Manufacturing support device, manufacturing support method, and program

Abstract

This manufacturing support device is provided with an acquisition unit, a determination unit, and an output unit. The acquisition unit acquires an upper limit power consumption usable by a manufacturing apparatus that manufactures a product via a manufacturing process under vacuum. The determination section determines an operation parameter corresponding to the upper limit power consumption acquired by the acquisition section, the operation parameter making it possible to manufacture the product at a certain quality in the manufacturing process. The output section outputs the operating parameter determined by the determination section.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to manufacturing support apparatus, manufacturing support method, and procedure.

[0002] This application claims priority based on Japan Patent Application No. 2024-012727 filed on January 31, 2024, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Background Technology

[0003] Semiconductors, displays, batteries, and other products are manufactured in factories using vacuum processes. Energy efficiency has always been a goal in factories, particularly in manufacturing equipment. For example, a production control system (see, for example, Patent Document 1) has been disclosed that reduces power consumption in factories with multiple machines and air conditioners while adhering to factory temperature limits and product delivery deadlines.

[0004] In addition, various environmental countermeasures and initiatives have been implemented in industries and other sectors in recent years. One example of these initiatives is Green Transformation (GX). GX aims to achieve a decarbonized society by shifting energy sources such as fossil fuels that produce greenhouse gases to clean energy sources such as solar power. It involves organizations and businesses transforming their business models or processes to be both socially and economically sustainable, while considering environmental factors. Under such environmental countermeasures, factories are sometimes subject to power consumption limitations related to fossil fuels (e.g., thermal power generation).

[0005] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent No. 6059375

[0006] However, in existing technologies, power reduction is achieved by using components that consume power even when products are not in production (e.g., air conditioners, vacuum pumps, heaters, etc.). Therefore, under power consumption constraints related to environmental countermeasures, it can be difficult to maintain product quality, potentially leading to suboptimal production. For example, when product quality cannot be maintained at the desired level, power consumption constraints may be addressed by completely shutting down a portion of the factory or equipment. Consequently, the options for factory operation are limited to whether or not to conduct production within a specific scope, resulting in situations where optimal production levels cannot be guaranteed.

[0007] In addition to product quality, the effectiveness of power consumption suppression may also be reduced. For example, as a component of peak power, components that only consume power during production (e.g., sputtering power supplies) sometimes constitute a larger proportion than components that consume power even when not in production. In such cases, for components that only consume power during production, processing conditions need to be changed, making it difficult to implement flexible control that adapts to the power supply.

[0008] Furthermore, in the prior art, processing conditions are the factors that determine the production volume in the production plan, and controlling power consumption based on the production volume and the surrounding environment has become a prerequisite. That is, there is no option to determine the processing conditions based on the power consumption limitations of the manufacturing equipment and accept the production volume as a result of those processing conditions. Summary of the Invention

[0009] The present invention was made in view of the following circumstances, and its object is to provide a technology that can maintain product quality and achieve optimal production even under power consumption constraints related to environmental countermeasures.

[0010] To address the aforementioned issues, a manufacturing support apparatus according to one aspect of the present invention comprises: an acquisition unit that acquires an upper limit power consumption usable by a manufacturing apparatus for manufacturing a product via a manufacturing process under vacuum; a determination unit that determines operating parameters corresponding to the upper limit power consumption acquired by the acquisition unit, the operating parameters enabling the product to be manufactured with a certain quality in the manufacturing process; and an output unit that outputs the operating parameters determined by the determination unit.

[0011] As another aspect of the present invention, a manufacturing support method is performed by a manufacturing support device, the process comprising: an acquisition step, acquiring an upper limit power consumption that a manufacturing device capable of manufacturing a product via a manufacturing process under vacuum can use; a determination step, determining operating parameters corresponding to the upper limit power consumption acquired in the acquisition step, the operating parameters enabling the product to be manufactured with a certain quality in the manufacturing process; and an output step, outputting the operating parameters determined in the determination step.

[0012] As another aspect of the present invention, the computer of the manufacturing support device functions as the following units: an acquisition unit that acquires the upper limit power consumption that a manufacturing apparatus capable of manufacturing a product via a manufacturing process under vacuum can use; a determination unit that determines operating parameters corresponding to the upper limit power consumption acquired by the acquisition unit, the operating parameters enabling the product to be manufactured with a certain quality in the manufacturing process; and an output unit that outputs the operating parameters determined by the determination unit.

[0013] According to the present invention, under the limitation of GX, it is possible to suppress the reduction of production efficiency while maintaining product quality. Attached Figure Description

[0014] Figure 1 This is a diagram illustrating an example of the manufacturing support system involved in this embodiment.

[0015] Figure 2A This is a diagram illustrating an example of a manufacturing apparatus according to this embodiment, namely a film-forming apparatus.

[0016] Figure 2B This is a diagram illustrating an example of the film-forming chamber involved in this embodiment.

[0017] Figure 3A This is a block diagram illustrating an example of the hardware structure of a manufacturing support device.

[0018] Figure 3B This is a diagram illustrating an example of the functional structure of a manufacturing support device.

[0019] Figure 4 This is a diagram showing the database of manufacturing equipment production recipes stored in the manufacturing support device.

[0020] Figure 5 This is a flowchart illustrating an example of manufacturing support processing performed by a manufacturing support device in a manufacturing process.

