chuck table 80A, and the plate-shaped object W2 placed on the holding surface 800a of the sub-chuck table 80A is sucked and held by the suction force exerted by the suction means 84. be able to.

The fixed portion 820b of the sliding clamp 82A and the side surface 800d of the sub-chuck table 80 are brought into close contact with each other, and the holding portion 820a of the fixed clamp 82A is moved upward by a predetermined length S corresponding to the thickness of the plate-shaped object W2 from the holding surface 800a. After sliding, the screw 87 is passed through the elongated hole 86, and the screw 87 and the screw hole 800e are screwed together to fix the fixing clamp 82A at a predetermined height position corresponding to the thickness of the plate-shaped object W2. be able to. Similarly, a screw hole (not shown) is formed on the side surface 800f facing the side surface 800d of the sub-chuck table 80A, and a sliding clamp 82A is vertically provided with respect to the side surface 800f of the sub-chuck table 80A by the same configuration. It is arranged so that it can slide. After raising the two slide clamps 82A, a plate shape is formed between the holding portion 820a of the slide clamp 82A and the holding surface 800a of the sub-chuck table 80A from the Y-axis direction in which the slide clamp 82A is not arranged. The object W2 is inserted, placed on the holding surface 800a, and sucked and held. Then, by lowering the slide clamp 82A and fixing the two rectangular sides of the plate-shaped object W2, it is possible to prevent the plate-shaped object W2 from moving during cutting.

2 Operation of the cutting device The operation of the cutting device 1 when the workpiece W1 is cut by the cutting device 1 shown in FIG. 1 will be described below.

First, the workpiece W1 is placed on the holding surface 300a with the dicing tape T side facing down so that the center of the chuck table 30 shown in FIG. 1 and the center of the workpiece W1 coincide with each other. Then, the suction force exerted by the suction means 84 is transmitted to the holding surface 300a, so that the back surface W1b, which is the surface opposite to the front surface W1a of the workpiece W1, is suction-held on the holding surface 300a of the chuck table 30. Further, the annular frame F is sandwiched between the clamps 31 provided on the four sides of the chuck table 30, and the annular frame F is fixed on the chuck table 30.

Next, the cutting feed means 2 feeds the workpiece W1 held by the chuck table 30 in the −X direction, positions the chuck table 30 below the alignment means 7, and then uses the imaging means 70 to position the surface W1a of the workpiece W1. To image. Image processing such as pattern matching by the alignment means 7 is performed on the image of the surface W1a of the workpiece W1 captured by the image pickup means 70, and the scheduled division line L to be cut into the cutting blade 53 is detected. As the scheduled division line L is detected, the cutting means 5 is driven in the Y-axis direction by the indexing feed means 4, and the scheduled division line L to be cut and the cutting blade 53 are aligned in the Y-axis direction. Will be

The spindle 51 and the cutting blade 53 are driven by the motor 50 provided in the cutting means 5 to rotate around the rotating shaft 55, and in that state, the cutting means 5 is cut and fed in the −Z direction by the cutting feeding means 6 to cut and feed the cutting blade. The 53 is positioned at a predetermined height position for cutting into the workpiece W1.

With the cutting blade 53 aligned with the detected division schedule line L in the Y-axis direction, the chuck table 30 holding the workpiece W1 is further fed in the −X direction at a predetermined cutting feed rate. , The chuck table 30 and the cutting blade 53 move relatively in the cutting feed direction (X-axis direction) at a predetermined speed, and the cutting blade 53 cuts into the detected division schedule line L of the workpiece W1 while rotating at high speed. , The planned division line L is cut.

Next, the cutting means 5 is indexed and fed in the Y-axis direction by the distance between the adjacent scheduled division lines L, and the same cutting is performed to cut the scheduled division line L adjacent to the already cut scheduled division line L. By repeating indexing feed and cutting in this way, all scheduled division lines L in the same direction are cut. Then, by rotating the chuck table 30 by 90 degrees by the rotating means 35 and then performing the same cutting, all the scheduled division lines L are cut vertically and horizontally, and the workpiece W1 can be divided into individual chips. ..

