KR100651255B1 - Manufacturing process apparatus with back-up system - Google Patents

Abstract

The manufacturing process apparatus provided with the backup system which concerns on this invention is a cassette which loads the thing to process; A number of main processing machines that perform the processing steps to produce the goods to be placed and processed according to the manufacturing process flow, and a main conveyor connected to each main processing machine to transfer cassettes from one main processing machine to another. And a main production line for manufacturing the article to be processed, having a buffer storage section disposed adjacent to the main processing machine for storing the cassette; At least one preprocessing machine performing the same function as one of the main processing machines to back up the manufacturing process flow, and between one of the main processing machines and the preprocessing machine or between one of the main processing machines and the buffer storage section or buffer storage And a preliminary production line having a transport control system for moving the cassette between the section and the preprocessing machine, wherein the transport control system is arranged between the main production line and the preproduction line.

The manufacturing process apparatus according to the present invention provides a backup system to back up the manufacturing process flow to reduce the production time and reduce the production cost.

Backup, manufacturing process, main process machine, preprocessing machine

Description

Manufacturing Process Equipment with Backup System {MANUFACTURING PROCESS APPARATUS WITH BACK-UP SYSTEM}

1 is a view of a conventional "Job Shop" manufacturing process apparatus.

2 is a manufacturing process apparatus having a backup system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

3 is a view of a crane according to an embodiment of the present invention.

4 is a diagram of a production line for assembling a device having a multilevel interconnect in accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention.

The present invention relates generally to a manufacturing process apparatus having a backup system, and more particularly to a manufacturing process apparatus for use in a cassette conveying system.

The thin-film transistor liquid crystal display (hereinafter referred to as TFT-LCD) has the advantages of being lightweight, portable, low power consumption, no radiation pollution, and far superior to CRT DISPLAY (Cathode Ray Tube Display). Attracted the public's attention. Currently, TFT-LCDs are used in various kinds of computers, telecommunications, electrical appliances such as desktop computers and notebook computers, personal digital assistant (PDA) devices, mobile communication and website browsers, and liquid crystal projectors.

Recently, the standard size of glass substrates used in TFT-LCDs has increased. For example, a fifth generation glass substrate about 1000 mm wide and about 1200 mm long is nine times larger than the size of a first generation glass substrate about 320 mm wide and about 440 mm long. Conventional transportation systems for transferring glass substrates, namely "jpb shop" transportation systems, are not suitable for the next generation of glass substrates.

1 is a view of a conventional "job shop" manufacturing process apparatus. Cleaning, thin film formation, photolithography, etching, strippers and inspection processes are required for the manufacturing process. In general, a conventional "job shop" manufacturing process facility is organized into a number of bays including several process machines having the same function. Process machines installed in the same bay have the advantage of savings. As shown in FIG. 1, the cleaning section 101 includes six scrubbers, the thin film forming section 102 includes six sputters or CVD tools, and the photoresist coating section 103 comprises six photoresist liquids. An applicator is included, the exposure section 104 includes six exposure machines, such as a scanner or stepper, and the developing section 108 includes six developer. The etching section 106 also has six etchers, the peeling section 107 includes six strippers, and the inspection section 108 includes six inspectors. In addition, various systems (called intra-bay transport systems), for example workers and automated systems, are used to move glass substrates (loaded in cassettes) into the bays. The workers use carts to transport cassettes and operate manual robotic links or other lifters to transfer cassettes between the process machine and the carts. Other automatic intrabay transportation is by unmanned vehicles (AGVs) or rail guided unmanned vehicles (RGVs) to transport cassettes between process machines and to transfer the cassettes to the load port of the machine.

In addition, interbay transport systems such as over-head shuttles or lifting devices are used to transport cassettes between the bays. For example, the glass substrate which has been cleaned and cleaned in the cleaning section 101 is loaded on a cassette and transported to a stocker area (upper area in FIG. 1). The cassette is then transferred to the OHS using a lifting device and carried along the shuttle passage 110 to the next work space, such as the thin film forming section 102 for thin film deposition.