[0021] Figure 6A It is a graph showing the power consumption shift (power value versus usage time) as indicated by the operating parameters output by the manufacturing support device.

[0022] Figure 6B It is a graph showing the power consumption shift (power value versus usage time) as indicated by the operating parameters output by the manufacturing support device.

[0023] Figure 7 This is a diagram showing the production recipe database stored in the manufacturing support device when the manufacturing device is started.

[0024] Figure 8 This is a flowchart illustrating an example of manufacturing support processing performed by a manufacturing support device when the manufacturing apparatus is started.

[0025] Figure 9 This is a flowchart illustrating an example of the manufacturing support processing performed by the manufacturing support device involved in Modification 2 in the manufacturing process.

[0026] Figure 10A This is a graph showing the power consumption shift (power value versus usage time) as indicated by the operating parameters output by the manufacturing support device involved in Modification 2.

[0027] Figure 10B This is a graph showing the power consumption shift (power value versus usage time) as indicated by the operating parameters output by the manufacturing support device involved in Modification 2. Detailed Implementation

[0028] (Implementation Method)

[0029] Figure 1 This diagram illustrates an example of the manufacturing support system according to this embodiment. The manufacturing support system 1 is, for example, introduced into a manufacturing plant that manufactures semiconductors, displays, and battery products. Figure 1 As shown, the manufacturing support system 1 includes: a plurality of manufacturing devices 100; and a manufacturing support device 110. The plurality of manufacturing devices 100 and the manufacturing support device 110 are connected, for example, via a network such as a local area network (LAN) or a wide area network (WAN).

[0030] Multiple manufacturing apparatuses 100 manufacture products using a vacuum process. These multiple manufacturing apparatuses 100 can be of different types. Alternatively, they can include apparatuses of the same type. The manufacturing support device 110 is, for example, a computer device such as a personal computer. Furthermore, the manufacturing support device 110 can also be a portable computer device such as a tablet or smartphone. The manufacturing support device 110 can be located within or outside a factory. Additionally, the manufacturing support device 110 can be included within each of the manufacturing apparatuses 100.

[0031] Next, an example of the manufacturing apparatus 100 will be described. In the following description, a film-forming apparatus will be used as an example of the manufacturing apparatus 100.

[0032] Figure 2A This is a diagram illustrating an example of a manufacturing apparatus according to this embodiment, namely a film-forming apparatus.

[0033] Figure 2B This is a diagram illustrating an example of the film-forming chamber involved in this embodiment.

[0034] like Figure 2A As shown, the manufacturing apparatus 100 (film forming apparatus) includes a transfer chamber 111, a transfer in and transfer out chamber 112, a heating chamber 113, a transfer robot 114, a vacuum exhaust system 115, a first film forming chamber 120a, and a second film forming chamber 120b.

[0035] The transfer chamber 111 is connected to the inlet / outlet chamber 112, the heating chamber 113, the first film-forming chamber 120a, and the second film-forming chamber 120b. The transfer chamber 111, the inlet / outlet chamber 112, the heating chamber 113, the first film-forming chamber 120a, and the second film-forming chamber 120b are all connected to a vacuum exhaust system 115. The vacuum exhaust system 115 includes a vacuum exhaust system 115a for creating a vacuum in the internal space of each chamber.

[0036] The transfer room 111 contains a transfer robot 114. The transfer robot 114 transfers substrate 124 ( Figure 2BSpecifically, the transfer robot 114 transfers the substrate 124 between the transfer in / out chamber 112, the heating chamber 113, the first film-forming chamber 120a, and the second film-forming chamber 120b. The substrate 124 is transferred under a vacuum atmosphere created by the vacuum exhaust system 115, which maintains the interiors of the transfer chamber 111, the transfer in / out chamber 112, the heating chamber 113, the first film-forming chamber 120a, and the second film-forming chamber 120b. In the following description, the first film-forming chamber 120a and the second film-forming chamber 120b will be referred to as film-forming chamber 120 without distinction.

[0037] The loading / unloading chamber 112 has one or more locations for mounting material boxes (not shown). The material boxes are used to hold substrates 124. When a material box containing unprocessed substrates 124 is placed in the loading / unloading chamber 112, the transport robot 114 removes one or more substrates 124 from the material box at a time and moves them into the heating chamber 113.

[0038] The heating chamber 113 has a heater 113a inside. The substrate 124, which is moved into the heating chamber 113, is heated by the heat generated by the heater 113a.

[0039] like Figure 2B As shown, the first film-forming chamber 120 and the second film-forming chamber 120b respectively have a substrate support 127 and a target material 125 inside. The substrate 124 is transported into the film-forming chamber 120 by a transport robot 114. The substrate 124 transported into the film-forming chamber 120 is disposed on the substrate support 127.

[0040] An electrostatic adsorption device (not shown) is provided on the substrate holder 127. An electrostatic chuck power supply is disposed outside the film deposition chamber 120. The electrostatic adsorption device has electrodes. A voltage is applied to the electrodes from the electrostatic chuck power supply. When this voltage is applied, the substrate 124 on the substrate holder 127 is electrostatically adsorbed onto the substrate holder 127.

