JP2828436B2 - Method of setting transfer route of semiconductor manufacturing line - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a transfer system for a semiconductor manufacturing line and a method for setting a transfer route. More specifically, the present invention relates to a method for forming a plurality of transfer routes within the same layer and between layers of a semiconductor manufacturing line. The present invention also relates to a semiconductor manufacturing line transfer system and a transfer path setting method in which a transfer object is transferred within a shortest time to a destination with reference to a load amount for each path.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Usually, equipment having various uses such as process, measurement and control is arranged in a predetermined layout on a manufacturing line for manufacturing semiconductor manufacturing equipment. Wafers, which are intermediate products, are transported between equipment and between processing equipment and measurement equipment in order to perform a process.

[0003] The transfer of wafers from one facility to another is usually performed manually by an operator, but in an automated process is performed by an automatic transport system.
With the recent increase in mass flow, more and more automatic transport systems have been introduced for overall logistics inside factories.

A conventional automatic transfer system of a semiconductor manufacturing line is configured to transfer a conveyed product on an open or closed path limited to a specific layer by an extrusion method.

[0005] Therefore, if the load increases or a failure occurs at one point in the middle of the route, the flow of the physical distribution is not smooth, and the entire transport is not smoothly performed.

In particular, if the transport of the transported product is delayed, the time during which the wafer in the intermediate manufacturing stage is exposed to the air is increased, and the contamination and quality of the product may be reduced.

Accordingly, there has been a problem that the transfer efficiency of the entire semiconductor manufacturing line is reduced and the productivity of the semiconductor device is reduced.

[0008]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a semiconductor manufacturing line for forming a plurality of paths between layers and between layers to transport a conveyed product to a desired specific point within a minimum time. Is to provide a transport system.

Another object of the present invention is to check the load and state of the intra-layer path and the interlayer path before transporting the transported article through a plurality of paths in the layer and between the layers, and to determine the load. An object of the present invention is to provide a method of setting a transfer route of a semiconductor manufacturing line for transferring a semiconductor device smoothly.

[0010]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for setting a transfer route of a semiconductor manufacturing line, wherein an upper layer and a lower layer are different in the same layer. Intra-layer routes for transporting goods between points are respectively configured, and a plurality of transport points are installed between the upper layer intra-layer route and the lower layer intra-layer route, and the transported objects are transported within the layer and In the method of setting a transfer path of the semiconductor manufacturing line to set a transfer path to be transferred between the layers, it is confirmed whether the transfer path is set as the transfer object is an interlayer transfer object,
A first step of determining an interlayer transport route to a route that is set to be favorable, and a status of the route being good even if the transport route is not set or the transport route is set. If not, a second step of checking the entire interlayer path, selecting a path that is good and having a sufficient transport amount, and determining the interlayer transport path, and determining that the transported article is a transported article within the layer, A third step of determining a transport path to a path in which a transport path is set and the state of the path is set to be good, and a state in which the set path of intra-layer transport is not good and the set And the fourth step of determining the set route as the intra-layer transport route if the route that has been set is the determined route, and the intra-layer transport route is not set or the intra-layer transport set route is good. And the set route is a confirmed route Kere If, then alternative among a margin of the transport amount by checking the entire layer path route, and summarized in that and a fifth step of determining the layer the conveying path. Accordingly, a variety of optimal paths are selected for transport between the same layers and transported therethrough. In addition, the transfer between layers can be similarly performed with a uniform load through various routes. In addition, since the route to be transported is checked before and during transport between layers and between layers, the route can be selected so that efficient transport can be performed.

[0011]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings.

Referring to FIG. 1, in an embodiment of a semiconductor manufacturing line transfer system according to the present invention, a plurality of transfer paths are formed for each layer in a plurality of layers and between layers.

That is, the upper layer 10 and the lower layer 12 are respectively provided with intra-layer routes (P21, P22, P11, P12) for transporting the conveyed articles between different points in the same layer,
The intra-layer path (P21, P22) of the upper layer 10 and the intra-layer path (P
11, P12), a plurality of interlayer routes (I1-I4) for transporting the transported product between other layers are connected.

The intra-layer routes (P11, P12) of the lower layer 12 are separate closed routes, respectively, and are transport points where stockers for transporting the transported products are located by facilities such as process equipment, measuring equipment, or storage units. It passes through A1, B1, C1, and D1. The route in the upper layer 10 (P21, P2
2) is also a separate closed route, each of the transport points A2, B where a stocker for transporting the transported goods was located.
2, C2 and D2.