The conventional "Job Shop" manufacturing process equipment that groups the same functional process machines in one bay has the advantage of savings, but increasing the glass substrate size has caused problems in handling cassettes. For example, the sixth generation glass substrate is about 1500 mm wide and 1800 mm long, and the 20 glass substrates held in the cassette weigh about 200 kg. The Unmanned Carrier (AGV) for carrying cassettes weighs more than 1250 kg, has a width of about 1.9M, a length of 2.3M and a height of 1.96M. Such bulky unmanned vehicle (AGV) is not easy to move the cassette in one bay, and requires more space for the movement of the unmanned vehicle (AGV). In addition, large glass substrates can be deformed during AGV transportation and can be damaged, such as crashes and breaks.

In addition, part of the manufacturing process is repeated while semiconductor (or LCD) production is complete. For example, a thin film deposition and photolithography process is necessary after the etching process, and therefore, a cassette in the etching section 106 needs to be conveyed to the thin film forming section 102 by OHS. It is a waste of time that a cassette must be transported between the bays, transferred back from the OHS to the AGV, and then returned to the AGV and then back to the OHS for transportation to the next work station. In addition, it is difficult to transport large and large glass substrates back and forth at good speed and without damage.

Conventional "Flow Shop" processing equipment used in the food industry arranges different machines according to the manufacturing process. Although the process machines are arranged one by one to minimize transportation time, the conventional "Flow Shop" process apparatus does not have a spare machine to back up the manufacturing process. Therefore, it is not suitable for semiconductor or LCD factories.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a manufacturing process apparatus having a backup system so that process machines having the same function can back up each other, thereby reducing production costs.

The present invention achieves the above-described object by providing a manufacturing process apparatus having a back-up system comprising a plurality of main process machines, a main conveyor, and at least one preliminary process machine and a conveyance control system. The main process machine is arranged according to the manufacturing process. The main conveyor is electrically and mechanically connected to a main processing machine for carrying at least one cassette. The preliminary processing machine has substantially the same function as the main processing machine to back up the manufacturing process. The conveyance control system is used to convey a cassette between the main process machine and the preprocess machine.

In addition, a buffer storage section for storing the cassette is located on the main conveyor, and the cassette can be transferred from any failed main process machine to the buffer storage section by a transport control system.

The main processing machine constitutes a main production line. Each preprocessing machine may be arranged opposite the main process machine having the same function, and a conveyance control system is arranged between the preprocessing machine and the main process machine to perform a backup operation. Further, the preliminary processing machine may be arranged in the vicinity of the end of the main processing machine, and the transport control system is arranged on one side of the main processing machine to perform a backup operation. For example, the transport control system can be arranged almost in line to perform a backup operation.

The number, function, and location of the preprocessing machine are preferably matched to the main process machine. When the preliminary processing machine is exactly the same as the main processing machine it can be part of the production line.

Other objects, configurations and effects of the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description of preferred but non-limiting embodiments. Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

In addition, the drawings used to illustrate embodiments of the present invention only show the main features of the process apparatus in order to avoid obscuring the present invention. The specification and drawings are, accordingly, to be regarded in an illustrative rather than a restrictive sense.

2 is a diagram of a manufacturing process apparatus having a backup system according to an embodiment of the present invention. Arrows indicate the direction (flow) of the manufacturing process. In this embodiment, the manufacturing process apparatus includes a main production line 20 and a preliminary production line 30. Although not shown in FIG. 2, there is a space between the main production line 20 and the preliminary production line 30 to arrange the transport control system and transport the cassette. Therefore, the production lines 20 and 30 should be arranged at least as wide as the cassette width to benefit cassette delivery. The main production line 20 includes a first main process section 201, such as a cleaning section, a second main process section 202, such as a thin film forming section, a third main process section 203, such as a photoresist coating section, and a cleaning section. There is a fourth main process section 204 as shown, and the main production line 20 is arranged in accordance with the requirements of the manufacturing process. The preliminary production line 30 includes a first preliminary process section 301 such as a cleaning section, a second preliminary process section 302 such as a thin film forming section, a third preliminary process section 303 such as a photoresist coating section, and a cleaning process. And a fourth preliminary process section 304, such as a section, and the same arrangement as the main production line 20.

The main production line 20 and the preliminary production line 30 can be operated at the same time to make a product. Alternatively, the main production line 20 and the preliminary production line 30 may be responsible for different stages of the manufacturing process. If a process machine fails, the transport control system can transfer the cassette to another process machine with the same function.

