US 2002/0120357 A1 · Process control method and process control apparatus

Abstract

An efficient process control method capable of performing a lot treatment within a preliminarily specified time without idle condition of a post-treatment apparatus at a treatment stage in which the specified time until start of charging the lot pre-treated in a pre-treatment processing equipment into a post-treatment equipment. The process control method improves productivity. In the process control method, when T1+Tw+T2<Td is satisfied supposing that a time obtained by adding a conveyance time from a hold stocker to the pre-treatment processing equipment to a waiting time until start of the pre-treatment is T1, a treatment time in the pre-treatment processing equipment is Tw, a storage time from completion of the process in the pre-treatment processing equipment to start charging into the post-treatment is T2, and a treatment time in the post-treatment equipment is Td, a point of time TR1 when the treatment of a lot 1 is started in the post-treatment equipment is utilized as a trigger, and a lot 2 is charged after a predetermined standby time Ta1 so that a point of time when the treatment time Td of the lot 1 has completed in the post-treatment equipment may almost coincide with the point of time when the treatment time Td of the lot 2 is started in the post-treatment equipment.

Claims10

Dependent claims

A process control method, for processing a plurality of lots including a preceding lot and a subsequent lot in a process stage comprising a hold stocker for holding each lot in a standby state, a pre-treatment processing equipment for pre-treating each lot brought out from said hold stocker on the basis of a standby release order, and a post-treatment processing equipment for post-treating each lot of which pre-treatment has completed, wherein a storage time for each lot between completion of pre-treatment in said pre-treatment processing equipment and start of post-treatment in said post-treatment processing equipment is limited,

the process control method comprising:
a step of establishing a standby time for the subsequent lot on the basis of the treatment starting time for the preceding lot in said post-treatment processing equipment so that completion time of the post-treatment for the preceding lot in said post-treatment processing equipment may substantially coincide with the starting time of the post-treatment for the the subsequent lot in said post-treatment processing equipment;
and
a step of giving said standby release order for the subsequent lot after elapsing the standby time utilizing the start of treatment for the preceding lot in said post-treatment processing equipment as a trigger.

1 more element

A process control apparatus for processing a plurality of lots including a preceding lot and a subsequent lot, comprising a hold stocker for holding each lot in a standby state, a pre-treatment processing equipment for pre-treating each lot brought out from said hold stocker on the basis of a standby release order, and a post-treatment processing equipment for post-treating each lot of which pre-treatment has completed, wherein a storage time for each lot between completion of pre-treatment in said pre-treatment processing equipment and start of said post-treatment in said post-treatment processing equipment is limited,

the process control apparatus further comprising:
an information storage section for storing information on a standby time for the subsequent lot on the basis of the starting time of the treatment for the preceding lot in said post-treatment processing equipment so that completion time of post-treatment for the preceding lot in said post-treatment processing equipment may substantially coincide with the starting time of post-treatment for the subsequent lot in said post-treatment processing equipment, information on the treatment starting time for the preceding lot in said post-treatment processing equipment, and product request information for the subsequent lot;
an FA computer including an arithmetic unit control section for calculating the standby time for the subsequent lot in accordance with an automatic program using said information on the standby time, said information on the treatment starting time, and said product request information, and for transmitting standby release order for the subsequent lot after elapsing the standby time;
and
an equipment control terminal which transfers said standby release order to said pre-treatment processing equipment.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Process control method and process control apparatus

Life of this patent

Process control method and process control apparatus

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims10