JP2024067497A - Cutting device - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a cutting device suppressing labor and time for adjusting a position of a detection unit detecting a cutting edge of a cutting blade.SOLUTION: A cutting device 1 for cutting a workpiece, includes: a cutting unit 20 capable of attaching an annular cutting blade 21 on a tip of a spindle 23; a chuck table holding the workpiece; and a blade detection unit 60 provided with a light emission part 61 emitting light 611 toward the tip surface of a cutting edge 211 of the cutting blade 21, and a light receiving part 62 receiving reflection light 621 reflected on the tip surface 214 of the cutting blade 21. The blade detection unit 60 detects a distance 64 of the tip surface 214 of the cutting blade 21 by receiving the reflection light 621 reflected on the tip surface 214 of the cutting blade 21 by the light receiving part 62.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

The present invention relates to a cutting device.

Semiconductor wafers with multiple chips arranged on them, ceramic capacitor substrates, CSP (chip size package) substrates, etc. are cut along lattice-like cutting lines by a cutting device equipped with a sufficiently thin, disc-shaped cutting blade, and divided into numerous chips, which are then used in electronic devices such as mobile phones and personal computers.

The cutting blades attached to the cutting device are appropriately selected so that the cutting edge on the outer periphery, which contains diamond abrasive grains, matches the properties of the workpiece and does not damage the workpiece during cutting. If the cutting blade's cutting edge is chipped or wear exceeds the allowable value, there is a risk of damaging the workpiece even if the cutting blade is suitable for the properties of the workpiece.

Therefore, in order to cut the workpiece with sufficient precision, it is important that the cutting blade is in an appropriate condition, and cutting devices are equipped with a blade monitoring device for monitoring the condition of the cutting blade (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

JP 2002-370140 A

However, the blade monitoring device described in Patent Document 1, which clamps the cutting edge of the cutting blade from both ends, has a measurement range of 2 mm or 0.3 mm, so the position of the blade monitoring device needs to be adjusted to match the length of the cutting blade.

Therefore, the blade monitoring device described in Patent Document 1 has a problem to be solved: how to establish a method that does not require position adjustment even if the cutting edge length of the cutting blade changes.

The object of the present invention is to provide a cutting device that can reduce the effort required to adjust the position of a detection unit that detects the cutting edge of a cutting blade.

In order to solve the above problems and achieve the object, the cutting device of the present invention is a cutting device for cutting a workpiece, and is equipped with a cutting unit capable of mounting an annular cutting blade to the tip of a spindle, a chuck table for holding the workpiece, and a blade detection unit having a light emitting section that emits light toward the tip surface of the cutting edge of the cutting blade and a light receiving section that receives the light reflected by the tip surface of the cutting blade, and the blade detection unit detects the position of the tip surface of the cutting blade by receiving the light reflected by the tip surface of the cutting blade with the light receiving section.

In the cutting device, the blade detection unit may detect chipping of the cutting blade from the change in the distance between the blade detection unit and the tip surface of the cutting blade by receiving light reflected by the tip surface of the rotating cutting blade with the light receiving unit.

The cutting device may further include an air supply unit that supplies air toward the tip surface of the cutting blade.

The present invention has the advantage of reducing the effort required to adjust the position of the detection unit that detects the cutting edge of the cutting blade.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating an example of the configuration of a cutting device according to a first embodiment. FIG. 2 is a front view of the cutting unit of the cutting device shown in FIG. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a blade detection unit of the cutting machine shown in FIG. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the detection result of the blade detection unit shown in FIG. FIG. 5 is a side view, partly in section, that typically illustrates a processing operation in which the cutting device illustrated in FIG. 1 cuts a workpiece. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of a blade detection unit of a cutting machine according to a first modified example of the first embodiment. FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of an example of a blade detection unit of a cutting machine according to a second modification of the first embodiment. FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of another example of the blade detection unit of the cutting machine according to the second modification of the first embodiment. FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of still another example of the blade detection unit of the cutting machine according to the second modification of the first embodiment.

The following describes in detail the form (embodiment) for carrying out the present invention with reference to the drawings. The present invention is not limited to the contents described in the following embodiment. The components described below include those that a person skilled in the art can easily imagine and those that are substantially the same. Furthermore, the configurations described below can be combined as appropriate. Various omissions, substitutions, or modifications of the configuration can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

[Embodiment 1]
A cutting device according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing a configuration example of the cutting device according to the first embodiment. Fig. 2 is a front view of a cutting unit of the cutting device shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a blade detection unit of the cutting device shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a diagram showing a detection result of the blade detection unit shown in Fig. 3.