[0041] The substrate holder 127 has a mounting surface for mounting the substrate 124. A groove (not shown) is provided on the mounting surface. When the substrate 124 is electrostatically attracted, the space enclosed by the inner wall of the groove and the substrate 124 is sealed. ESC (electrostatic chuck) gas flows within this sealed space. This improves the thermal conductivity of the substrate 124.

[0042] The substrate support 127 has a heating and cooling source (not shown). When the heating and cooling source generates heat (or absorbs heat), the substrate 124 is maintained at a specified temperature via the substrate support 127.

[0043] A moving mechanism 160 is connected to the substrate support 127. The moving mechanism 160 is capable of rotating the substrate support 127 at a predetermined speed. In addition, the moving mechanism 160 is capable of displacing the substrate support 127 relative to the target material 125 (in the vertical direction in the figure).

[0044] An atmosphere gas source 141 is disposed outside the film-forming chamber 120. An atmosphere gas (e.g., sputtering gas) is stored in the atmosphere gas source 141. The atmosphere gas source 141 is connected to the film-forming chamber 120 (120a, 120b).

[0045] An atmosphere gas flow control device 145 is provided midway through the path connecting the film-forming chamber 120 to the atmosphere gas source 141. The atmosphere gas flow control device 145 is connected to the control device 150. The atmosphere gas flow control device 145 controls the flow rate of the sputtering gas flowing to the atmosphere gas flow control device 145 based on the signal input from the control device 150.

[0046] An atmosphere gas power supply 151 is disposed outside the film deposition chamber 120. The atmosphere gas power supply 151 is connected to the target 125. The atmosphere gas power supply 151 applies a voltage to the target 125. The target 125 has a sputtering surface for sputtering. The sputtering surface faces the substrate 124 on the substrate support 127.

[0047] The target 125 is made of a material whose main component is a specified raw material (e.g., titanium). During the sputtering of the target 125, the control device 150 supplies an atmosphere gas into the interior of the film formation chamber 120, causing a Ti film to form on the surface of the substrate 124 on the substrate support 127, for example.

[0048] The film-forming chamber 120 has a protective plate 126 inside. The wall surface of the film-forming chamber 120 and the surface of the protective plate 126 form an inner wall surface. For example, when a Ti film is formed on the surface of the substrate 124 inside the film-forming chamber 120, Ti will adhere to the inner wall surface.

[0049] The substrate support 127 is connected to a substrate-side power supply 155 disposed outside the film deposition chamber 120. During sputtering of the target 125, when a voltage is applied from the substrate-side power supply 155 to the substrate 124, a film is formed on the surface of the substrate 124. In addition, by applying this voltage, when fine grooves are formed on the surface of the substrate 124, a thin film is also formed in the grooves.

[0050] In the manufacturing apparatus 100 (film forming apparatus), when forming a laminated film, multiple substrates 124 mounted in a cassette are considered as a batch. The manufacturing apparatus 100 removes one or more substrates 124 from the cassette provided in the inlet / outlet chamber 112. After heating the substrates 124 in the heating chamber 113, the manufacturing apparatus 100 forms a first film in either the first film forming chamber 120a or the second film forming chamber 120b. Then, the manufacturing apparatus 100 forms a second film on the first film in the other film forming chamber 120. Afterward, the manufacturing apparatus 100 returns the substrates to the cassette provided in the inlet / outlet chamber 112 and forms a laminated film on all substrates 124 constituting the batch.

[0051] Furthermore, for the sake of simplicity, the manufacturing process will be described below as a process within the first film deposition chamber 120a. Specifically, the manufacturing process is set as a process that begins by removing a substrate 124 from the transfer-in / transfer-out chamber 112, placing it on the substrate support 127 of the first film deposition chamber 120a, and continuing until sputtering is completed. However, the manufacturing process may also be set as a process that begins by removing the substrate 124 and continues until the product is completed.

[0052] (Hardware structure of manufacturing support device 110)

[0053] Figure 3A This is a block diagram illustrating an example of the hardware structure of a manufacturing support device. Figure 3A In this manufacturing support device 110, there are a CPU 301, a memory 302, a communication I / F 303, a storage medium I / F 304, an input device 305, a display 306, and a speaker 307. Each component 301 to 306 is connected via a bus 320.

[0054] The CPU 301 is responsible for the overall control of the manufacturing support device 110. The memory 302 includes, for example, ROM, RAM, and flash memory ROM. For example, the flash memory ROM or ROM stores various programs, such as the manufacturing support program involved in this embodiment. RAM is used as the working area of ​​the CPU 301. The programs stored in the memory 302 are loaded into the CPU 301, thereby causing the CPU 301 to execute the coded processing. In addition, the memory 302 stores a production recipe database related to the operation of the manufacturing device 100, the details of which will be described later.

[0055] The communication I / F 303 is connected to a network such as the Internet via a communication line, and is connected to other devices (e.g., manufacturing apparatus 100) via the network. Furthermore, the communication I / F 303 serves as the interface between the network and the internal workings of this device, controlling the input and output of data from other devices.

[0056] Storage medium I / F 304 controls data reading and writing on storage media not shown, such as hard disks, optical disks, Universal Serial Bus (USB), and flash memory, according to the control of CPU 301.

[0057] Input devices 305 include touch panels, keyboards, mice, various operation buttons, microphones, cameras, scanners, etc.

