JPH11235647A - Automatic carrier system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an automatic carrier system in which a carrier with high efficiency is made possible by arranging a stocker at a location which is the closest from each working equipment in minimum space. SOLUTION: In an automatic carrier system in which a plurality of working equipments 1 to 8 are arrayed in a turning back line shape in a prescribed order, objects to be worked are carried in the working equipments l to 8 from a center passage of the turning back line shaped array and objects to be worked which are worked are carried to a working equipment of the next stage, stockers 9, 10 for temporarily saving the objects to be worked along array lines of the plurality of working equipments 1 to 8 are installed at the center passage, carrier transfer machines 15, 15 which move in the forwarding direction and the reverse direction for the arraying directions of the working equipments 1 to 8 and are for receiving and delivering the objects to be worked between the working equipments 1 to 8 and the stockers 9, 10 are installed between the working equipments 1 to 8 and the stocker 9, 10, and storing transfer machines 11, 12 moving the objects to be worked between the stockers 9, 10 and within each stocker 9, 10 are installed.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an automatic transfer system, and more particularly to processing equipment for a plurality of processes arranged in a line in a predetermined order. The present invention relates to an automatic transport system that carries in a workpiece and transports a processed workpiece to another processing facility.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a manufacturing apparatus for manufacturing a required product by passing a workpiece through a processing facility in a plurality of process steps, the processing time of each processing facility is often not the same. In such a case, a stocker is installed between the processing equipment and the next processing equipment or another processing equipment, and the work carried out from one processing equipment is temporarily evacuated to this stocker, and the next or other processing equipment is removed. When processing by the processing equipment becomes possible, the workpiece is carried out of the stocker and carried into the next processing equipment or another processing equipment.

[0003] The above-mentioned workpieces are carried into and out of the processing equipment by hand or by an automatic driving trolley (generally, an orbiting vehicle) which moves around an elliptical transport path in a central passage in which a plurality of processing equipment are arranged in a folded line. , AGV) and using a suitable transfer machine. In addition, one or more stockers are arranged along the line similarly to the processing equipment.

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram for explaining an example of the configuration of an automatic transfer device in a conventional manufacturing apparatus, and is a manufacturing apparatus for processing a substrate of a liquid crystal panel. In FIG.
1 to 8 are processing equipment arranged in a folded line shape, 9a
9f indicates a stocker, 20 indicates an AGV, and 21 indicates a transport path.

For example, the processing equipment 1 is a substrate cleaning apparatus, the processing equipment 2 is a film forming apparatus, the processing equipment 3 is a resist coating apparatus, the processing equipment 4 is an etching apparatus, the processing equipment 5 is a resist peeling apparatus, and the processing equipments 7, 8,. 9 is an inspection device here.
The transport path 21 is a rail.

As shown by an arrow A, a substrate to be processed (initial input substrate) is the first stocker 9 of this manufacturing apparatus.
a. The substrate stored in the stocker 9a is AG
The wafer is transferred to the processing facility 1 and cleaned. The AGV 20 carries the substrate into and out of the processing facility while circulating on the rail 21 in the direction of arrow C, and retreats the substrate to the stockers 9a to 9f as necessary. Bring in. The processing equipments 1 to 8 generally employ a so-called job shop method in which a plurality of processing machines of the same type are accommodated so that a plurality of substrates can be processed in parallel.

The substrate processed by the processing equipment 1 is carried into the processing equipment 2 at the next stage, where a film for wiring is formed. Here, assuming that the processing time in the cleaning step is short, no stocker is installed between the next film forming steps.

The substrate on which the film forming process has been completed is further passed to the next processing equipment 3 (resist coating apparatus). However, since the processing step in this resist coating apparatus takes time, the substrate carried out of the processing equipment 2 is required. Is temporarily evacuated to the stocker 9b.

In the same manner, the substrates which have been subjected to the required processing through the processing equipments 4,... And the stockers 9c,... Arranged sequentially are stored in the unloading stocker 9f. The substrates stored in the unloading stocker 9f are transferred to another manufacturing line or the like using a transfer machine or unloading device (not shown).

[0010]

As described above, in an apparatus for manufacturing a workpiece which generally requires multiple steps such as manufacturing of a liquid crystal panel, the processing time (processing time) differs depending on the manufacturing process and equipment. Therefore, in order to absorb the time difference, a stocker is required between each process (between each processing equipment) or every predetermined process.