(Workpiece)
1 according to the first embodiment is a processing device that cuts a workpiece 200. In the first embodiment, the workpiece 200 to be processed by the cutting device 1 is a wafer such as a disk-shaped semiconductor wafer or an optical device wafer, the substrate of which is silicon, sapphire, gallium arsenide, SiC (silicon carbide), or the like. The workpiece 200 has devices 203 formed in areas partitioned in a lattice pattern by a plurality of planned division lines 202 formed in a lattice pattern on a surface 201.

The device 203 is, for example, an integrated circuit such as an IC (Integrated Circuit) or an LSI (Large Scale Integration), an image sensor such as a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) or a CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor), or a MEMS (Micro Electro Mechanical Systems) or a memory (semiconductor memory device).

In the first embodiment, the workpiece 200 has a disk-shaped adhesive tape 205, which is larger in diameter than the workpiece 200, adhered to the back surface 204 behind the front surface 201, and a circular ring-shaped frame 206 is adhered to the outer edge of the adhesive tape 205, so that the workpiece 200 is supported by the ring-shaped frame 206.

In the first embodiment, the workpiece 200 is a wafer such as a semiconductor wafer or an optical device wafer, but in the present invention, the workpiece is not limited to a wafer and may be various other workpieces such as package substrates such as ceramic capacitor substrates and CSP (chip size package) substrates.

(Cutting device)
1 and 2 is a processing device that holds a workpiece 200 on a chuck table 10 and cuts it with a cutting blade 21 along a planned division line 202. As shown in Fig. 1, the cutting device 1 includes the chuck table 10 that suction-holds the workpiece 200 on a holding surface 11, a cutting unit 20 that cuts the workpiece 200 held by the chuck table 10 with the cutting blade 21, an imaging unit (not shown) that images the workpiece 200 held by the chuck table 10, and a control unit 100.

The cutting device 1 also includes a moving unit that moves the chuck table 10 relative to the cutting unit 20. The moving units include an X-axis moving unit that moves the chuck table 10 in the X-axis direction parallel to the horizontal direction, a Y-axis moving unit that indexes and moves the cutting unit 20 in the Y-axis direction parallel to the horizontal direction and perpendicular to the X-axis direction, a Z-axis moving unit that moves the cutting unit 20 in the Z-axis direction parallel to the vertical direction perpendicular to both the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction, and a rotational moving unit that rotates the chuck table 10 around an axis parallel to the Z-axis direction. As shown in FIG. 1, the cutting device 1 is a so-called facing dual type cutting device that has two cutting units 20, that is, a two-spindle dicer.

The X-axis movement unit moves the chuck table 10 in the X-axis direction, which is the machining feed direction, to feed the chuck table 10 and the cutting unit 20 relatively along the X-axis direction. The Y-axis movement unit moves the cutting unit 20 in the Y-axis direction, which is the indexing feed direction, to feed the chuck table 10 and the cutting unit 20 relatively along the Y-axis direction. The Z-axis movement unit moves the cutting unit 20 in the Z-axis direction, which is the cutting feed direction, to feed the chuck table 10 and the cutting unit 20 relatively along the Z-axis direction. The rotation movement unit is moved in the X-axis direction together with the chuck table 10 by the X-axis movement unit.

The X-axis movement unit, Y-axis movement unit, and Z-axis movement unit each include a well-known ball screw that is rotatable about its axis, a well-known motor that rotates the ball screw about its axis to move the chuck table 10 or the cutting unit 20 in the X-axis, Y-axis, or Z-axis direction, and a well-known guide rail that supports the chuck table 10 or the cutting unit 20 so that it can move in the X-axis, Y-axis, or Z-axis direction. The rotation movement unit includes a well-known motor that rotates the chuck table 10 about its axis.

The chuck table 10 is disk-shaped, and the holding surface 11 that holds the workpiece 200 is made of porous ceramics or the like. The chuck table 10 is provided so as to be movable in the X-axis direction by an X-axis movement unit between the processing area below the cutting unit 20 and a load/unload area that is spaced from below the cutting unit 20 and where the workpiece 200 is loaded and unloaded, and is provided so as to be rotatable around an axis parallel to the Z-axis direction by a rotation movement unit.