[0058] Display 306 may be, for example, an LCD display. Display 306 may be a touch panel type.

[0059] Speaker 307 outputs sound. In addition to display 306 and speaker 307, manufacturing support device 110 may also include a printer as an output device.

[0060] Furthermore, the manufacturing support processing involved in this embodiment is not limited to being performed by executing a program through the CPU 301. It can also be performed using hardware (including the circuitry) such as large-scale integrated circuits (LSI), application-specific integrated circuits (ASIC), field-programmable gate arrays (FPGA), and graphics processing units (GPU). Alternatively, manufacturing support processing can be performed through the cooperation of software and hardware.

[0061] (About GX)

[0062] In recent years, as part of environmental initiatives, restrictions on power generation related to fossil fuels (e.g., thermal power) have sometimes been required due to GX (Green Transition). Furthermore, the system of purchasing carbon emission credits is becoming increasingly widespread. In factories using manufacturing equipment 100, restrictions related to peak power are sometimes imposed as part of GX-related limitations. Under such restrictions, there is a growing trend towards adjusting resources to maximize production efficiency while maintaining product quality.

[0063] In recent years, factories as a whole have been implementing measures to reduce carbon dioxide emissions and to establish a carbon footprint (tracking the amount of greenhouse gases emitted throughout the lifecycle of a product or service, and converting the total amount into carbon dioxide). To this end, factories and other facilities are using renewable energy sources such as solar or wind power. However, there are several issues regarding the use of renewable energy. For example, the amount of electricity generated by renewable energy sources varies with climate change. Therefore, it is sometimes difficult for users to use renewable energy in accordance with production plans. Furthermore, the use of batteries has been considered, but batteries present economic burdens and issues related to capacity and degradation.

[0064] In factories and other similar settings, power consumption is sometimes subject to restrictions. For example, within a 24-hour period, or in rainy weather, the upper limit on the amount of renewable energy that can be used for the overall power consumption of a factory during the day can sometimes be limited. Thus, it is conceivable that electricity supply will be linked to climate change.

[0065] Previously, production was managed with the premise of unlimited power consumption in order to maximize production volume, yield, and product quality. Specifically, the highest priority was to manufacture high-quality products (devices) in large quantities and stably in a short period of time. Therefore, the required materials, electricity, and personnel were supplied without restriction in the required quantity. That is, a manufacturing plant 100 capable of mass-producing the highest level of quality was required.

[0066] At the operational level of manufacturing apparatus 100, all aspects are strictly managed to minimize the residual between the set production formula (set value) and the actual measured value. Therefore, the operation of manufacturing apparatus 100 is designed to maintain the desired quality and productivity while strictly adhering to a single production formula.

[0067] One method to suppress power consumption is to reduce the power consumption of equipment such as air conditioners, vacuum pumps, and heaters during production breaks when production of a single product is halted. With this method, a significant reduction in power consumption can be achieved by reducing the power consumption of equipment with stable power consumption over a specified period, such as one hour or one day. However, this method is less effective at significantly reducing instantaneous power consumption. For example, it is difficult to effectively reduce power consumption during brief periods of one or ten minutes.

[0068] Therefore, in this embodiment, an optimal manufacturing method is adjusted to keep production volume or yield within an acceptable range even at the expense of environmental impact. Specifically, in this embodiment, product quality is maintained at a certain level and optimal production is performed even under power consumption limitations related to environmental countermeasures. The functional structure of the manufacturing support device 110 according to this embodiment will be described below.

[0069] (Functional structure of manufacturing support device 110)

[0070] Figure 3B This diagram illustrates an example of the functional structure of a manufacturing support device. Figure 3B In this manufacturing support device 110, there are an acquisition unit 351, a decision unit 352, a determination unit 353, an extraction unit 354, and an output unit 355. Each unit is implemented by a CPU 301. That is, the functions of each unit are implemented by the CPU 301 executing the manufacturing support program stored in the memory 302.

[0071] The acquisition unit 351 acquires the maximum power consumption (hereinafter referred to as "consumable power") that a factory with multiple manufacturing units 100 can use. Consumable power can be determined, for example, based on the amount of carbon dioxide emitted per unit period. Consumable power can be set as the supply limit specified by the power company. Consumable power can also be set as the limit specified to achieve carbon neutrality considering the composition ratio of power generation methods or to achieve the carbon footprint target value of the final product. Alternatively, consumable power can be set as the power calculated considering the electricity purchase price.

[0072] Consumable power may include electricity from renewable energy sources (solar or wind power) in addition to electricity purchased from power companies (e.g., thermal power generation). For example, during the daytime on a sunny day, since solar power generates more electricity, it can be generated without restrictions on power consumption. On the other hand, at night, since the proportion of electricity generated by thermal power generation is higher, it can be generated within specified limits on power consumption. Furthermore, when using electricity generated by self-generated power outside the factory, such as from a megawatt-class solar power plant, consumable power includes electricity corresponding to self-transmission (power allocated to each factory). The acquisition unit 351 acquires consumable power from the upstream unit (other units that manage consumable power).