Here, the intra-layer paths (P21, P22, P11, P12) can be formed from a conveyor system, and the inter-layer paths (I1-I4) can be formed from an elevator system.

An embodiment according to the present invention is shown in FIG.
Four paths are formed between the two layers, and two paths are formed for each layer. This may be applied to a multilayer and a multi-path including a closed path and an open path according to a manufacturer's intention. Can be.

As described above, by configuring the transfer system of the semiconductor manufacturing line, a transfer path for transferring a transfer object such as a wafer from a specific point to another point can be variously selected. The selection of the route is determined by the load applied to the transport route and the status of the route.

In the transport system of the semiconductor manufacturing line according to the present invention described above, the route on which the article is transported is determined by the transport route setting method shown in FIG. The transport route of such a transported product is determined at the location where the stocker that is each transport point is located (A1-D1, A2-D2), and the transported product is transported along the determined transport route, The transport system is controlled. Then, the transport control of the transported object is performed by the selected route determined in FIG. 2 while the controller of the stocker and the main host computer are interfaced.

The setting of the route of the conveyed article at each point will be specifically described with reference to FIG.

When a conveyed object is generated at a specific point, the position where the conveyed object is conveyed is first checked in step S2. Conveyed goods can be classified as being conveyed between different layers or within the same layer. The intra-layer transport must select and determine one of the intra-layer routes formed in the specific layer, and the inter-layer transport must select and determine one of the interlayer routes connecting the specific layers. There must be.

Therefore, in step S4, if the conveyed article is an inter-layer conveyed article, step S6 is performed to check whether an inter-layer setting path exists. Here, the interlayer setting route is a route in which the transported product must pass through as much as possible in consideration of the process sequence, and if there is no problem in the route, the transported product is transported through the interlayer setting route. Is controlled so as to be performed.

Therefore, if there is an interlayer setting route set for the conveyed article, step S10 is performed to check the status of the interlayer setting route. The checked result is step S12,
If it is determined that the path is good, step S14 is performed to determine whether to finally determine the selected interlayer path. If the selected route is not determined in step S14,
Returning to step S2, the process is performed again from step S2, and the transfer route of the conveyed object is determined.

If it is determined in step S8 that there is no interlayer setting path specified for the conveyed article,
If it is determined in step 2 that the state of the route set in the interlayer setting route is not good, step S18 is performed, and the entire interlayer route (I1-I4) is checked. And stage S
Among the interlayer routes checked in step 20, an interlayer route having a sufficient load amount and having no abnormality in the route state is selected, and it is determined and determined whether to determine the interlayer route as the route selected in step S14. I do.

Through steps S6 to S20 described above, a specific interlayer path for transferring a wafer as a transfer object is determined.

Then, if the transported object is an intra-layer transported object or an interlayer path is determined by the above-described method, then an intra-layer path for a specific layer is determined.

That is, by performing step S22, it is checked whether or not the transported object has the specified intra-layer setting path. The intra-layer setting route, like the inter-layer setting route, specifies in advance the intra-layer route that the conveyed product must pass through as much as possible in consideration of the process order. The transport is controlled so that the transported article is transported through the internal setting path.

If there is an intra-layer setting path for the conveyed object, the status of the specified intra-layer setting path is checked in step S26 through step S24. If the status of the intra-layer set route is not good, it is determined in step S30 whether the intra-layer set route is a confirmed route. The confirmed route is set so that it must pass through the specified route regardless of the status of the specified route. If it is determined that the route specified in step S30 is the determined route S30, step S32 is performed to determine whether the route for transporting the article is determined to be the intra-layer set route designated as the determined route, and An article transfer route is determined. If it is determined in step S28 that the status of the route specified as the intra-layer setting route is good, the process proceeds to step 32 to determine whether to determine the route for transporting the conveyed product as the selected intra-layer route. Judgment is made, and the transfer route of the transported object is determined.

If the intra-layer set route does not exist in step S24, or the state of the route specified as the intra-layer set route in step S30 is not good, and if the route is not a confirmed route, step S36 is performed. The entire intra-layer path is checked. Then, among the checked intra-layer routes, a route having a sufficient transport amount is selected in step S38, and step S32 is performed to determine whether to transfer the article to the selected intra-layer route. You.

When the intra-layer route selected in step S32 is determined, the article is transferred to the selected route, and if the selected intra-layer route is not selected, the process returns to step S2, and the route setting operation is performed again from step S2. Is done.