The holding surface 11 of the chuck table 10 is connected to a vacuum suction source (not shown), and the workpiece 200 placed on the holding surface 11 is suction-held by the vacuum suction source. In the first embodiment, the chuck table 10 suction-holds the back surface 204 of the workpiece 200 via an adhesive tape 205. In addition, a plurality of clamping portions 12 that clamp an annular frame 206 are provided around the periphery of the chuck table 10, as shown in FIG. 1.

The cutting unit 20 is a processing unit that can attach an annular cutting blade 21 to the tip of the spindle 23. The cutting unit 20 is provided so as to be movable in the Y-axis direction by a Y-axis movement unit and so as to be movable in the Z-axis direction by a Z-axis movement unit relative to the workpiece 200 held on the chuck table 10. The cutting unit 20 can position the cutting blade 21 at any position on the holding surface 11 of the chuck table 10 by the X-axis movement unit, Y-axis movement unit, and Z-axis movement unit.

As shown in FIG. 1, the cutting unit 20 has a cutting blade 21, a spindle housing 22 that is movable in the Y-axis and Z-axis directions by a Y-axis movement unit and a Z-axis movement unit, a spindle 23 that serves as a rotating shaft that is rotatable about its axis on the spindle housing 22, and a spindle motor (not shown) that rotates the spindle 23 about its axis.

The cutting blade 21 is an extremely thin cutting grindstone having a substantially ring shape. In the first embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2, the cutting blade 21 includes an annular cutting edge 211 for cutting the workpiece 200, and an annular base 212 for supporting the cutting edge 211 at its outer edge and removably attached to the spindle 23. The cutting edge 211 is made of abrasive grains such as diamond or CBN (Cubic Boron Nitride) and a bonding material such as metal or resin, and is formed to a predetermined thickness. In the present invention, the cutting blade 21 may be a so-called washer blade consisting of only the cutting edge 211. During cutting of the workpiece 200, a part of the cutting edge 211 may be chipped off.

The spindle housing 22 is supported by the Z-axis moving unit so that it can move freely in the Z-axis direction, and is supported by the Y-axis moving unit via the Z-axis moving unit so that it can move freely in the Y-axis direction. The spindle housing 22 houses the spindle 23 except for the tip portion, as well as a spindle motor (not shown), and supports the spindle 23 so that it can rotate around its axis.

The cutting blade 21 is attached to the tip of the spindle 23. The spindle 23 is rotated in the direction indicated by the arrow 213 (hereinafter referred to as the rotation direction 213) in FIG. 2 by a spindle motor (not shown), and the tip protrudes from the tip surface of the spindle housing 22. The tip of the spindle 23 is gradually tapered toward the tip, and the cutting blade 21 is attached to it. The axes of the spindle 23 and cutting blade 21 of the cutting unit 20 are parallel to the Y-axis direction. In other words, the cutting blade 21 of the cutting unit 20 is rotated in the rotation direction 213 around the axis by the spindle motor.

As shown in FIG. 2, the cutting unit 20 also has a blade cover 24 attached to the tip surface of the spindle 23 and a cutting water nozzle 25 that supplies cutting water to the cutting blade 21.

The blade cover 24 covers at least the upper part of the cutting blade 21. The blade cover 24 is fixed to the tip surface of the spindle housing 22.

The cutting water nozzle 25 supplies cutting water to the cutting blade 21 when the cutting blade 21 cuts the workpiece 200 held by the holding surface 11 of the chuck table 10. As shown in FIG. 2, the cutting water nozzle 25 includes a shower nozzle 26 and a pair of blade nozzles 27.

The nozzles 26 and 27 are attached to the blade cover 24, and cutting water is supplied from a cutting water supply source (not shown). The shower nozzle 26 has an injection port 261 that faces the tip surface 214 of the cutting edge 211 of the cutting blade 21 in the X-axis direction, and supplies cutting water from the injection port 261 to the tip surface 214 of the cutting edge 211 of the cutting blade 21 during cutting.

The blade nozzles 27 extend parallel to the X-axis direction and are spaced apart from one another in the Y-axis direction. The blade nozzles 27 position the lower end of the cutting edge 211 of the cutting blade 21 between each other and are provided with a jet nozzle 271 that faces the lower end of the cutting edge 211 of the cutting blade 21. The blade nozzle 27 supplies cutting water from the jet nozzle 271 to the lower end of the cutting edge 211 of the cutting blade 21 during cutting.