[0073] The acquisition unit 351 acquires the upper limit power consumption (hereinafter referred to as "upper limit power") that each manufacturing unit 100 in the factory can use based on the consumable power. Specifically, the acquisition unit 351 outputs the acquired consumable power to the determination unit 352. The determination unit 352 determines (calculates) the upper limit power of each manufacturing unit 100 based on the consumable power acquired from the acquisition unit 351. The determination unit 352 can determine the upper limit power by allocating the consumable power according to the number of manufacturing units 100. The determination unit 352 can also determine the upper limit power according to a ratio set by the user. The determination unit 352 outputs the determined upper limit power to the acquisition unit 351. In this way, the acquisition unit 351 can acquire the upper limit power of one manufacturing unit 100 based on the consumable power.

[0074] Furthermore, the acquisition unit 351 is not limited to acquiring the upper limit power determined by the decision unit 352. It may also enable the upper-level device to perform the functions executed by the decision unit 352, so that the acquisition unit 351 can acquire the upper limit power of each manufacturing device 100 from an external device (upper-level device).

[0075] The determining unit 353 determines operating parameters for a manufacturing apparatus 100. These operating parameters correspond to the upper limit power obtained by the acquiring unit 351. Furthermore, the operating parameters are parameters that enable the manufacture of products with a certain quality during the manufacturing process. In the following text, the term "operating parameters" will be used... Figure 4 The operating parameters are explained.

[0076] (Regarding the production formula database for manufacturing apparatus 100)

[0077] Figure 4 This is a diagram showing the production formula database of the manufacturing equipment stored in the manufacturing support device. Figure 4 The production formula database 400 shown illustrates the operation plan of the manufacturing process in manufacturing apparatus 100. The production formula database 400 is stored for each manufacturing apparatus. The production formula database 400 stores production formulas 401 (401a, 401b, 401c, ...). Furthermore, any one of the multiple production formulas is a production formula for which the quality of the product produced according to that production formula has been confirmed to be of a certain standard. Therefore, although power consumption and operating time vary depending on the production formula, the quality of the produced product will be above a certain level. The production formula database 400 is stored, for example, in memory 302, but may also be stored in an external device.

[0078] The production formula database 400 includes the following items: formula name, manufacturing process power, and operating parameters. Manufacturing process power includes the following items: power supply 1 and power supply 2. Operating parameters include the following items: process time, substrate temperature, target-substrate distance, and substrate rotation speed. By inputting information for each item, production formulas 401 (401a, 401b, 401c, ...) are stored as records.

[0079] In addition to the items mentioned above, the production formula database 400 may also include quality performance parameters (film thickness distribution, refractive index, mobility, etc.). Operating parameters can replace the items mentioned above, or may include, in addition to, the flow rate and type of the atmospheric gas. Furthermore, information within each item can be input by the user. Items used as input can be specified by the user. Besides the items mentioned above, other items can also be generated by the user.

[0080] The formula name indicates the name of the production formula 401.

[0081] Process time refers to the time (in seconds) required for a manufacturing process.

[0082] The manufacturing process power represents the sum of power supply power 1 and power supply power 2.

[0083] Power supply 1, for example, represents the power consumption (kW) of the atmospheric gas power supply 151 (Figure 2) for plasma generation in the manufacturing process.

[0084] Power 2, for example, represents the power consumption (W) of the substrate-side power supply 155 (Figure 2) in the manufacturing process.

[0085] The substrate temperature, for example, represents the temperature (°C) of substrate 124 during the manufacturing process.

[0086] The target-substrate distance, for example, represents the distance (mm) between the target 125 and the substrate 124 (substrate support 127) in the manufacturing process.

[0087] The substrate rotation speed, for example, refers to the rotation speed (rpm) of substrate 124 (substrate support 127) during the manufacturing process.

[0088] For example, production formulas 401a, 401b, and 401c show different information for each item because the manufacturing process power (items: power supply 1 and power supply 2) is different.

[0089] Specifically, production formula 401a shows the formula name as "unrestricted", power supply 1 as "18kw", power supply 2 as "400w", process time as "30s", substrate temperature as "350℃", target-substrate distance as "300mm", and substrate rotation speed as "60rpm".

[0090] Production formula 401b indicates that the manufacturing process requires lower power and a longer processing time compared to production formula 401a. Specifically, production formula 401b indicates that the formula name is "Limit A", the power supply 1 is "17 kW", the power supply 2 is "350 W", the processing time is "40 s", the substrate temperature is "325 °C", the target-substrate distance is "270 mm", and the substrate rotation speed is "60 rpm".

[0091] Production formula 401c indicates that the manufacturing process requires lower power and a longer processing time compared to production formula 401b. Specifically, production formula 401c indicates a formula name of "Limit B", power supply 1 of "15 kW", power supply 2 of "300 W", processing time of "60 s", substrate temperature of "300 °C", target-substrate distance of "270 mm", and substrate rotation speed of "60 rpm".

[0092] The extraction unit 354 extracts the production formula 401 corresponding to the upper limit power from the production formula database 400. Specifically, the extraction unit 354 determines, for example, the manufacturing process power (power 1 and power 2) that is the largest sum of power 1 and power 2 within the upper limit power. Then, the extraction unit 354 extracts the production formula 401 containing the determined manufacturing process power.

[0093] The determining unit 353 determines the operating parameters contained in the production formula 401 extracted by the extraction unit 354. The output unit 355 outputs the operating parameters determined by the determining unit 353.

