Manufacturing execution system with virtual-metrology capabilities and manufacturing system including the same
AssigneeNational Cheng Kung University
InventorsFan-Tien Cheng, Chi-An Kao, Hsien-Cheng Huang, Yung-Cheng Chang
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Abstract
A manufacturing execution system (MES) with virtual-metrology capabilities and a manufacturing system including the MES are provided. The MES is built on a middleware architecture (such as an object request broker architecture), and includes an equipment manager, a virtual metrology system (VMS), a statistical process control (SPC) system, an alarm manager and a scheduler. The manufacturing system includes a first process tool, a second process tool, a metrology tool, the aforementioned MES, a first R2R (Run-to-Run) controller and a second R2R controller.
Claims17
A manufacturing execution system (MES) with virtual-metrology capabilities for assisting an enterprise to actively collect and monitor production data generated during fabrication procedures since receiving orders, production in process, process control unit product completion, the MES comprising:
- a middleware architecture;
- an equipment manager which is built on the middleware architecture and linked to a process tool for transmitting a plurality of sets of process data sent from the process tool and linked to a metrology tool for transmitting an actual measurement value of a sample workpiece measured at the metrology tool, wherein the sets of process data are used for respectively processing a plurality of workpieces in a cassette, and the sample workpiece is selected from one of the workpieces in the cassette, and the equipment manager is used for achieving shop floor tool management, automatically collecting and retrieving tool warning and error messages, uploading and downloading tool process programs, and remote monitoring tool statuses;
- a virtual metrology system (VMS) which is built on the middleware architecture for computing a first virtual metrology value of each of the workpieces based on the sets of process data and calculating a second virtual metrology value of each of the workpieces in the cassette based on the sets of process data and the actual measurement value;
- a statistical process control (SPC) system which is built on the middleware architecture for inspecting the quality of each of the workpieces according to the first virtual metrology value of each of the workpieces and detecting if there is at least one abnormality alarm occurring;
- an alarm manager which is built on the middleware architecture for receiving and displaying the abnormality alarm;
- and
- a scheduler which is built on the middleware architecture for issuing an instruction for dispatching the sample workpiece to the equipment manager, and selecting an optimal process route based on the actual measurement value of the sample workpiece and the second virtual metrology value of each of the workpieces;
- the equipment manager, the VMS, the SPC system, the alarm manager and the scheduler communicating with each other through the middleware architecture.
The MES as claimed in claim l, wherein the SPC system inspects the quality of each of the workpieces according to the second virtual metrology value of each of the workpieces.
A manufacturing system with virtual-metrology capabilities, comprising:
- a first process tool for processing a plurality of workpieces in a cassette;
- a second process tool for continuing to process the workpieces after the first process tool has finished processing the workpieces;
- a metrology tool for measuring a sample workpiece selected from the workpieces, thereby obtaining an actual measurement value of the sample workpiece;
- a manufacturing execution system (MES) for assisting an enterprise to actively collect and monitor production data generated during fabrication procedures since receiving orders, production in process, process control until production completion, the MES comprising:
- a middleware architecture;
- an equipment manager which is built on the middleware architecture and linked to a process tool for transmitting a plurality of sets of process data sent from the process tool and linked to a metrology tool for transmitting an actual measurement value of a sample workpiece measured at the metrology tool, wherein the sets of process data are used for respectively processing a plurality of workpieces in a cassette, and the sample workpiece is selected from one of the workpieces in the cassette, and the equipment manager is used for achieving shop floor tool management, automatically collecting and retrieving tool warning and error messages, uploading and downloading tool process programs, and remote monitoring tool statuses;
- a virtual metrology system (VMS) which is built on the middleware architecture for computing a first virtual metrology value of each of the workpieces based on the sets of process data and calculating a second virtual metrology value of each of the workpieces in the cassette based on the sets of process data and the actual measurement value;
- a statistical process control (SPC) system which is built on the middleware architecture for inspecting the quality of each of the workpieces according to the first virtual metrology value of each of the workpieces and detecting if there is at least one abnormality alarm occurring;
- a scheduler which is built on the middleware architecture for issuing an instruction for dispatching the sample workpiece to the equipment manager, and selecting an optimal process route based on the actual measurement value of the sample workpiece and the second virtual metrology value of each of the workpieces;
- the equipment manager, the VMS, the SPC system, and the scheduler communicating with each other through the middleware architecture;
- a first run-to-run (R2R) controller for performing a feedback control on the first process tool by using the first virtual metrology value of each of the workpieces;
- and
- a second R2R controller for performing a feedforward control on the second process tool by using the second virtual metrology value of each of the workpiece.
A manufacturing execution system (MES) with virtual-metrology capabilities for assisting an enterprise to actively collect and monitor production data generated during fabrication procedures since receiving orders, production in process, process control unit product completion, the MES comprising:
- a middleware architecture;
- an equipment manager which is built on the middleware architecture and linked to a process tool for transmitting a plurality of sets of process data sent from the process tool, wherein the sets of process data are used for respectively processing a plurality of workpieces in a cassette, and the equipment manager is used for achieving shop floor tool management;
- automatically collecting and retrieving tool warning and error messages;
- uploading and downloading tool process programs;
- and remote monitoring tool statuses;
- a virtual metrology system (VMS) which is built on the middleware architecture for computing a first virtual metrology value of each of the workpieces based on the sets of process data;
- a statistical process control (SPC) system which is built on the middleware architecture for inspecting the quality of each of the workpieces according to the first virtual metrology value of each of the workpieces and detecting if there is at least one abnormality alarm occurring;
- and
- an alarm manager which is built on the middleware architecture for receiving and displaying the abnormality alarm;
- the equipment manager, the VMS, the SPC system, and the alarm manager communicating with each other through the middleware architecture.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.