The imaging unit is fixed to the cutting unit 20 so as to move integrally with the cutting unit 20. The imaging unit includes an imaging element that captures an image of the area to be divided of the workpiece 200 held on the chuck table 10 before cutting. The imaging element is, for example, a CCD (Charge-Coupled Device) imaging element or a CMOS (Complementary MOS) imaging element having multiple pixels. The imaging unit captures an image of the surface 201 of the workpiece 200 held on the chuck table 10 with the imaging element through an objective lens.

The imaging unit photographs the workpiece 200 held on the chuck table 10, acquires images to perform alignment between the workpiece 200 and the cutting blade 21, and outputs the acquired images to the control unit 100.

The cutting device 1 also includes an X-axis position detection unit (not shown) for detecting the position of the chuck table 10 in the X-axis direction, a Y-axis position detection unit (not shown) for detecting the position of the cutting unit 20 in the Y-axis direction, a Z-axis position detection unit for detecting the position of the cutting unit 20 in the Z-axis direction, and an angle detection unit for detecting the angle around the axis of the chuck table 10. The X-axis position detection unit and the Y-axis position detection unit can be configured with a linear scale parallel to the X-axis direction or the Y-axis direction, and a reading head. The Z-axis position detection unit detects the position of the cutting unit 20 in the Z-axis direction with motor pulses. The angle detection unit is configured with a well-known rotary encoder or the like.

The X-axis direction position detection unit, the Y-axis direction position detection unit, and the Z-axis direction position detection unit output the position of the chuck table 10 in the X-axis direction and the cutting unit 20 in the Y-axis direction or the Z-axis direction to the control unit 100. The angle detection unit outputs the angle from a reference position around the axis of the chuck table 10 to the control unit 100. In the first embodiment, the positions of the X-axis direction, Y-axis direction, and Z-axis direction of each component of the cutting device 1 are determined based on a predetermined reference position (not shown).

The cutting device 1 also includes a cassette elevator 50 on which a cassette 51 that contains the workpiece 200 before and after cutting is placed and which moves the cassette 51 in the Z-axis direction, a cleaning unit (not shown), and a transport unit (not shown). The cassette 51 is a container that can contain multiple workpieces 200 spaced apart in the Z-axis direction, and is provided with an access port 52 that allows the workpieces 200 to be inserted and removed. The cassette elevator 50 is disposed next to one side in the Y-axis direction of the chuck table 10 positioned in the loading/unloading area, and the cassette 51 is placed with the access port 52 positioned on the side of the chuck table 10 positioned in the loading/unloading area.

The cleaning unit cleans the workpiece 200 after cutting. The cleaning unit is located next to the other side in the Y-axis direction of the chuck table 10 positioned in the load/unload area, and is located in a position aligned in the Y-axis direction with the cassette 51 and the chuck table 10 positioned in the load/unload area. The cleaning unit includes a spinner table that holds the workpiece by suction, and a cleaning liquid supply nozzle that supplies cleaning liquid to the surface 201 of the workpiece 200 held by suction on the spinner table.

The transport unit transports the workpiece 200 between the cassette 51, the chuck table 10, and the spinner table of the cleaning unit.

The cutting device 1 also includes a blade detection unit 60 shown in FIG. 3. The blade detection unit 60 includes a light emitting unit 61 that emits light 611 toward the tip surface 214 of the cutting blade 211 of the cutting blade 21, a light receiving unit 62 that receives reflected light 621 reflected by the tip surface 214 of the cutting blade 21, and a detection unit 63. The tip surface 214 of the cutting blade 211 of the cutting blade 21 is the surface that constitutes the outer edge of the cutting blade 211 of the cutting blade 21, i.e., the outer peripheral surface of the cutting blade 211. In the first embodiment, the tip surface 214 of the cutting blade 211 of the cutting blade 21 is formed flat along the axis of the spindle 23 in the normal state.

