Class / Patent application number | Description | Number of patent applications / Date published |
700113000 | Mobile transport | 14 |
20080281456 | Extendable MES for Cross-AMHS Transportation - In one aspect a factory automation system for a wafer fab is provided. The factory automation system is adapted to facilitate cross-AMHS transfers of wafer lots within a semiconductor foundry. The factory automation system may include a first MCS and an associated first AMHS; a second MCS and an associated second AMHS; and a third MCS and an associated third AMHS. The system may also include a first bridge connecting the first AMHS and the second AMHS to allow a FOUP to travel between the first AMHS and the second AMHS. The system may also include a second bridge connecting the second AMHS and the third AMHS to allow a FOUP to travel between the second AMHS and the third AMHS. The system also includes a unified control unit in communication with the first, second, and third MCSs, the unified control unit for coordinating transfers of FOUPs between the first, second, and third AMHSs. | 11-13-2008 |
20080281457 | METHOD OF ACHIEVING HIGH PRODUCTIVITY FAULT TOLERANT PHOTOVOLTAIC FACTORY WITH BATCH ARRAY TRANSFER ROBOTS - The present invention generally comprises a method for achieving fault tolerance in a PV FAB. A plurality of processing tools may be coupled together along a processing line, and a plurality of substantially identical processing lines may be arranged within the FAB. Whenever a processing tool within any processing line is shut-down, rather than shut-down the entire processing line containing the shut-down processing tool, work-pieces may be routed around the shut-down processing tool by transferring the work-pieces to an adjacent processing line within the FAB. At a location after the shut-down processing tool, the work-pieces may be transferred back to the processing line containing the shut-down processing tool. During the time period that the processing tool is shut-down, the other processing lines within the FAB may increase their throughput in order to maintain a substantially constant optimum throughput for the FAB over a given period of time. | 11-13-2008 |
20090012643 | METHOD OF ACHIEVING HIGH PRODUCTIVITY FAULT TOLERANT PHOTOVOLTAIC FACTORY WITH BATCH ARRAY TRANSFER ROBOTS - The present invention generally comprises a method for achieving fault tolerance in a PV FAB. A plurality of processing tools may be coupled together along a processing line, and a plurality of substantially identical processing lines may be arranged within the FAB. Whenever a processing tool within any processing line is shut-down, rather than shut-down the entire processing line containing the shut-down processing tool, work-pieces may be routed around the shut-down processing tool by transferring the work-pieces to an adjacent processing line within the FAB. At a location after the shut-down processing tool, the work-pieces may be transferred back to the processing line containing the shut-down processing tool. During the time period that the processing tool is shut-down, the other processing lines within the FAB may increase their throughput in order to maintain a substantially constant optimum throughput for the FAB over a given period of time. | 01-08-2009 |
20090030542 | Apparatus and method for handling short run quick changeover fabrication jobs - In a flexible manufacturing system (FMS), a shelving module of a work cell is fitted with a dedicated lift conveying mechanism so that work materials of desired sizes may be retrieved individually from different shelves of the shelving module for conveyance to the machine of the work cell. By having its own dedicated lift conveying mechanism that operates independently from the transport system that transports raw materials to the wok cells of the FMS, the operation of each cell becomes unaffected by the transport system. As such, materials may be fed to the machine in each cell for fabrication, piece by piece if so desired, by the lift conveying mechanism while the various shelves of the shelving module continue to be stocked by the transport system. Any remnants that prior to the instant invention would have been wasted may be returned to the appropriate shelves of the shelving module for future use by the lift conveying mechanism. | 01-29-2009 |
20090099680 | Manufacturing equipment - Manufacturing equipment is provided for safely changing the setup of a jig while maintaining production line utilization. A safety wall prevents entry into a machining area where multiple machining installations are installed. Openable and closable access doors are provided for the machining installations. A workpiece holding tool is moved in the machining area conveys workpieces from one of the machining installations to another. Isolation walls prevent the movement of the workpiece holding tool. A control device drives the isolation walls allowing movement of the workpiece holding tool outside the machining area at the machining installation corresponding to an opened access door and prevents the workpiece holding tool from moving into the machining area with the opened access door. | 04-16-2009 |
20130138237 | METHOD FOR OPERATING AN AUTOMATIC HANDLING SYSTEM APPLIED TO MANY WAFER PROCESSING APPARATUSES - The instant disclosure provides a method for operating an automatic handling system applied to many wafer processing apparatuses. When a OHT vehicle is moved to one of the wafer processing apparatuses, the OHT vehicle can ask a OHT control module whether a wafer carrier device can be unloaded from the OHT vehicle onto the wafer processing apparatus. There are two judgment methods as follows: (1) If there is another wafer carrier device already disposed on the wafer processing apparatus, the OHT control module will inform the OHT vehicle that the wafer carrier device cannot be unloaded from the OHT vehicle onto the wafer processing apparatus; (2) If there is no any wafer carrier device disposed on the wafer processing apparatus, the OHT control module will inform the OHT vehicle that the wafer carrier device can be unloaded from the OHT vehicle onto the wafer processing apparatus. | 05-30-2013 |