However, in the above-mentioned conventional manufacturing apparatus,
A large space is required to arrange a plurality of stockers in a limited layout of a factory building. In addition, when the number of stockers is reduced, the transport distance of the AGV is increased, and the workpiece to be transported to an adjacent processing facility is originally required.
The retreat to the stocker causes the AGV to make one round along the rail, which significantly lowers the transport efficiency, resulting in a problem that the manufacturing apparatus must be extremely low in efficiency.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned conventional problems and to provide an automatic transfer system in which a stocker is arranged at a position closest to each processing equipment in a minimum space so that a workpiece can be transferred with high efficiency. Is to provide.

[0013]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention relates to a manufacturing apparatus in which a plurality of processing facilities are arranged in at least one line or two or more folded lines in a predetermined order. A stocker is installed on the side surface or the central passage arranged in a shape, and a transfer machine is provided between the stocker and each processing equipment to transfer the workpiece.

That is, the present invention is characterized by having the following configurations (1), (2) and (3).

(1) A plurality of processing facilities are arranged in a line in a predetermined order, and a workpiece is carried into the processing facility from a side passage in the line arrangement, and the processed workpiece is removed. In an automatic transfer system for transferring to the next stage processing equipment, a stocker for temporarily retreating the workpiece along the array line of the plurality of processing equipment in the side passage, and a storage device for the processing equipment and the stocker Moving in the forward and reverse directions with respect to the arrangement direction of the processing equipment, and installing a transfer machine for transferring the workpiece between the processing equipment and the stocker. I do.

(2) A plurality of processing equipment is arranged in at least two return lines in a predetermined order, and a workpiece is carried into the processing equipment from a central passage arranged in the return line shape. In an automatic transfer system for transferring the processed workpiece to the next processing equipment, a stocker for temporarily retracting the workpiece along an array line of the plurality of processing equipment in the central passage, A transfer and transfer machine that moves between the processing equipment and the stocker in the forward and reverse directions with respect to the arrangement direction of the processing equipment and transfers the workpiece between the processing equipment and the stocker. It is characterized by having been installed.

The above-mentioned stocker is arranged close to the loading surface of each processing equipment, so that the time for unloading from the stocker is shortened, and the transfer of the workpiece between the respective processing equipment is realized by the automatic transfer through the stocker. Is done.

In the conventional transfer of a workpiece using an AGV, since the traveling direction of the AGV is defined in a fixed direction, it is necessary to make a round on the transfer line (rail) for the transfer in the reverse direction. On the other hand, in the configuration of the present invention, since the workpiece retreated to the stocker can be transported in either the forward or reverse direction, the transport distance is shortened and the transport efficiency is significantly improved.

(3) The stocker according to (1) or (2) is provided with a storage / transfer machine for moving the workpiece retreated to the stocker in the stocker.

According to this configuration, even if there are a plurality of transfer points to one processing facility, the transfer can be performed, and the transfer can be performed with high efficiency.

[0021]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic view showing a configuration of a liquid crystal panel manufacturing apparatus for explaining an embodiment of an automatic transport system according to the present invention, wherein 1 to 8 are processing equipment of a job shop system, 1 is a substrate cleaning apparatus,
Denotes a film forming apparatus, 3 denotes a resist coating apparatus, 4 denotes an etching apparatus, 5 denotes a resist stripping apparatus, and 6, 7, and 8 denote inspection apparatuses. Further, 9 is a first stocker, 10 is a second stocker, 11 and 12 are transfer / transfer machines, 13 is a transfer rail of the transfer / transfer machine, 14 and 15 are first storage / transfer machines, and 16 is a transfer / transfer machine. First
, A moving rail for the second storing and transferring machine, and 19 and a moving rail for the second storing and transferring machine. Reference numeral 90 denotes a stocker entrance, 91 denotes the same exit, 92 denotes a substrate entrance, and 93 denotes a finished substrate exit.

In this embodiment, a plurality of processing equipment, ie, a substrate cleaning apparatus 1, a film forming apparatus 2, a resist coating apparatus 3, and an etching apparatus 4 are arranged in one line in this order.
The manufacturing apparatus is constructed by arranging the resist stripping device 5, the inspection devices 6, 7, and 8 in this order in two folded lines arranged in the direction opposite to the above-mentioned line.

Then, the workpieces are loaded into the central passages of the plurality of processing facilities arranged in the folded line shape, and the processed workpieces are carried into the next stage at the next stage. First stocker 9 transported to processing equipment
And the second stocker 10 are arranged.

