High volume autonomous material handling system to improve IC factory throughput and cycle time

A method of selectively moving and processing work in process (WIP) within a manufacturing environment comprising plural tool bays, each comprising at least one manufacturing tool for processing the WIP, the method comprising:

• providing an asynchronous logistics system for moving and processing WIP within the manufacturing environment, the logistics system comprising
• an inter-process transportation system for selectively moving the WIP, the inter-process transportation system being comprised of sequential conveyor segments, each conveyor segment having a respective drive unit for selectively moving WIP on the conveyor segment and a respective controller configured for autonomously and selectively moving WIP at least on the basis of an input from a next successive conveyor segment indicative of the presence or absence of a WIP thereon,
• plural tool interfaces, each intermediate at least one respective manufacturing tool and the inter-process transportation system, each adjacent at least one respective conveyor segment of the inter-process transportation system, and each having a respective controller for autonomously and selectively moving WIP between the at least one adjacent conveyor segment of the inter-process transportation system and the respective manufacturing tool,
• a localized movement coordination system comprised of plural control zones, each control zone comprised of plural sequential conveyor segments and tool interfaces and a respective control zone processor in communication with each of the respective conveyor segment and tool interface controllers, the control zone having, for each WIP within the respective control zone, a unique identifier of the WIP and data characteristic of the required movement and processing of the WIP, the control zone processor for selectively controlling the operation of ones of the respective conveyor segments and tool interfaces, thereby influencing the autonomous movement and processing of the WIP within the respective control zone, and
• an environment-wide, regionalized movement coordination system comprised of plural regions, each region comprised of plural control zones and a respective dispatch controller in communication with each control zone processor and with all other region dispatch controllers of the regionalized movement coordination system for enabling environment-wide coordination of WIP movement and processing;
• receiving a first WIP on the logistics system;
• and
• autonomously and selectively moving the WIP from a first conveyor segment to a second, consecutive conveyor segment by selective actuation of the drive unit of the first conveyor segment by the respective controller at least in part in response to data from the second conveyor segment indicative of the presence or absence of a WIP on the second, consecutive conveyor segment.