20130184849 | EFFICIENT TRANSFER OF MATERIALS IN MANUFACTURING - Methods for automated handling for forming a device and automated handling systems for forming a device are presented. One of the methods includes providing a production area with a plurality of destinations and a transport system which includes transport and load/unload (U/L) units in the production area. The transport units include automated guided vehicles (AGVs) with a storage compartment for holding at least one carrier containing production material for forming the device and U/L units include AGVs with a robotic system for handling carriers. A transfer of a selected carrier from a first destination to a second destination is determined. A request to the transport system is issued to effect the transfer of the selected carrier, which includes using a selected U/L unit, a selected transport unit, or a combination of selected U/L and transport units. | 07-18-2013 |
20130190915 | EFFICIENT TRANSFER OF MATERIALS IN MANUFACTURING - Methods for manufacturing automation and a computer executed automated handling system for forming a device are presented. The method includes issuing a transfer request by a tool. The transfer request is processed by a production control system configured for tracking and controlling the flow of carriers. The processing of the transfer request includes selecting a carrier containing production material. A transport system having transport and load/unload (U/L) units in a production area to effect a transfer is controlled and the carrier is transferred by the transport system. | 07-25-2013 |
20140088748 | METHOD FOR STORING AND/OR ORDER-PICKING PRODUCT UNITS - A method for storing and/or order-picking product units in a storage and/or order-picking installation (P | 03-27-2014 |
20140244021 | SYSTEM AND METHOD OF MONITORING AN ENVIRONMENTAL PARAMETER ALONG A PREDETERMINED ROUTE - A monitoring system has a vehicle and a monitoring device. The vehicle is movable along a predetermined route, and the monitoring device is mounted to the vehicle. The monitoring device has a sensor configured to monitor an environmental parameter and a controller communicatively coupled to the sensor. The controller is configured to record the monitored environmental parameter along the predetermined route as data points associated with time tags, record position information, and associate the position information with corresponding time tags. The number of time tags associated with the position information is less than the number of time tags associated with the monitored environmental parameter. A server is configured to receive and display a visualized presentation of the recorded monitored environmental parameter and the recorded position information. | 08-28-2014 |
20140303768 | Method for Operating a Production Plant - A method for operating a production plant having an unmanned transport system involves transporting a first parts carrier having a plurality of parts from a warehouse to a picking station by at least one industrial truck. At least one part, which is predetermined according to a parts list, is extracted from the parts carrier using a worker and deposition of the part on a further parts carrier. The further parts carrier is transported to a work station by a further industrial truck. | 10-09-2014 |
20150316925 | AUTOMATION SYSTEM AND A METHOD FOR TENDING A PRODUCTION SYSTEM - The present invention relates to an automation system for tending a production system comprising a plurality of workstations for producing products. The automation system comprises a mobile manipulator ( | 11-05-2015 |
20160004244 | TRANSPORT SYSTEM AND METHOD - A transport system is provided. The transport system includes a stocker configured to store an assigned wafer carrier and having a gate port. The transport system also includes a semiconductor apparatus configured to transmit a request signal comprising a processed time according to a processing wafer carrier loaded on the semiconductor apparatus. The transport system further includes a vehicle configured to transport the assigned wafer carrier from the gate port to the semiconductor apparatus and a control system configured to control the vehicle. When the control system receives the request signal, the control system controls the stocker to transport the assigned wafer carrier inside of the stocker to the gate port at a start time, which is earlier than the processed time, and the control system controls the vehicle to transport the assigned wafer carrier from the gate port to the semiconductor apparatus. | 01-07-2016 |
20160048128 | SYSTEM, IN PARTICULAR A MANUFACTURING SYSTEM - A system, in particular a manufacturing system, the system including machines, especially stationary and mobile machines, and at least one vehicle and a control, the vehicle having at least one sensor for ascertaining the relative position of a person, in particular a sensor for ascertaining the distance between the vehicle and the person, and for ascertaining the angle between the driving direction of the vehicle and the connecting line between the person and the vehicle, the vehicle having a position acquisition means for sensing the position of the vehicle, in particular a GPS system or a triangulation system for ascertaining the position of the vehicle, the control including a means for ascertaining the safety zone around the person and the machines situated therein, a data transmission channel being provided between the control and the machines. | 02-18-2016 |