The first stocker 9 has an entrance 90 and an exit 91 for transferring substrates to and from each processing facility, and has an entrance 92 for a substrate at the substrate loading portion. Further, the second stocker 10 also has a number of entrances 90 and a number of exits 91 for transferring substrates to and from each processing facility, and has a substrate exit 93 at the substrate exit portion.

Then, the first stocker 9 and the processing equipment 1
4, between each processing equipment 1-4 and each processing equipment 1
Transfer transfer machines 14 and 15 for transferring a substrate between the transfer rails 4 and 4 are arranged so as to be able to travel on rails 16 in forward / reverse directions. Further, between the second stocker 10 and the processing equipments 5 to 8, transport transfer machines 17, 18 for transferring substrates between the processing equipments 5 to 8 and between the processing equipments 5 to 8 are provided. 19 on top /
It is arranged so that it can run in the opposite direction. Each of the transfer machines 14, 15 and 17, 18 has at least one
It is arranged for the table. This number depends on the scale of the manufacturing apparatus. The transfer machine described above is a robot called a traverser.

Further, between the first stocker 9 and the second stocker 10, the substrate retreated in each stocker is moved from a required entrance / exit to another entrance / exit. The storage and transfer machines 11 and 12 are arranged so as to be able to travel on a moving rail 13 in forward / reverse directions. The number of the storage and transfer machines 11 and 12 may be one depending on the scale of the manufacturing apparatus, and a plurality of storage and transfer machines may be arranged as necessary. The above storage transfer machine,
The robot is a so-called crane, and moves a substrate or transfers a substrate between first and second stockers while moving between shelves of a stocker.

First stocker 9 and second stocker 1
0 has a plurality of shelves for storing substrates at least one stage, and the storage and transfer machines 11, 12 and the transfer and transfer machines 14, 15 and 17, 18 move up and down between the shelves, or The substrate is loaded and unloaded by moving in the forward / reverse direction.

In such a configuration, the substrate transferred from the arrow A into the substrate storage port 92 is transferred into the processing equipment 1 by the transfer and transfer machine 14 and is subjected to a predetermined processing. The substrate that has been processed by the processing equipment 1 is carried out by the transfer machine 14 or 15 and is carried into the processing equipment 2. At this time, when the processing equipment 2 is not at the timing of receiving the substrate, the transfer / transfer machine 14 or 15 transfers the substrate to the first position.
Of the stocker 9 of the stocker 9 and retracted. Then, at the time when the processing equipment 2 can receive the substrate, the transfer machine 14 or 15 carries out the substrate from the outlet 91 of the first stocker 9 and carries it into the processing equipment 2.

Thereafter, the substrate, which has been processed up to the processing equipment 4 in the same procedure, is transferred to the first stocker 9 by the transfer / transfer machine 14 or 15, and stored and transferred by the storage and transfer machines 11, 12.
Is stored in the second stocker 10. Second stocker 1
In response to a transfer request from the processing equipment 5, the substrate stored at 0 is carried out from the outlet 91 by the transfer / transfer machine 17 or 18, carried into the processing equipment 5, and subjected to required processing.

Similarly, the substrates that have been processed in each of the processing equipments 6, 7, and 8 are transported from the completed substrate outlet 93 through the second stocker 10 to another process line as shown by the arrow B. Is done.

FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view showing the structure of the liquid crystal panel manufacturing apparatus shown in FIG. 1 for explaining an embodiment of the automatic transfer system of the present invention, and the same symbols as those in FIG. 1 correspond to the same parts. I do. Note that FIG. 1 shows only the minimum number of processing equipment, transfer and transfer machines, and storage and transfer machines in FIG.
The processing equipment on the second stocker side is not shown.

As shown in FIG. 2, the substrate to be processed is processed by the processing equipment 1, 2, 3,.
The predetermined processing is performed in the order of the U-shape shown in FIG. In this configuration, the operation efficiency of the entire manufacturing apparatus can be improved by adjusting the difference in the processing time of each processing facility by interposing the first stocker 9 and the second stocker 10. When the processing equipment does not particularly adhere to the processing order for the substrate, the storage transfer machine 11 or the transfer transfer machines 14 and 17 pass or carry over the empty processing equipment so that the processing equipment is loaded into an empty processing equipment. It is possible to save time.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory view of an example of the storage transfer machine or the transfer machine shown in FIGS. Storage transfer machine 11
The transfer robots 14 and 17 may be basically the same transfer robot. The one shown in FIG. 3 is an example of the storage transfer machine 11, and its function will be described below.