In the first embodiment, the light emitting unit 61 and the light receiving unit 62 are attached to the blade cover 24. In the first embodiment, the light 611 emitted by the light emitting element (not shown) of the detection unit 63 is transmitted by an optical fiber to the light emitting unit 61, and the light 611 emitted by the light emitting element is emitted toward the tip surface 214 of the cutting blade 211 of the cutting blade 21. In the first embodiment, the light emitting unit 61 faces the tip surface 214 of the cutting blade 211 of the cutting blade 21 along a direction perpendicular to the axis of the spindle 23. In the first embodiment, the optical axis of the light 611 emitted by the light emitting unit 61 toward the tip surface 214 of the cutting blade 211 of the cutting blade 21 is perpendicular to the axis of the spindle 23. For this reason, in the first embodiment, the light emitting unit 61 emits the light 611 toward the tip surface 214 of the cutting blade 211 of the cutting blade 21 along a direction perpendicular to the axis of the spindle 23.

The light receiving unit 62 receives reflected light 621 of the light 611 emitted by the light emitting unit 61 and reflected by the tip surface 214 of the cutting edge 211 of the cutting blade 21. The light receiving unit 62 is connected to the light receiving element of the detection unit 63 by an optical fiber, and transmits the received reflected light 621 to the light receiving element by the optical fiber. In the first embodiment, the light receiving unit 62 faces the tip surface 214 of the cutting edge 211 of the cutting blade 21 along a direction perpendicular to the axis of the spindle 23. In the first embodiment, the optical axis of the reflected light 621 received by the light receiving unit 62 is perpendicular to the axis of the spindle 23. For this reason, in the first embodiment, the reflected light 621 along a direction perpendicular to the axis of the spindle 23 is incident on the light receiving unit 62.

In this way, in the blade detection unit 60, the light emitting unit 61 emits light 611 from the radial outer periphery of the cutting edge 211 of the cutting blade 21 toward the tip surface 214 of the cutting edge 211, and the light receiving unit 62 receives reflected light 621 reflected by the tip surface 214 of the cutting edge 211. In addition, in the first embodiment, the light emitting unit 61 and the light receiving unit 62 are arranged in the circumferential direction centered on the axis of the spindle 23. Furthermore, the light emitting unit 61 and the light receiving unit 62 are each the end of the optical fiber described above.

The detection unit 63 calculates the distance 64 between the light emitting unit 61 and the light receiving unit 62 and the position 215 where the light 611 is irradiated on the tip surface 214 of the cutting edge 211 of the cutting blade 21 from the time when the light emitting element emits the light 611 and the time when the light receiving element receives the reflected light 621, and outputs the calculated distance 64 to the control unit 100. The detection unit 63 calculates the above-mentioned distance 64 and outputs it to the control unit 100, and the blade detection unit 60 detects the position of the tip surface 214 of the cutting blade 21 by receiving the reflected light 621 reflected by the tip surface 214 of the cutting blade 21 with the light receiving unit 62.

The detection result of the detection section 63 of the blade detection unit 60 indicates that if there is no chipping in the cutting edge 211 of the cutting blade 21, the detected distance 64 will be constant, as shown by the solid line in Figure 4. The horizontal axis of Figure 4 indicates the rotation angle around the axis of the cutting blade 21, and the vertical axis indicates the aforementioned distance 64.

The detection result of the detection section 63 of the blade detection unit 60 is that when a chip occurs in a portion of the cutting edge 211 of the cutting blade 21, the aforementioned distance 64 becomes longer at the rotation angle at which the chip occurs than at other rotation angles, as shown by the dashed line in Figure 4. In this way, the distance 64 calculated by the detection section 63 of the blade detection unit 60 increases at the rotation angle at which the chip occurs in a portion of the cutting edge 211 of the cutting blade 21 compared to the rotation angle at which the chip does not occur, that is, it changes according to the occurrence of chipping in the cutting edge 211.

The function of the detection unit 63 may be realized by a dedicated processing circuit (hardware), such as a single circuit, a composite circuit, a programmed processor, or a parallel programmed processor. In the present invention, the detection unit 63 is configured by a computer having a processing unit having a microprocessor such as a CPU (central processing unit), a storage device having a memory such as a ROM (read only memory) or a RAM (random access memory), and an input/output interface device, and the function of the detection unit 63 may be realized by the processing unit executing a computer program stored in the storage device.

The blade detection unit 60 of the cutting device 1 according to the first embodiment may adjust the positions of the light emitting unit 61 and the light receiving unit 62, etc., depending on the type of cutting blade 21 attached to the spindle 23 of the cutting unit 20. That is, the blade detection unit 60 of the cutting device 1 according to the first embodiment may adjust the positions of the light emitting unit 61 and the light receiving unit 62, etc., when the type of cutting blade 21 attached to the spindle 23 of the cutting unit 20 is changed and, for example, the outer diameter of the cutting edge 211 of the cutting blade 21 changes.

