Retrofitting manufacturing lines into cleanspace fabricators
OwnerFrederick A. Flitschinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present invention provides various aspects for retrofitting existing manufacturing lines into cleanspace fabricators. In some embodiments existing processing equipment and automation are placed into the new environment. In other embodiments the processing equipment is placed and new automation equipment is used. And, in some embodiments the equipment of the existing manufacturing line including the automation are redesigned to allow for similar processing to occur in a cleanspace fabricator; where some of the redesign may also leverage strengths of the cleanspace fabricator design type.
Claims26
A method for forming a cleanspace fabricator;
- said method comprising:
- constructing a cleanspace fabricator structure wherein at least a primary cleanspace is included wherein an air source provides air flow through the primary cleanspace in a direction from a first vertical wall to a second vertical wall and through at least a portion of the first vertical wall and through at least a portion of the second vertical wall;
- obtaining a first processing tool, wherein the first processing tool previously occupied a location within a clean room fabricator, wherein within the clean room fabricator the first tool processed a first substrate, and wherein the clean room fabricator is not physically connected to the cleanspace fabricator;
- moving the first processing tool to the cleanspace fabricator;
- placing the first processing tool into said cleanspace fabricator structure;
- and
- configuring an automation system to move a first production unit from the first processing tool to second processing tool.
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A method of forming a product;
- said method comprising:
- constructing a cleanspace fabricator structure wherein at least a primary cleanspace is included wherein an air source provides air flow through the primary cleanspace in a direction from a first vertical wall to a second vertical wall and through at least a portion of the first vertical wall and through at least a portion of the second vertical wall;
- obtaining a first processing tool, wherein the first processing tool previously occupied a location within a clean room fabricator, wherein within the clean room fabricator the first tool processed a first substrate, and wherein the clean room fabricator is not physically connected to the cleanspace fabricator;
- moving the first processing tool to the cleanspace fabricator;
- placing the first processing tool into said cleanspace fabricator structure;
- and
- performing a first process on a first production unit in the first processing tool.
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A method for forming a cleanspace fabricator;
- said method comprising:
- constructing a cleanspace fabricator structure wherein at least a primary cleanspace is included wherein an air source provides air flow through the primary cleanspace in a direction from a first vertical wall to a second vertical wall and through at least a portion of the first vertical wall and through at least a portion of the second vertical wall, and wherein the cleanspace fabricator is comprised of multiple vertical levels, wherein a first vertical level with the first processing tool and a second processing tool is located beneath a second vertical level with the third processing tool, wherein the first processing tool is located along the periphery of the first vertical wall, and wherein the first processing tool is reversibly removable;
- adding a first linear motion track to the cleanspace fabricator, wherein a substrate carrier rides upon the first linear motion track in a horizontal motion between tools on the first vertical level.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.