Therefore, an optimal transport path for transporting the transported article from the specific position to another location is selected from the paths formed in the layers and between the layers, and the transported article is transported to the selected path.

For example, in FIG.
The case where the sheet is conveyed from the point A1 to the point A2 in the upper layer will be described below.

If the in-layer set route and the fixed route of the upper layer 10 and the lower layer 12 are not set for the transported material, the load amount and state of each route between the layers and in the layer are checked. , The optimal route is selected.

Then, the in-layer route P11
When the route to be transferred to A2 after passing through D1 is set as a fixed route, the transported product is always set to be transported through this route, so that the transported product is in a normal state. The transfer is performed, but when the load is large or when the transfer becomes difficult due to an abnormality, a standby process is performed.

In such a process, the interlayer path I4 for the conveyed article is selected, and the intra-layer paths P11 and D11 of the lower layer 12 are selected.
If 1 is selected, the goods will be transported through the designated route
The transported material is transferred to the upper layer 10. Then, the in-layer route of the upper layer 10 is further specified for the transported article, and the transported article is transported to the point A2.

Therefore, the transported article is transported through the various paths selected for optimal transport between the same layers. The intra-layer path has an equal load on each path, and the conveyed goods are transported along the determined path with the shortest distance and the shortest time. In addition, the transfer between layers can also be performed with a uniform load through various routes.

In addition, since the route to be transported is checked before transport in the layer and between layers, the route can be selected so that efficient transport can be performed.

Although the present invention has been described in detail only with respect to the specific examples described, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications can be made within the technical idea of the present invention. It is to be understood that such changes and modifications fall within the scope of the appended claims.

[0038]

As described above, the method for setting a transfer route of a semiconductor manufacturing line according to the first invention confirms whether a transfer route has been set when a transfer object is an interlayer transfer object, and checks the status of the transfer route. A first step of determining an interlayer transport route to a route set as good, and if the transport route is not set, or if the status of the route is not good even if the transport route is set, the entire The second stage of checking the interlayer route of the vehicle and selecting a route having a good and sufficient transport amount and determining the interlayer transport route, and setting the transport route in the layer when the transported material is a transported material in the layer. And the third stage of determining a transport route to a route that is set to be favorable in the route, and the status of the route set in intra-layer transport is not good and the set route is determined. If the route is set, the set route The fourth step of determining the route, and if the intra-layer transport route is not set or the intra-layer transport set route is not good and the set route is not a fixed route, And the fifth stage of checking the intra-layer route and selecting from the routes having a sufficient transport amount and determining the intra-layer transport route. Various routes are selected and transported through. In addition, the transfer between layers can be similarly performed with a uniform load through various routes. In addition, since the route to be transported is checked before and during transport between layers and between layers, the route can be selected so that efficient transport can be performed.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing an embodiment of a semiconductor manufacturing line transfer system according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing an embodiment of a method for setting a transfer route of a semiconductor manufacturing line according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an embodiment of a method for setting a transfer route of a semiconductor manufacturing line according to the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10 Upper layer 12 Lower layer A1 to D2 Transport point I1 to I4 Interlayer route P11, P12, P21, P22 Intralayer route

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuation of the front page (56) References JP-A-60-84819 (JP, A) JP-A-63-62345 (JP, A) JP-A-50-85076 (JP, A) JP-A-1- 257345 (JP, A)

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] An upper layer and a lower layer each have an intra-layer path for transporting a conveyed article between different points in the same layer, and a path between the upper layer and the lower layer in the same layer. A plurality of transfer points are installed, and in the method of setting a transfer path of the semiconductor manufacturing line for setting a transfer path for transferring the transfer object in the layer and between the layers, the transfer path is determined when the transfer object is an interlayer transfer object. A first step of checking whether the route has been set, and determining an interlayer transport route for the route that is set to have a favorable condition for the route; and even if the transport route is not set or the transport route is set. If the status of the route is not good, the entire interlayer route is checked, and a route having a good and sufficient transport amount is selected, and a second stage is determined as the interlayer transport route. The transport route within the layer is set if the And the third stage of determining a transport route to a route that is set to be good in the route, and the status of the route set in the layer is not good and the set route is determined. A fourth step of determining the set route as the intra-layer transport route if the route is a route, and the intra-layer transport route is not set or the intra-layer transport set route is not good, and If the set route is not a fixed route, a fifth step of checking the entire intra-layer route and selecting from routes having a sufficient transport amount and determining the intra-layer transport route is included. A method of setting a transfer route of a semiconductor manufacturing line, characterized by the following.