Metrology system for analyzing panel misregistration in a panel manufacturing process and providing appropriate information for adjusting panel manufacturing processes

A panel inspection and measurement system, comprising;

• A panel measurement apparatus, including:
• a transparent reference surface with reference fiducials inscribed therein and having a reference center and a reference axis with respect to the reference fiducials;
• positioning apparatus for locating the panel with a pattern including pattern fiducials dimensionally related to the reference fiducials and to a pattern center and pattern axis of the panel so that registration of the reference fiducials and pattern fiducials is related to registration of the reference center and reference axis to the pattern center and pattern axis;
• a vision type measuring system for measuring displacements of the pattern fiducials from the reference fiducials;
• means for collecting data and output means for displaying data on the displacements measured;
• wherein the improvement comprises:
• means for displacement cause evaluation, including a data storage means, a data processor means and a memory means including a stored program for evaluating the displacements in terms of causes of the displacements, and an output means including;
• means for transforming the displacements measured into a first set of primary parameters restructuring the displacements into rigid body displacements and material deformed displacements,
• means for transforming the parameters into a second set of advanced parameters related to displacements of the pattern center and pattern axis of the panel from registration with the reference pattern and reference axis surface;
• and
• means for analyzing the individual terms of the advanced parameters to generate further output on the output means and printing out a graph to suggest probable causes of the misregistration.

In a panel inspection and measurement system in which panels are analyzed for misregistration a method of determining causes of the misregistration, comprising the steps of:

• including pattern fiducials as part of a overall pattern on a panel and the panel having an axis and center locus about which the overall pattern and pattern fiducials are referenced;
• placing the panel having the pattern fiducials on a transparent reference surface having corresponding reference fiducials and an axis and center about which the reference fiducials are referenced;
• positioning the panel on the transparent reference surface by engaging tooling features of the panel with a locating system associated with the transparent reference surface and operative to align the axis and center of the panel with the axis and center of the transparent reference surface;
• measuring displacements of the pattern fiducials from the reference fiducials by vision measuring techniques;
• collecting data on displacements measured;
• displaying the data on displacements measured;
• storing the displacement measurements in a data storage system;
• wherein the improvement comprises the steps of:
• transforming the displacement measurements into a first set of primary parameters restructuring the displacements into rigid body displacements and material deformed displacements,
• transforming the parameters into a second set of advanced parameters related to displacements of the pattern center and pattern axis of the panel from registration with the reference pattern and reference axis surface;
• analyzing the individual terms of the advanced parameters to generate an output to suggest probable causes of the misregistration;
• and
• displaying and printing out a graph representing the probable causes as a part of a readout of the displacement measurements.