Process machines (2011,2021,2031,2041,3011,3021,3031,3041) in the process section, ie main process machines (2011,2021,2031,2041) and preprocess machines (3011,3021,3031) 3041 is used to manufacture the product. The main conveyor 205 is electrically and mechanically connected to the main processing machines 2011, 2021, 2031, 2041, ... to convey the cassette. Similarly, preconveyor 305 is electrically and mechanically connected to preprocessing machines 3011, 3021, 3031, 3041,... To convey the cassette.
In FIG. 2, the two arrows indicate the flow direction of the products in the main production line 20 and the preliminary production line 30, respectively. In other words, the two arrows indicate the cassette conveying direction of the main conveyor 205 and the spare conveyor 305, respectively.
In addition, several buffer storage sections 2012,2022,2032,2042,3012,3022,3032,3042 are located above the main conveyor 205 and the pre-conveyor 305 for temporarily storing cassettes. And are disposed adjacent to the process machines 2011, 2021, 2031, 2041 and the preliminary process machines 3011, 3021, 3031, 3041. Further, the main processing machines 2011, 2021, 2031, 2041 and the preliminary processing machines 3011, 3021, 3031, 3041 of this embodiment are arranged side by side in two rows as shown. Transport control systems, such as lifters and cranes, are located on one side of the main process machine to perform backup operations. In the configuration as shown in Fig. 2, the conveyance control system is preferably arranged between the main production line 20 and the preliminary production line 30 in order to convey the cassette properly. When the process machine fails (or stops) or when the cassette is moved to its destination too early (any process machine can reduce the manufacturing speed), the conveyance control system moves the cassette from the main process machine or the main conveyor. It can be transferred to the preprocessing machine or buffer storage area as appropriate.

Figure 3 shows an embodiment of a crane according to the present invention. The crane 310 is a main body 312, the rotating unit 314 is installed on the main body 312, and a projectable / retractable to transfer the cassette by receiving power from a driving source (not shown) ( It includes an arm 316 that can be projectable / retractable. The main body 312 may carry the rotating unit 314 and may move along a track (not shown) between the main production line 20 and the preliminary production line 30. In addition, the lifting action is associated with the main body 312 so that the main body 312 is driven vertically. The retractable arm 316 is connected to the rotating part 314 and performs an operation of picking up or lifting a cassette. During operation, the cassette can be efficiently and automatically transported according to the horizontal self movement of the crane 310, the vertical movement of the main body 312, and the unfolding operation of the retractable arm 316. Normally, the crane 310 does not operate until the cassette needs to be sent to its destination. For example, if the cassette needs to be conveyed from main processing machine 2031 to preprocessing machine 3031, main body 312 first moves to a position on main processing machine 2031. Next, the retractable arm 316 picks up the cassette and rotates it to the preliminary production line through the rotating unit 314, and then places the cassette in the preliminary processing machine 3031.

The crane may be configured with other functional accessories such as booms and suspension hooks for supporting or guiding lifted or suspended objects, hydraulic tanks, crane anchors and other safety devices. have.

In addition, the rotating unit 314 may be connected to the bottom side of the main body 312, the main body 312 is suspended in the axis suspension (axis suspension) of the track. The type of lifter used in the present invention is not limited to the crane described above. A lifter capable of moving the cassette in a timely manner to perform the backup operation can be employed in the present invention. In addition, the transport control system and the movement of the cassettes are controlled by an Automatic Material Handling System (AMHS). CIM systems (computer integrated manufacturing systems) are also used in production operations to manage product production control, such as process design, material control, manufacturing, testing, assembly, inspection, and the like. All cassette movements have been monitored and recorded by the CIM system, and the cassettes are moved by the transport control system efficiently and quickly. Therefore, the manufacturing process apparatus according to the present invention can obtain a high quality product in a short time.

In the present invention, the conveyor base apparatus carries one glass substrate, but is used for conveying a cassette carrying several glass substrates rather than one glass substrate. Glass substrates stored in cassettes avoid direct contact with conveyor-carrying surfaces (such as leather belts or rollers) and protect glass substrates against particulate contamination or inadvertent scratches. The general conveyor infrastructure can be applied in the present invention for conveying cassettes without particular attention during substrate transport, and the production cost is thus reduced.