The control unit 100 also controls each component of the cutting device 1 and causes the cutting device 1 to perform a machining operation on the workpiece 200. That is, the control unit 100 controls at least the chuck table 10, the imaging camera 37, and the lighting units 32 and 33. The control unit 100 is a computer having an arithmetic processing device having a microprocessor such as a central processing unit (CPU), a storage device having a memory such as a read only memory (ROM) or a random access memory (RAM), and an input/output interface device. The arithmetic processing device of the control unit 100 performs arithmetic processing according to a computer program stored in the storage device, and outputs control signals for controlling the cutting device 1 to each component of the cutting device 1 via the input/output interface device.

The control unit 100 is connected to a display unit 101, which is composed of a liquid crystal display device or the like that displays the status and images of the machining operation, an input unit 102 that the operator uses to register machining conditions, and an alarm unit 103. The input unit 102 is composed of at least one of a touch panel provided on the display unit 101 and an external input device such as a keyboard. The alarm unit 103 emits at least one of sound and light to alarm the operator.

Next, the processing operation of the cutting device 1 according to the first embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 5 is a side view, partially in cross section, showing a schematic processing operation in which the cutting device shown in FIG. 1 cuts a workpiece.

In the first embodiment, an operator or the like places the workpiece 200 to be processed in the cassette 51, and places the cassette 51 in the cassette elevator 50. In the first embodiment, the cutting device 1 receives the processing conditions input by the operator or the like through the input unit 102 in the control unit 100, and registers them in the control unit 100. In the first embodiment, the cutting device 1 starts the processing operation when it receives a processing start command from the operator.

In the first embodiment, when the machining operation is started, the control unit 100 of the cutting device 1 rotates the spindle 23 around its axis, supplies cutting water to the cutting blade 21 from the nozzles 26 and 27, and causes the light emitting unit 61 to emit light 611 to the tip surface 214 of the cutting edge 211 of the cutting blade 21. In the first embodiment, when the machining operation is started, the control unit 100 of the cutting device 1 controls the transport unit to transport the workpiece 200 from the cassette 51 to the chuck table 10 in the loading/unloading area, and places the workpiece 200 on the holding surface 11 of the chuck table 10 via the adhesive tape 205.

In the first embodiment, in the machining operation, the control unit 100 of the cutting device 1 sucks and holds the workpiece 200 on the holding surface 11 of the chuck table 10 in the loading/unloading area via the adhesive tape 205, and clamps the annular frame 206 with the clamp section 12. In the first embodiment, in the machining operation, the control unit 100 of the cutting device 1 controls the moving unit to move the chuck table 10 holding the workpiece 200 toward the machining area, and positions the chuck table 10 below the imaging unit in the machining area.

In the first embodiment, in the machining operation, the cutting device 1 performs alignment by imaging the workpiece 200 held by suction on the chuck table 10 with the imaging unit. In the first embodiment, in the machining operation, the control unit 100 controls the movement unit in accordance with the machining conditions as shown in FIG. 18 to relatively move the cutting unit 20 and the workpiece 200 held on the chuck table 10 along the planned division line 202 while cutting the cutting blade 21 into the planned division line 202 until it reaches the adhesive tape 205, thereby cutting the planned division line 202.

In the first embodiment, in the machining operation, when the control unit 100 of the cutting device 1 cuts all the planned division lines 202, the control unit 100 moves the chuck table 10 to the carry-in/out area and transports the cut workpiece 200 by the transport unit to the spinner table of the cleaning unit. In the first embodiment, in the machining operation, the control unit 100 of the cutting device 1 cleans the cut workpiece 200 by the cleaning unit and transports it into the cassette 51 by the transport unit. The cutting device 1 according to the first embodiment cuts the workpieces 200 in the cassette 51 in sequence.

In addition, in the first embodiment, in the machining operation, the cutting device 1 determines at a predetermined time interval whether the change amount 65 (shown in FIG. 4) of the above-mentioned distance 64 detected by the detection unit 63 of the blade detection unit 60 by the control unit 100 exceeds a predetermined value. In the first embodiment, in the machining operation, when the control unit 100 determines that the change amount 65 of the above-mentioned distance 64 detected by the detection unit 63 does not exceed the predetermined value (i.e., is equal to or less than the predetermined value), the cutting device 1 continues the machining operation. In the first embodiment, in the machining operation, when the control unit 100 determines that the change amount 65 of the above-mentioned distance 64 detected by the detection unit 63 exceeds the predetermined value, the cutting device 1 operates the notification unit 103 to notify the operator and stops the machining operation.