The storage / transfer machine 11 moves between the first stocker 9 and the second stocker 10 on rails 13 laid along the respective stockers 9 and 10 in the forward / reverse direction. A part (hand) for handling the substrate moves up and down and can rotate in two plane directions. Since the configuration and function of the hand are known, the description is omitted.

Since the storage and transfer machine 11 needs to move between a number of shelves for storing the substrates of the first stocker 9 and the second stocker 10, the lifting and lowering amount is particularly large. This is a transfer machine generally called a "stacker crane". On the other hand, the transfer / transfer machines 14 and 17 are rails 16 and 1 laid between a plurality of processing facilities arranged in a line and the first stocker 9 and the second stocker 10.
9 is a robot that moves in the forward / reverse direction to load and unload substrates between adjacent or predetermined processing equipment and between the processing equipment and the first stocker 9 and the second stocker 10. It is called a transfer machine.

By installing the storage and transfer machine and the transfer and transfer machine having such a configuration and function, the plurality of processing facilities, the space between the processing facility and the first and second stockers, and the first and second stockers can be provided. By transferring the board between the two stockers,
Processing equipment with different processing times can be operated with high efficiency.

As shown in FIG. 1, the layout of this embodiment does not require a large space for installing processing equipment and stockers, so that the space of the factory building can be effectively utilized. Further, since the layout is also a simple line arrangement, it is easy to add and change processing equipment.

In the above-described embodiment, the first and second stockers are installed in the central passage of the processing equipment installed in a folded line along the U-shape so as to face each of the processing equipment. Install the equipment on the I-shaped line,
It is also possible to arrange only one stocker in the side passage along the installation line of this processing equipment.

Further, only one stocker is arranged in the central passage of the processing equipment installed on the U-shaped line, and only the transfer and transfer machine is used to transfer the substrate between the processing equipment, between the processing equipment and the stocker, and between the shelves of the stocker. It can be configured to carry in and carry out.

The control of the manufacturing apparatus provided with the above-described automatic transfer system can be centrally performed by a host computer (not shown) similar to the conventional one. Because all processes can be grasped from the operation data of the transfer machine and the storage transfer machine,
Process management can be performed with a small computer, and the load on the host computer can be reduced.

[0041]

As described above, according to the present invention,
Since the stocker can be placed at the closest position from each processing equipment with minimum installation space, it is possible to transport workpieces with high efficiency, efficiently operate multiple processing equipment with different processing times, and Can be shortened.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration of a liquid crystal panel manufacturing apparatus for explaining an embodiment of an automatic transport system according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view showing a configuration of the liquid crystal panel manufacturing apparatus shown in FIG. 1 for explaining an embodiment of the automatic transport system of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of an example of a storage transfer machine or a transfer machine in FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating a configuration example of an automatic transfer device in a conventional manufacturing apparatus.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1-8 processing equipment 9 first stocker 10 second stocker 11,12 transfer / transfer machine 13 transfer rail of transfer / transfer machine 14,15 first storage / transfer machine 16 for first storage / transfer machine Movement rails 17, 18 Second storage / transfer machine 19 Moving rail for second storage / transfer machine 90 Stocker entrance 91 Stocker exit 92 Substrate entrance 93 Completed substrate exit.

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A plurality of processing facilities are arranged in a line in a predetermined order, a workpiece is carried into the processing facility from a side passage in the line arrangement, and a processed workpiece is placed in the next position. In the automatic transfer system for transferring to the processing equipment of a step, a stocker for temporarily retreating the workpiece along the array line of the plurality of processing equipment in the side passage, and between the processing equipment and the stocker And a transfer machine for transferring the workpiece between the processing equipment and the stocker by moving in a forward direction and a reverse direction with respect to the arrangement direction of the processing equipment. Automatic transfer system. 2. A plurality of processing equipment is arranged in at least two return lines in a predetermined order, and a workpiece is carried into the processing equipment from a central passage arranged in the return line shape and processed. An automatic transport system for transporting a processed workpiece to a next-stage processing facility, comprising: a stocker for temporarily retracting the workpiece along an array line of the plurality of processing facilities in the central passage; and A transfer and transfer machine for moving between the processing equipment and the stocker in a forward direction and a reverse direction with respect to the arrangement direction of the processing equipment, and transferring the workpiece between the processing equipment and the stocker. Automatic transfer system characterized by being installed. 3. The automatic transport system according to claim 1, further comprising a storage / transfer machine for moving the workpiece retreated to the stocker in the stocker.