Before cutting the workpiece W1 by the cutting device 1, the plate-shaped object W2 held on the sub-chuck table 80 is cut with respect to the plate-shaped object W2 for aligning the hairline of the cutting means 5. During the cutting process, the plate-shaped object W2 for dressing the cutting blade 53 is cut as needed. In the following, regarding the cutting method of the plate-shaped object W2 in the cutting device 1, the case where the plate-shaped object W2 can be held without using the clamp 82 and the case where the plate-shaped object W2 is held without using the clamp 82. The case where it cannot be done will be explained separately.

2-1 When a plate-like object can be held without using a clamp (mounting step)
First, as shown in FIG. 3A, the plate-shaped object W2 is placed on the holding surface 800a of the sub-chuck table 80 with the clamp 82 open. At this time, the valve 81 is kept closed.

(Suction retention judgment step)
After the plate-shaped object W2 is placed on the sub-chuck table 80, as shown in FIG. 3 (b), the valve 81 is opened, and the suction means 84 arranged below the sub-chuck table 80 is provided. The suction force to be exerted is transmitted from the suction means 84 through the suction path 83 connected to the suction means 84 and transmitted to the holding surface 800a communicated with the suction path 83 to suck the plate-shaped object W2. At this time, while exerting the suction force on the suction means 84, the pressure applied to the suction path 83 is measured by using the pressure gauge 85 arranged between the sub-chuck table 80 and the suction means 84. It is examined whether or not the pressure measured by the pressure gauge 85 has reached a predetermined lower limit value for sucking and holding the plate-shaped object W2 on the holding surface 800a, and the plate-shaped object W2 is placed on the holding surface 800a of the sub-chuck table 80. The operator or the like determines whether or not the suction can be held on the top. The control means that controls the operation of the cutting device 1 may read the value of the pressure gauge 85 and determine whether or not the read value has reached a predetermined lower limit value.

(Holding step)
The pressure applied to the suction path 83 measured by the pressure gauge 85 during suction of the plate-shaped object W2 by the suction means 84 has reached the lower limit value required for suction-holding the plate-shaped object W2 on the holding surface 800a. It is assumed that it is possible to suck and hold the plate-shaped object W2 on the holding surface 800a. In this case, the plate-shaped object W2 is not fixed by the clamp 82, but is suction-held by the suction force exerted by the suction means 84 on the holding surface 800a.

(Cutting step)
In the holding step, as shown in FIG. 3B, after the plate-shaped object W2 is suction-held by the holding surface 800a of the sub-chuck table 80, the sub-chuck table 80 and the cutting blade in which the plate-shaped object W2 is suction-held are sucked and held. Alignment with 53 is performed.

In the alignment between the plate-shaped object W2 and the cutting blade 53, the cutting device 1 is operated with the same configuration as the alignment between the workpiece W1 for cutting the workpiece W1 and the cutting blade 53 described above.

That is, in the alignment of the plate-shaped object W2 and the cutting blade 53 in the Y-axis direction, first, the cutting feed means 2 is controlled to suck and hold the plate on the sub-chuck table 80 placed on the cutting feed table 32. While moving the object W2 in the X-axis direction, the imaging means 70 of the alignment means 7 that controls the indexing feeding means 4 and moves together with the cutting means 5 is moved in the Y-axis direction, and a plate is placed below the imaging means 70. Position the object W2. Then, appropriate image processing is performed on the image of the surface W2a of the plate-shaped object W2 that has been imaged, and the position where the surface W2a of the plate-shaped object W2 should be cut is detected. The indexing feed means 4 is controlled based on the detected position to move the cutting means 5 in the Y-axis direction, and the cutting blade 53 provided in the cutting means 5 is positioned at a predetermined position for cutting. The imaging means 70 may be positioned above the sub-chuck table 80 based on the coordinate position of the sub-chuck table 80, and the operator may specify the cutting position.

The drive of the motor 50 causes the spindle 51 to rotate around the rotating shaft 55, and as the spindle 51 rotates, the cutting blade 53 mounted on the spindle 51 also rotates around the rotating shaft 55. In that state, the cutting means 5 is cut and fed in the −Z direction by the cutting and feeding means 6, and the cutting blade 53 is positioned at a predetermined height position for cutting into the workpiece W1 to position the plate-shaped object W2. And the cutting blade 53 are aligned in the Z-axis direction.

