Automated sputtering target production

An automated system for manufacturing a metal target, the system comprising:

• a plurality of stations including at least one inspection station;
• a machine configuration stored in a memory for each of the plurality of stations;
• an automated work-in-progress transport adapted to translate the work-in-progress amongst the plurality of stations;
• computer code for selecting the work-in-progress from a plurality of metal target blanks adapted to compare one or more physical or chemical values stored in a data management system and corresponding to the selected work-in-progress to one or more comparable values of at least one desired criterion;
• computer code for assigning a serial route for the work-in-progress, wherein the serial route comprises a plurality of nodes selected from a subset of the plurality of stations, and at least one node comprises one or more respective events to be completed at the respective node and at least node comprises a desired machine configuration for the respective node;
• computer code for rejecting and accepting the work-in-progress as a metal target by evaluating a result of at least one event of the one or more events to be completed at each of the plurality of nodes;
• wherein the work-in-progress is processed by translating a work-in-progress from node to node after completion of the node events at each node.

A computer implemented method for manufacturing a workpiece, the method comprising:

• comparing one or more physical or chemical values of a respective one of a plurality of workpieces to one or more comparable values of at least one desired criterion, wherein the one or more physical or chemical values are stored in a data management system;
• selecting one of the workpieces from a plurality of workpieces as a work-in-progress;
• assigning a serial route for the work-in-progress, wherein the serial route comprises a plurality of nodes selected from a subset of a plurality of stations including at least one inspection station, wherein at least one node of the plurality of nodes comprises one or more respective events to be completed at the respective node and at least one of the plurality of nodes comprises a desired machine configuration for the respective node;
• processing the work-in-progress by translating the work-in-progress from node-to-node with an automated transport, after completion of the events at each node;
• and
• rejecting or accepting the work-in-progress as a workpiece by evaluating a result of at least one event of the one or more respective events to be completed at, at least one of the plurality of nodes.

An automated system for manufacturing a workpiece, the system comprising:

• a plurality of stations including at least one inspection station;
• a machine configuration stored in a memory for each of the plurality of stations;
• an automated work-in-progress transport adapted to translate the work-in-progress amongst the plurality of stations;
• computer code for selecting the work-in-progress from a plurality of workpieces adapted to compare one or more physical or chemical values stored in a data management system and corresponding to the selected work-in-progress to one or more comparable values of at least one desired criterion;
• computer code for assigning a serial route for the work-in-progress, wherein the serial route comprises a plurality of nodes selected from a subset of the plurality of stations, and at least one node comprises one or more respective events to be completed at the respective node and at least node comprises a desired machine configuration for the respective node;
• computer code for rejecting and accepting the work-in-progress as a workpiece by evaluating a result of at least one event of the one or more events to be completed at each of the plurality of nodes;
• wherein the work-in-progress is processed by translating a work-in-progress from node to node after completion of the node events at each node.