The amount of change 65 is the difference between the maximum and minimum values of the distance 64 detected by the blade detection unit 60, and is a value indicating that chipping has occurred in the cutting edge 211 of the cutting blade 21. In this way, the blade detection unit 60 receives the reflected light 621 reflected by the tip surface 214 of the rotating cutting blade 21 at the light receiving unit 62, and the detection unit 63 calculates the distance 64 that changes depending on the occurrence of chipping, and outputs it to the control unit 100, thereby detecting chipping in the cutting blade 21 from the amount of change 65 in the distance 64 between the blade detection unit 60 and the tip surface 214 of the cutting blade 21.

As described above, the cutting device 1 according to the first embodiment detects the above-mentioned distance 64 by the light emitting unit 61 of the blade detection unit 60 emitting light 611 from the radial outer periphery of the cutting blade 211 of the cutting blade 21 toward the tip surface 214 of the cutting blade 211, and the light receiving unit 62 receiving the reflected light 621 reflected by the tip surface 214 of the cutting blade 211. Therefore, in the cutting device 1 according to the first embodiment, even if the cutting blade 211 of the cutting blade 21 is worn and reduced in diameter in the radial direction, the light 611 from the light emitting unit 61 is irradiated to the tip surface 214, and the reflected light 621 from the tip surface 214 can be received by the light receiving unit 62.

As a result, in the cutting device 1 according to the first embodiment, even if the cutting edge 211 of the cutting blade 21 wears and shrinks in the radial direction, the blade detection unit 60 can detect chipping of the cutting edge 211 of the cutting blade 21, and adjustment of the positions of the light-emitting unit 61 and the light-receiving unit 62 of the blade detection unit 60 can be suppressed, thereby reducing the effort required for adjusting the position of the blade detection unit 60.

[Modification 1]
Next, a cutting device 1 according to Modification 1 of the embodiment 1 will be described with reference to the drawings. Fig. 6 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a blade detection unit of the cutting device according to Modification 1 of the embodiment 1. In Fig. 6, the same parts as those in the embodiment 1 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof will be omitted.

The cutting device 1 according to the first modification is the same as the first embodiment, except that the light emitting unit 61 and the light receiving unit 62 of the blade detection unit 60 are aligned along the axis of the spindle 23, i.e., along the Y-axis direction. As in the first embodiment, the blade detection unit 60 of the cutting device 1 according to the first modification has the light emitting unit 61 emit light 611 from the radial outer periphery of the cutting blade 211 of the cutting blade 21 toward the tip surface 214 of the cutting blade 211, and the light receiving unit 62 receives the reflected light 621 reflected by the tip surface 214 of the cutting blade 211 to detect the distance 64 described above.

In the cutting device 1 according to the first modification, the light emitting unit 61 of the blade detection unit 60 emits light 611 from the radial outer periphery of the cutting edge 211 of the cutting blade 21 toward the tip surface 214 of the cutting edge 211. As a result, as in the first embodiment, even if the cutting edge 211 of the cutting blade 21 wears and shrinks in the radial direction, the light 611 from the light emitting unit 61 is irradiated onto the tip surface 214, and the reflected light 621 from the tip surface 214 can be received by the light receiving unit 62. As a result, as in the first embodiment, the cutting device 1 according to the first modification has the effect of reducing the effort required for adjusting the position of the blade detection unit 60.

[Modification 2]
Next, a cutting device 1 according to Modification 2 of the first embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. Fig. 7 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of an example of a blade detection unit of a cutting device according to Modification 2 of the first embodiment. Fig. 8 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of another example of a blade detection unit of a cutting device according to Modification 2 of the first embodiment. Fig. 9 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of yet another example of a blade detection unit of a cutting device according to Modification 2 of the first embodiment. Note that in Figs. 7, 8, and 9, the same reference numerals are assigned to the same parts as those of the first embodiment, and description thereof will be omitted.