After the alignment of the plate-shaped object W2 and the cutting blade 53 in the Y-axis direction and the Z-axis direction is completed,
The sub-chuck table 80 holding the plate-shaped object W2 is further fed in the −X direction at a predetermined cutting feed rate, so that the sub-chuck table 80 and the cutting blade 53 are relatively at a predetermined speed in the cutting feed direction (X-axis). (Direction), the cutting blade 53 cuts into the plate-shaped object W2 while rotating at high speed, and a predetermined position of the plate-shaped object W2 is cut.

In the holding step, since the plate-shaped object is sucked and held on the holding surface 800a without fixing the plate-shaped object W2 with the clamp 82, the cutting blade 53 is attached to the plate-shaped object W2 as shown in FIG. 5A. By making a cut, the entire plate-shaped object W2 including the end portion W2d of the plate-shaped object W2 can be cut.

2-2 When the plate-shaped object W2 cannot be held without using the clamp 82 First, as in the case of holding the plate-shaped object W2 without using the clamp 82, the mounting step and the determination of whether or not suction holding is possible The steps are carried out. If the workpiece W2 is warped in the suction holding possibility determination step, it is also possible to visually determine whether suction holding is possible.

(First holding step)
For example, as shown in FIG. 6A, since the plate-shaped object W2 is warped, the pressure applied to the suction path 83 measured during the suction of the plate-shaped object W2 in the suction holding possibility determination step is the plate-shaped object. If it is determined that the predetermined lower limit value for suction-holding W2 on the holding surface 800a has not been reached and it is not possible to suck-hold the plate-shaped object W2 on the holding surface 800a, FIG. 6 (b) ), The valve 81 is opened to transmit the suction force exerted by the suction means 84 to the holding surface 800a, the clamp 82 is closed, and the holding portion 821 of the clamp 82 presses the plate-shaped object W2 at the end W2d. Is pressed to fix the plate-shaped object W2 to the holding surface 800a.

In this way, by disposing the pressure gauge 85 in the sub-chuck table mechanism 8 and measuring the pressure applied to the inside of the suction path 83, it is possible to determine whether or not the suction can be held by the suction force of the suction means 84. .. Therefore, even a plate-shaped object W2 that cannot be sucked and held only by the suction force of the suction means 84 can be sucked and held by fixing it with the clamp 82.

(1st cutting step)
After performing the first holding step described above, as shown in FIG. 7, the cutting blade 53 is cut into the plate-shaped object W2 to cut the plate-shaped object W2. At this time, the end portion W2d of the plate-shaped object W2 is pressed from above by the pressing portion 821 of the clamp 82, and the end portion W2d of the plate-shaped object W2 cannot be cut. Therefore, cutting is performed while avoiding the holding portion 821 of the clamp 82 placed on the end portion W2d of the plate-shaped object W2.

In the first cutting step, instead of a full cut that completely cuts the plate-shaped object W2, a half-cut that cuts the plate-shaped object W2 to a predetermined depth without completely cutting is performed. When the half-cut is performed to form a plurality of cutting grooves, the warp of the plate-shaped object W2 before the half-cut is eliminated, and the plate-shaped object W2 gradually follows the holding surface 800a. As the plate-shaped object W2 follows the holding surface 800a, the pressure applied to the inside of the suction path 83 decreases. The pressure applied to the inside of the suction path 83 is measured by using the pressure gauge 85 by performing the suction holding possibility determination step again during or after cutting, and the measured pressure value is the holding surface of the plate-shaped object W2. It is confirmed whether or not the predetermined lower limit value that can be sucked and held at 800a is reached.

(Clamp opening step)
When it is determined that the plate-shaped object W2 can be sucked and held without being fixed by the clamp 82 by the half cut performed in the first cutting step, the clamp 82 is opened as shown in FIG. By opening the clamp 82, the upper surface of the end portion W2d of the plate-shaped object W2 pressed from above by the pressing portion 821 of the clamp 82 is exposed, whereby the end portion W2d of the plate-shaped object W2 is exposed by the cutting blade 53. It is ready for cutting.