[0094] The output of operating parameters can be a display output to the display 306. In this case, the manufacturing support device 110 can accept input indicating whether to change to the operating parameters displayed on the display 306. Upon receiving input indicating a change, the manufacturing support device 110 can instruct the manufacturing device 100 to change to those operating parameters. Thus, the manufacturing device 100 changes the operating parameters. Alternatively, the output of operating parameters is not limited to a display output to the display 306; it can also be set to an output to the manufacturing device 100. In this case, the manufacturing device 100 can automatically change the operating parameters.

[0095] The manufacturing support device 110 can control the timing of the application of operating parameters in the manufacturing apparatus 100. Specifically, the manufacturing support device 110 can change (apply immediately) the operating parameters at the time of output. Furthermore, the operation of the manufacturing support device 110 is not limited to the examples described above. The manufacturing support device 110 can also apply the operating parameters from the start of production of the next product. The manufacturing support device 110 can also apply the operating parameters from the start of production of the next batch.

[0096] (Manufacturing support processing performed by manufacturing support device 110 in the manufacturing process)

[0097] Figure 5 This is a flowchart illustrating an example of manufacturing support processing performed by a manufacturing support device in a manufacturing process. Figure 5 In the process, the manufacturing support device 110 determines whether the timing for changing the operating parameters has been reached (step S501).

[0098] The timing of changes to operating parameters refers to the timing at which a product's manufacturing process is completed. This timing can be a manual timing, where operators receive input indicating the change, or a timing corresponding to a timetable (automatic timing). Timing-corresponding timings are pre-set timings, such as timing after a specified time, timing upon reaching a specified moment, or timing for completing a specified number of manufacturing processes.

[0099] The manufacturing support device 110 remains in standby mode until the timing for changing the operating parameters is reached (step S501: No). When the timing for changing the operating parameters is reached (step S501: Yes), the manufacturing support device 110 acquires the available power that can be used in the factory (step S502).

[0100] Then, the manufacturing support device 110 obtains the upper limit power allocated to the manufacturing device 100 (step S503). In the case of obtaining the upper limit power from an external device, instead of the process in step S502, the manufacturing support device 110 may send an upper limit power request to the external device.

[0101] Then, the manufacturing support device 110 refers to the production formula database 400 ( Figure 4 The manufacturing support device 110 determines the manufacturing process power (power supply power 1 and power supply power 2) corresponding to the upper limit power obtained in step S503 (step S504). Specifically, the manufacturing support device 110 determines the maximum power among the manufacturing process powers below the upper limit power.

[0102] Then, the manufacturing support device 110 extracts a production recipe 401 containing the determined manufacturing process power (power supply 1 and power supply 2) from the production recipe database 400 (step S505). Next, the manufacturing support device 110 outputs the operating parameters contained in the extracted production recipe 401 (step S506) and ends the series of processes.

[0103] In addition to the above-described processing, the manufacturing support device 110 may also arbitrarily accept a designation of a manufacturing period. In this case, the manufacturing support device 110 can acquire time-series data of the upper limit power during that manufacturing period. Furthermore, in this case, the manufacturing support device 110 can determine the period of optimal upper limit power within the manufacturing period and extract the production formula 401 corresponding to the upper limit power of the determined period from the production formula database 400.

[0104] Furthermore, the manufacturing apparatus 100 can accept upper or lower limits for operating parameters (e.g., process time, substrate temperature, etc.). For example, by accepting upper or lower limits for process time, it is possible to set a process time that corresponds to the user's expectations. However, in this case, parameters are also set to ensure that the product can be manufactured with a certain quality during the manufacturing process.

[0105] (An example of power consumption)

[0106] Figure 6A as well as Figure 6B This is a graph showing the power consumption shift (power value versus usage time) as represented by the operating parameters output by the manufacturing support device. Figure 6A as well as Figure 6B In the figure, the manufacturing process power 601 (601a, 601b), the heater power 602, and the pump power 603 are shown using power shifts 600 (600a, 600b).

[0107] The heater power 602 indicates the power used to heat the heater 113a disposed in the heating chamber 113. The pump power 603 indicates the power used to operate the vacuum exhaust system 115a. The heater power 602 and the pump power 603 indicate constant power used throughout the operation of the manufacturing apparatus 100. That is, for the heater power 602 and the pump power 603, constant power used regardless of the production formula 401 is indicated.

[0108] exist Figure 6A as well as Figure 6B In the examples, manufacturing process power 601a is shown, for example, in production formula 401a (unrestricted), as the manufacturing process power (the sum of power supply power 1 and power supply power 2). Manufacturing process power 601b is shown, for example, in production formula 401b (restriction A), as the manufacturing process power (the sum of power supply power 1 and power supply power 2). Compared to manufacturing process power 601a, manufacturing process power 601b has a lower power value at the peak power and a longer power usage time.

[0109] Thus, the manufacturing support device 110 enables the manufacturing device 100 to operate based on operating parameters corresponding to the upper limit power. Consequently, when the upper limit power is low, by reducing the power value at the power peak and extending the power usage time, the quality of the product can be maintained at a certain level.

