Redundantable robot assembly for workpiece transfer
AssigneeDynamic Micro Systems
InventorLutz Rebstock
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A redundantable robotic mechanism is disclosed for improving reliability of tranport equipment. The redundantable robot assembly typically comprises independent robots with separate controls, motors, linkage arms, or power, thus providing the capability of operation even if parts of the assembly are not operational or when parts of the assembly are removed for repair. The redundantable robot assembly can be also designed to allow in-situ servicing, e.g. servicing one robot when the other is running. The disclosed redundantable robot assembly provides virtual uninterrupted process flow, and thus greatly increases the yield for the manufacturing facility.
Claims21
A method for improving reliability of an equipment having workpiece movement, the method comprising
- employing a redundantable workpiece transfer mechanism, the redundantable workpiece transfer mechanism comprises at least two independent workpiece transfer mechanisms,
- wherein each independent workpiece transfer assembly is capable of transfer the workpieces regardless of the operating status of other workpiece transfer assemblies.
A method as in claim 1 further comprising
- moving the non-operatable independent workpiece transfer assembly to allow repair while the others are operating.
A method for improving reliability of an equipment having workpiece movement, the equipment comprising a redundantable workpiece transfer mechanism, the redundantable workpiece transfer mechanism comprises at least two independent workpiece transfer assemblies,
- wherein each independent workpiece transfer assembly is capable of transfer the workpieces regardless of the operating status of other workpiece transfer assemblies,
- the method comprising
- determining the operatable workpiece transfer assemblies;
- and
- allocating the movement of the workpieces to the operatable workpiece transfer assemblies,
- wherein allocating to the operatable workpiece transfer assemblies comprises re-assigning workpieces that are assigned to an inoperative workpiece transfer assembly, and
- wherein allocating to the operatable workpiece transfer assemblies comprises re-assigning the movement of the workpieces to a just-become-operating workpiece transfer assembly.
A machine readable medium containing machine executable program instructions which, when executed by a data processing system, cause the data processing system to perform a method for improving reliability of an equipment having workpiece movement, the equipment comprising a redundantable workpiece transfer mechanism, the redundantable workpiece transfer mechanism comprises at least two independent workpiece transfer assemblies,
- wherein each independent workpiece transfer assembly is capable of transfer the workpieces regardless of the operating status of other workpiece transfer assemblies,
- the method comprising:
- determining the operatable workpiece transfer assemblies;
- and
- allocating the movement of the workpieces to the operatable workpiece transfer assemblies,
- wherein allocating to the operatable workpiece transfer assemblies comprises re-assigning workpieces that are assigned to an inoperative workpiece transfer assembly, and
- wherein allocating to the operatable workpiece transfer assemblies comprises re-assigning the movement of the workpieces to a just-become-operating workpiece transfer assembly.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.