As shown in Figures 7, 8 and 9, the cutting unit 20 according to the second modification further includes an air supply unit 70 that supplies air (pressurized gas) 71 toward the tip surface 214 of the cutting edge 211 of the cutting blade 21. The air supply unit 70 includes an air supply source (not shown) that supplies air 71, and an injection nozzle 72 that receives air 71 from the air supply source and injects the air 71 supplied from the air supply source toward the tip surface 214 of the cutting edge 211 of the cutting blade 21.

The injection nozzle 72 is attached to the blade cover 24 or the like. In the example shown in FIG. 7, the injection nozzle 72 injects air 71 from the upstream side of the rotation direction 213 of the cutting blade 21 to a region including a position 215 where the light 611 is irradiated from the light emitting unit 61 on the tip surface 214 of the cutting blade 211 of the cutting blade 21. In the example shown in FIG. 8, the injection nozzle 72 injects air 71 from the downstream side of the rotation direction 213 of the cutting blade 21 to a region upstream of the position 215 where the light 611 is irradiated from the light emitting unit 61 on the tip surface 214 of the cutting blade 211 of the cutting blade 21. In the example shown in FIG. 9, the injection nozzle 72 injects air 71 from the downstream side of the rotation direction 213 of the cutting blade 21 to a region including a position 215 where the light 611 is irradiated from the light emitting unit 61 on the tip surface 214 of the cutting blade 211 of the cutting blade 21.

In all of the examples shown in Figures 7, 8, and 9, the injection nozzle 72 injects air 71 onto the tip surface 214 of the cutting edge 211 of the cutting blade 21, thereby reducing the amount of cutting water that is carried around with the cutting blade 21 and adheres to the position 215 of the tip surface 214 of the cutting edge 211 of the cutting blade 21 where the light 611 is irradiated from the light emitting portion 61.

In the cutting device 1 according to the second modification, the light emitting unit 61 of the blade detection unit 60 emits light 611 from the radial outer periphery of the cutting edge 211 of the cutting blade 21 toward the tip surface 214 of the cutting edge 211. As a result, as in the first embodiment, even if the cutting edge 211 of the cutting blade 21 wears and shrinks in the radial direction, the light 611 from the light emitting unit 61 is irradiated onto the tip surface 214, and the reflected light 621 from the tip surface 214 can be received by the light receiving unit 62. As a result, as in the first embodiment, the cutting device 1 according to the second modification has the effect of reducing the effort required for adjusting the position of the blade detection unit 60.

The cutting device 1 according to the second modification is equipped with an air supply unit 70 having an injection nozzle 72 that injects air 71 onto the tip surface 214 of the cutting edge 211 of the cutting blade 21, thereby reducing the amount of cutting water that circulates with the cutting blade 21 attached to the position 215 of the tip surface 214 of the cutting edge 211 of the cutting blade 21 where the light 611 is irradiated from the light emitting unit 61. As a result, the cutting device 1 according to the second modification has the effect of suppressing detection errors of the blade detection unit 60.

In addition, in the second modification, as in the first modification, the light-emitting section 61 and the light-receiving section 62 of the blade detection unit 60 may be aligned along the axis of the spindle 23, i.e., along the Y-axis direction.

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment. In other words, the present invention can be modified in various ways without departing from the gist of the invention.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 Cutting device 10 Chuck table 20 Cutting unit 21 Cutting blade 23 Spindle 60 Blade detection unit 61 Light-emitting unit 62 Light-receiving unit 64 Distance (position)
65 Amount of change 70 Air supply unit 71 Air 200 Workpiece 211 Cutting blade 214 Tip surface 611 Light 621 Reflected light

Claims (3)

A cutting device for cutting a workpiece, comprising:
A cutting unit capable of mounting an annular cutting blade on the tip of a spindle;
A chuck table for holding the workpiece;
a blade detection unit including a light emitting section that emits light toward a tip surface of the cutting edge of the cutting blade, and a light receiving section that receives light reflected by the tip surface of the cutting blade;
The blade detection unit includes:
A cutting device characterized in that the position of the tip surface of the cutting blade is detected by receiving light reflected by the tip surface of the cutting blade with the light receiving section. The cutting device according to claim 1, characterized in that the blade detection unit detects chipping of the cutting blade from the change in distance between the blade detection unit and the tip surface of the cutting blade by receiving light reflected by the tip surface of the rotating cutting blade with the light receiving unit. The cutting device according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising an air supply unit that supplies air toward the tip surface of the cutting blade.

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