[0110] (Regarding the startup of manufacturing unit 100)

[0111] Next, the startup of the manufacturing apparatus 100 will be explained. After performing non-steady-state operations such as maintenance, the manufacturing apparatus 100 consumes a significant amount of power when started for steady-state operation. Therefore, the manufacturing support device 110 adjusts the operating parameters of the heater 113a and the vacuum exhaust system 115a, etc., according to the upper limit power. Specifically, the determination unit 353 determines the operating parameters of the manufacturing apparatus 100 at startup, corresponding to the upper limit power. In the following text, the term "operating parameters" will be used... Figure 7 The operating parameters of manufacturing unit 100 at startup are explained.

[0112] (Database on startup method of manufacturing apparatus 100)

[0113] Figure 7 This is a diagram showing the database of manufacturing device startup methods stored in the manufacturing support device. Figure 7 The startup method database 700 shown illustrates the operating methods when the manufacturing apparatus 100 is started. The startup method database 700 is configured for each manufacturing apparatus. The startup method database 700 stores startup methods 701 (701a, 701b, 701c, ...). Startup method 701 is information that establishes a correspondence between operating parameters and power consumption. The startup method database 700 is stored, for example, in memory 302, but may also be stored in an external device. The objects controlled by startup method 701 are, for example, heater 113a and vacuum exhaust system 115a.

[0114] The startup method database 700 includes the following items: limit name, startup power, and operating parameters (startup time). By inputting information from each item, startup methods 701 (701a to 701f) are stored as records.

[0115] exist Figure 7 In the text, the restriction name indicates the name of startup method 701.

[0116] Start-up power refers to the power consumption (kW) required to start up manufacturing equipment 100. The power required for startup includes, for example, the power supply for heaters, pumps, and computers.

[0117] Start-up time refers to the time (in seconds) required to start the manufacturing apparatus 100. In addition to start-up time, operating parameters may also include the "control mode" of equipment such as pumps and heaters. That is, the start-up method 701 may include the aforementioned "control mode".

[0118] For example, starting methods 701a, 701b, and 701c display different information because their starting power is different. Specifically, starting method 701a displays the limitation name as "unlimited", the starting power as "L0", and the starting time as "T0".

[0119] Startup method 701b indicates that the startup power is lower than that of startup method 701a. Specifically, startup method 701b indicates that the limitation is named "limit a", the startup power is "L1" (< L0), and the startup time is "T1" (> T0).

[0120] Startup method 701c indicates that the startup power is lower compared to startup method 701b. Specifically, startup method 701c indicates that the limit is named "limit b", the startup power is "L2" (< L1), and the startup time is "T2" (> T1).

[0121] (The manufacturing support process performed by the manufacturing support device 110 when the manufacturing device 100 is started)

[0122] Figure 8 This is a flowchart illustrating an example of the manufacturing support processes performed by the manufacturing support device when the manufacturing apparatus is started. Figure 8 In this process, the manufacturing support device 110 determines whether the start-up timing of the manufacturing device 100 has been reached (step S801). The start-up timing of the manufacturing device 100 may be, for example, a manual timing when the operator receives an input operation (power ON) related to start-up. In the case where the manufacturing device 100 is restarted automatically periodically (or according to a schedule), the start-up timing of the manufacturing device 100 may be an automatic timing for restarting.

[0123] Manufacturing support device 110 remains in standby mode until the start-up time of manufacturing device 100 is reached (step S801: No). When the start-up time of manufacturing device 100 is reached (step S801: Yes), manufacturing support device 110 acquires the available power that can be used in the factory (step S802).

[0124] Then, the manufacturing support device 110 obtains the upper limit power allocated to the manufacturing device 100 (step S803). In the case of obtaining the upper limit power from an external device, instead of the process in step S802, the manufacturing support device 110 may send an upper limit power request to the external device.

[0125] Then, the manufacturing support device 110 references the startup method database 700 ( Figure 7 The manufacturing support device 110 determines the starting power corresponding to the upper limit power obtained in step S803 (step S804). Specifically, the manufacturing support device 110 determines, for example, the maximum starting power within the upper limit power.

[0126] Then, the manufacturing support device 110 extracts a startup method 701 containing the determined startup power from the startup method database 700 (step S805). Next, the manufacturing support device 110 outputs the operating parameters contained in the extracted startup method 701 (step S806) and ends the series of processes.

[0127] As described above, the manufacturing support device 110 of this embodiment outputs operating parameters corresponding to the upper limit of power that the manufacturing device 100 can use, which enables the production of products with a certain quality during the manufacturing process. Therefore, for example, as shown in manufacturing process power 601b, power consumption can be varied for each manufacturing process. Thus, the instantaneous power in the manufacturing process can be significantly varied (reduced). Therefore, according to the manufacturing support device 110 of this embodiment, even under power consumption limitations related to environmental countermeasures, product quality can be maintained and optimal production can be performed.

[0128] Furthermore, given the constantly changing power consumption constraints (time-varying factors), the manufacturing process can be executed by setting the optimal operating parameters (manufacturing process operating parameters) in real time. Thus, in this embodiment, by changing the operating parameters for each product, the maximum value of the plasma generation power (a relatively large power) that is intermittently repeated for each product can be limited. Moreover, depending on the circumstances, the production volume per unit period may decrease, but a certain quality of products can be manufactured while allowing for this.