In addition, sequential cassettes (such as so-called wire cassettes or line cassettes) can be used in the embodiments (embodiments) according to the invention. The glass substrate (i.e., the object to be processed) carried in the sequential cassette is separated by steel wire, and the distance between two adjacent substrates is about 6.7 mm. Therefore, very many glass substrates can be loaded in the sequential cassette. Furthermore, the conveyor-based design is based on the type of cassette and conveyance control system. For example, the conveyor may consist of many metal or PTFE rollers and leather belts may also be installed on the rollers. In some specific locations, such as a load port of a processing machine, a pin as a guide member is interposed between the conveyor and the cassette for lifting or picking up the retractable arm 316 to lift the cassette. It may protrude. The pins, lifter and load port sensors must be well manipulated by the AMHS and CIM system to complete the transport. Another example is to change the shape of the cassette. To receive the retractable arm 316 without lifting the cassette, the space between the cassette and the conveyor is made by attaching two ribs to the lower side of the cassette.

As described above, the technical point of the present invention is to transfer the cassette in a timely manner from the main processing machine or the conveyor to the preprocessing machine by using the conveyance control system. Therefore, the buffer storage section is not limited to the position on the conveyor as shown in FIG. Based on ergonomic considerations in practical applications, the buffer storage section may be relocated to other areas inside or outside the process section.

Moreover, the process machines included in the preliminary production line 30 may be exactly the same as the process machines in the main production line 20. However, the present invention is not limited thereto. The preliminary production line 30 may include only one preliminary machine, the operation of which is based on the main process step in the manufacturing process or the accuracy of the process machine. For example, if the etching process and the stripping process plays an important role in the production line, the preliminary production line 30 may include an etcher and a stripper. If the thin film forming machine of the main production line is less accurate than other process machines, the preliminary production line 30 may optionally include a preliminary thin film forming machine.

In addition, the position of the preproduction line 30 is not limited thereto. The preliminary production line 30 is placed on the opposite side of the main production line 20 or arranged in line with the main production line 20, as shown in FIG. 20) can be placed close to the end.
In addition, the production line of the conventional "Flow Shop" process apparatus can be rearranged so that process machines having the same function can each back up each other.

4 is a view of a production line for manufacturing a device in which multiple layers are connected to each other, according to another preferred embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, it is assumed that the apparatus has five layers, the manufacturing process of the first layer is similar to the manufacturing process of the third layer, and the manufacturing process of the second layer is similar to the manufacturing process of the fourth layer. Do. The production line may be arranged according to the configuration of FIG. The process machine for making the first layer is installed opposite the process machine for making the third layer. The conveyance control system and the conveyor infrastructure are integrated into the configuration according to the figure. Therefore, the processing machines for making the first layer and the third layer can back up each other. Similarly, the process machines used to make the second and fourth layers of the device can back up each other by installing a transport control system and a conveyor infrastructure.

As described above, the process machine according to the invention is arranged according to the manufacturing process flow. By integrating the conveying control system hardware, namely the conveying control system and the conveyor, the cassettes in the production line can be transferred to the spare machine or buffer storage section in a timely manner for continuous manufacturing or temporary storage. A manufacturing process apparatus having a backup system according to the present invention is an invention combining the advantages of a "Job Shop" process apparatus and a "Flow Shop" process apparatus. The cassette can be transported efficiently and quickly between the processing machines, thus saving production time. In addition, the process machine can be arranged squarely without taking up too much space. For example, a manufacturing process flow with process machines arranged as shown in FIG. 4 not only has a backup function, but also takes up a lot of space in a factory and thus can utilize the space appropriately. Since the above-described points are improved compared to the conventional invention, the manufacturing process apparatus having the backup system according to the present invention can also reduce the production cost.

While the invention has been described by way of example in terms of preferred embodiments, it will be understood that the invention is not so limited. On the contrary, the intention is to cover various modifications and similar arrangements, and the scope of the appended claims is therefore to be accorded the widest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and arrangements and procedures.

According to the present invention, the manufacturing process apparatus provided with the backup system combines the advantages of the "Job Shop" process apparatus and the "Flow Shop" process apparatus. The process apparatus of the present invention has a much larger capacity than the "Jop Shop" process apparatus so that the glass substrate loaded on the cassette can be efficiently and quickly conveyed to the process machine. As a result, the cost and time required to back up the manufacturing process flow and transport it is much less.

