Fabrication system and fabrication method

A fabricating system comprising:

• at least two processing apparatuses;
• L sets (L;
• positive integer) of inter-apparatus transporters, each of which is adapted to transport works to a desired processing apparatus;
• and
• a loading and unloading apparatus for loading and unloading works to and from said fabricating system,
• wherein said processing apparatus includes;
• a means for receiving a set of works (M pieces, M:
• positive integer) from either of said inter-apparatus transporters for a time interval T min (T:
• positive number) after a time To;
• a means for stocking said works;
• a means for applying a sequence of processes to a set of works received before the time To;
• a means for unloading a set of already-processed works to either of said inter-apparatus transporters at a time (To+N×T, N:
• positive integer), and
• each of said inter-apparatus transporters directly transports works, between at least two processing apparatuses capable of applying a continued process to works, for a time interval L×T min or less, and which has a means for transporting a set of works, said works being started to be unloaded from a processing apparatus at a time (To+N×T), to another processing apparatus capable of applying a continued process to works, until a time (To+(N+L)×T).

A fabricating system comprising:

• L sets of inter-apparatus transporters capable of transporting a set of works (M pieces), between processing apparatuses capable of applying a continued process to works, for a time interval less than (L×T) min;
• an apparatus connected to each of said inter-apparatus transporters for loading and unloading works to and from said fabricating system;
• and
• at least two processing apparatuses connected to said inter-apparatus transporters each of which, in a period of time from To to (To+T), receives a first set of works, starts to process a second set of works received for a time interval from (To−T) to To, and unloads a third set of works which are already processed for a time interval from (To−T) to To, to said inter-apparatus transporters.

A fabricating method comprising the steps of;

• processing works by at least two processing apparatuses;
• and
• transporting works by an inter-apparatus transporter capable of transporting works to a desired processing apparatus;
• wherein in a period of time when a first group of works are processed or stocked, remaining groups of works are transported or stocked, and
• in a period of time when said first group of works are transported or stocked after being processed, one group of works of said remaining groups of works are processed or stocked.

A fabricating method including the steps of:

• applying at least two continued processes to a plurality of sets of works (M pieces, M:
• positive integer);
• and transporting works by L sets (L:
• positive integer) of inter-apparatus transporters capable of transporting works to a desired processing apparatus, said method comprising the steps of:
• loading and stocking a set of works from either of said inter-apparatus transporters to at least one processing apparatus or to at least one of a plurality of processing apparatuses having the same processing function for a time interval T min (T:
• positive number) after To;
• processing one set of works loaded before a time To in said processing apparatus;
• unloading a set of the works already processed from said processing apparatus to either of said inter-apparatus transporter at a time (To+N×T) (N:
• positive integer);
• and
• transporting a set of works started to be unloaded from a processing apparatus at the time (To+N×T) to another processing apparatus until a time (To+(N+L)×T).

A fabricating method comprising the steps of:

• loading a set of works (M pieces) to an loading/unloading apparatus at a time To, said loading and unloading apparatus being connected to L pieces of inter-apparatus transporters capable of transporting a set of works (M pieces) between processing apparatuses for a time interval less than L×T min;
• transporting a set of said works to a first processing apparatus, of at least two processing apparatuses connected to said transporters, by said transporters for a time interval from the time To to (To+L×T);
• and
• starting to process a second set of works already loaded in said first processing apparatus for a time interval from (To−T) to To;
• unloading a third set of works already processed in said first processing apparatus to said inter-apparatus transporters for a time interval from the time (To−T) to To;
• and transporting a fourth set of works unloaded from said first processing apparatus to said inter-apparatus transporters to a second processing apparatus different from said first processing apparatus for a time interval from the time (To−T) to a time (To+(L−1))×T.

A fabricating method comprising the steps of:

• processing semiconductor wafers by at least two processing apparatuses;
• and
• transporting semiconductor wafers by an inter-apparatus transporter,
• wherein the managing information of process progress and scheduling information of processing and transporting on semiconductor wafers contained in said fabricating system are managed by computers contained in said fabricating system.