(Second cutting step)
After opening the clamp 82 and retracting the holding portion 821 of the clamp 82 holding the end portion W2d of the plate-shaped object W2 to the side of the plate-shaped object W2, as shown in FIG. 9, the plate-shaped object W2 The cutting blade 53 is cut into the end portion W2d of the.

In this way, after eliminating the warp by half-cutting, the clamp 82 can be opened to cut the end portion W2d of the plate-shaped object W2 pressed by the pressing portion 821 of the clamp 82. The end portion W2d can be effectively utilized, whereby the entire plate-shaped object W2 can be cut.

1: Cutting device 10: Base 2: Cutting feed means 20: Motor 21: Ball screw 22: Guide rail 23: Movable plate 3: Holding means 30: Chuck table 31: Clamp 32: Cutting feed table 35: Rotating means 36: Rotating shaft 4: Indexing feed means 40: Motor 41: Ball screw 42: Guide rail 43: Movable plate 5: Cutting means 50: Motor 51: Spindle 52: Housing 53: Cutting blade 54: Blade case 55: Rotating shaft 6: Cutting feed means 60 : Motor 61: Ball screw 62: Guide rail 63: Holder 64: Wall 7: Alignment means 70: Imaging means W1: Work piece W1a: Front surface W1b: Back surface L: Scheduled division line D: Device W2: Plate-like object W2a: Front surface W2b: Back surface W2d: End part W2g: Cutting groove 8: Sub-chuck table mechanism 80: Sub-chuck table 800a: Holding surface 800b: Suction groove 800c: Other surface 800d: Side surface 800e: Screw hole 800f: Side surface 81: Valve 82 : Clamp 821: Pressing part 821a: Upper end of pressing part 822: Fixed part
82A: Fixed clamp 820a: Pressing part 820b: Fixed part
83: Suction path 84: Suction means 85: Pressure gauge 86: Long hole 87: Screw F: Circular frame T: Dicing tape

Claims (3)

It is a cutting device
A chuck table that holds the work piece and
A cutting blade that cuts the workpiece held by the chuck table,
A sub-chuck table mechanism arranged adjacent to the chuck table is provided.
The sub-chuck table mechanism includes a holding surface for holding a plate-like object, and a sub-chuck table having a suction path having one end communicating with the holding surface and the other end connected to a suction means, and the holding surface. A cutting device, with a clamp for fixing the end of a plate-like object held by suction. A cutting method for cutting a plate-like object held by the sub-chuck table with the cutting blade in the cutting apparatus according to claim 1.
A mounting step for mounting a plate-like object on the sub-chuck table, and
After performing the mounting step, a suction holding possibility determination step for determining whether the plate-like object can be suction-held by the sub-chuck table from the pressure in the suction path, and a suction holding possibility determination step.
When it is determined that suction holding is possible in the suction holding possibility determination step, the plate object is sucked and held by the sub-chuck table without fixing the plate object with the clamp, and suction holding is not performed in the suction holding possibility determination step. When it is determined that it is possible, a holding step of fixing the end of the plate-shaped object with the clamp and sucking and holding the plate-shaped object with the sub-chuck table, and
A cutting method comprising a cutting step of cutting a plate-shaped object held on the sub-chuck table with the cutting blade. The first holding step of sucking and holding the warped plate-shaped object with the sub-chuck table and fixing the plate-shaped object with the clamp.
After performing the first holding step, the first cutting step of avoiding the clamp and cutting the plate-like object with the cutting blade to eliminate the warp of the plate-like object,
During or after the first cutting step, the suction retention determination step is carried out,
A clamp opening step of releasing the clamp when it is determined in the suction holding possibility determination step that suction holding is possible without fixing by the clamp.
2. The second aspect of the present invention includes a second cutting step of cutting at least a region fixed by the clamp of a plate-shaped object sucked and held by the sub-chuck table after performing the clamp opening step with the cutting blade. The cutting method described in.

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