Claims (25)

A cassette on which an object to be processed is loaded; A plurality of main processing machines arranged according to the manufacturing process flow and performing processing steps to manufacture the object to be processed, and connected to each of the main processing machines to transfer the cassette from one main processing machine to another A main production line having a main conveyor, and a buffer storage section disposed adjacent to the main processing machine for storing the cassette; A preliminary production line including at least one preliminary process machine which performs the same function as one of the main process machines to back up the manufacturing process flow; And And a conveyance control system disposed between the main production line and the preliminary production line to move the cassette between the main process machine and the preliminary process machine or between the main process machine and the buffer storage section. A manufacturing process apparatus having a back-up system characterized in that. The method of claim 1, The cassette is a sequential cassette, and the article to be processed is a glass substrate. The method of claim 2, A plurality of glass substrates are stacked in the sequential cassette, characterized in that separated by a plurality of wires manufacturing process apparatus. The method of claim 1, And said conveyance control system is a crane for conveying said cassette horizontally and vertically. The method of claim 4, wherein And the crane comprises a main body, a rotating part carried by the main body, and a retractable arm connected to the rotating part to convey the cassette. The method of claim 1, The preliminary production line, And a plurality of preprocessing machines and preconveyors connected to the respective preprocessing machines to transfer the cassettes between the respective preprocessing machines. The method of claim 6, Wherein each preliminary processing machine is disposed opposite the main processing machine having the same function, and the transport control system is arranged between the preprocessing machine and the main processing machine to perform a backup operation. Device. The method of claim 7, wherein Wherein said preprocessing machine is arranged in accordance with said manufacturing process flow, wherein the number, function, and location of said preprocessing machine coincide with said main process machine. The method of claim 7, wherein The main processing machine and the preliminary processing machine are arranged in parallel with each other, and the cassette conveying direction of the main conveyor is the same as the cassette conveying direction of the pre-conveyor. The method of claim 6, And the preliminary processing machine is disposed adjacent to the end of the main processing machine. The method of claim 10, The main production line is arranged in line with the preliminary production line, and the transport control system is arranged on one side of the main process machine to perform a backup operation. The method of claim 10, Wherein said main process machine is selected from the group consisting of a scrubber, a thin film former, a photoresist coating machine, an exposure machine, a developing machine, an etching machine, a stripping machine, and a combination thereof. A cassette on which an object to be processed is loaded; A first main process machine and a second main process machine, which are disposed adjacent to each other according to a manufacturing process flow and perform each process step of the manufacturing process, and are connected to the first and second main process machines to transfer the cassettes. A main production line having a main conveyor to manufacture the object to be processed; A preliminary production line comprising a first preliminary processing machine which performs the same processing steps as one of the processing steps performed by the first and second main processing machines to back up the manufacturing process flow; And A conveyance control system disposed between the main production line and the preliminary production line to move the cassette such that the cassette is transferred between any one of the first and second main processing machines and the first preliminary processing machine. Manufacturing process apparatus having a backup system, characterized in that configured to. The method of claim 13, And said conveyance control system is a crane for conveying said cassette horizontally and vertically. The method of claim 14, The crane is a manufacturing process apparatus characterized in that it comprises a main body, a rotating portion carried by the main body, and a retractable arm connected to the rotating portion. The method of claim 13, The main production line further includes a buffer storage section disposed adjacent to any one of the first and second main processing machines for storing the cassette, and the transport control system is moved from the failed processing machine to the buffer storage section. Manufacturing process apparatus, characterized in that for transferring the cassette. The method of claim 13, The preliminary production line further comprises a second preliminary processing machine and a preconveyor connected to the first and second preliminary processing machines. The method of claim 17, And said first and second preliminary processing machines each have the same function as said first and second main processing machines. The method of claim 17, The first and second preliminary processing machines are disposed opposite the first and second main processing machines, and the conveyance control system is configured to perform one of the first and second preliminary processing machines and the first and second preliminary processing machines. 1, A manufacturing process apparatus, characterized in that disposed between one of the second main processing machine. The method of claim 19, The cassette conveying direction of the main conveyor is the manufacturing process apparatus, characterized in that the same as the cassette conveying direction of the pre-conveyor. The method of claim 17, And the second main process machine is arranged in line with the first and second preliminary process machines, and the transport control system is arranged adjacent to the machines arranged in line for backup operation. . The method of claim 13, The first and second main processing machines are selected from the group consisting of a scrubber, a thin film forming machine, a photoresist coating machine, an exposure machine, a developing machine, an etching machine, a stripping machine, and a combination thereof. . delete delete delete

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