[0129] Furthermore, the manufacturing support device 110 involved in this embodiment obtains information from the production formula database 400 ( Figure 4 ) or startup method database 700 ( Figure 7 The system extracts the production formula 401 or startup method 701 (operation method) corresponding to the upper limit power, and determines the operating parameters contained in the extracted production formula 401 or startup method 701. Thus, the optimal operating parameters can be output from the pre-set production formula 401 or startup method 701.

[0130] Furthermore, the manufacturing support device 110 according to this embodiment determines and outputs operating parameters corresponding to the upper limit power when the manufacturing device 100 is started. Therefore, the power consumption can be changed each time the manufacturing device 100 is started. Thus, the instantaneous power consumption associated with the start-up of the manufacturing device 100 can be significantly reduced.

[0131] Furthermore, the manufacturing support device 110 according to this embodiment acquires the available power of a factory having multiple manufacturing devices 100, and acquires the upper limit power of each manufacturing device based on the available power. Thus, it is possible to acquire the upper limit power corresponding to the constantly changing available power, and output optimal operating parameters corresponding to the upper limit power when the manufacturing process or manufacturing device 100 is started.

[0132] (Variation example)

[0133] Next, variations of the embodiments will be described. Furthermore, in the following variations, the same reference numerals will be used to denote the contents already described in the embodiments, and descriptions will be omitted where appropriate.

[0134] (Variation Example 1)

[0135] In the above embodiments, the production formula database 400 ( Figure 4 An example of outputting production formula 401 is illustrated. In a variation, an example of using machine learning to predict production formula 401 is illustrated.

[0136] For example, as an example of machine learning, in the case of using Bayesian optimization, the manufacturing support device 110 learns in advance the relationship between multiple operating parameters that satisfy the upper limit power and multiple sampling results to predict the operating result of the manufacturing device 100 based on these operating parameters, i.e., the quality performance. The manufacturing support device 110 calculates the acquisition function of the corresponding operating parameters based on the predicted quality performance. By repeatedly performing this calculation, the manufacturing support device 110 can output the operating parameters that maximize quality.

[0137] Alternatively, instead of Bayesian optimization, the manufacturing support device 110 can, for example, predict the production formula 401 using a combination of a learned neural network that predicts quality performance and a mathematical optimization algorithm. First, the neural network learns from a training dataset consisting of a combination of operating parameters as input samples and quality performance as output samples to predict quality performance based on the operating parameters. The manufacturing support device 110 accepts an input of an upper limit power consumption, generates candidate operating parameters that satisfy this upper limit, and obtains a prediction result of quality performance by inputting each candidate into the neural network. The manufacturing support device 110 then performs mathematical optimization calculations based on both the candidate generation and the obtained prediction results to determine the operating parameters that maximize quality.

[0138] For example, as an example of machine learning, in the case of using reinforcement learning, the manufacturing support device 110 can use a reinforcement learning model to output operating parameters. This reinforcement learning model calculates the operating parameters when an upper limit power is assigned as the environment, using the product quality obtained through simulation results of the manufacturing device's operation as a reward. The reward and the environment can also be other configurations.

[0139] As described above, the manufacturing support device 110 of Modification 1 uses machine learning to determine operating parameters. Therefore, for example, as shown in manufacturing process power 601b, power consumption can be varied for each manufacturing process. Consequently, instantaneous power consumption in the manufacturing process can be significantly reduced. Therefore, according to the manufacturing support device 110 of Modification 1, product quality can be maintained and optimal production can be performed even under power consumption constraints related to environmental countermeasures.

[0140] (Variation Example 2)

[0141] Next, Modification 2 will be described. In the above embodiment, power control in the manufacturing process of one manufacturing apparatus 100 was described. In Modification 2, power control among multiple manufacturing apparatuses 100 will be described. Specifically, in Modification 2, the manufacturing support device 110 is controlled to ensure that the power peaks in the manufacturing process do not overlap among the multiple manufacturing apparatuses 100. The functional structure of the manufacturing support device 110 involved in Modification 2 will be supplemented below.

[0142] In variation 2, the decision part 352 ( Figure 3B The timing of the manufacturing process is determined so that the power peak values ​​among at least a portion of the multiple manufacturing apparatuses 100 are different. For example, the determination unit 352 determines the timing of each manufacturing process so that the power peak values ​​in each manufacturing apparatus 100 do not overlap.

[0143] For example, during the operation of manufacturing apparatus 100, it is possible to consider situations where there are power-consuming stages and power-free stages, or multiple stages with different power consumption levels. In such cases, the operating timing associated with the combination of several manufacturing apparatuses 100 can be determined so that the stages are staggered. As a result, compared to operating all manufacturing apparatuses 100 simultaneously, the upper limit power of each apparatus can be increased.

[0144] The acquisition unit 351 acquires (calculates) the upper limit power of each manufacturing apparatus 100 based on the timing determined by the decision unit 352. Specifically, the acquisition unit 351 acquires (calculates) the upper limit power of each manufacturing apparatus 100 at each timing. For example, the acquisition unit 351 acquires time series data of the upper limit power for each manufacturing apparatus 100. The time series data of the upper limit power refers, for example, information showing the relationship between the upper limit power and elapsed time (e.g., time of day) (e.g., information about the operating schedule).

[0145] The determining unit 353 determines the operating parameters based on the upper limit power of the manufacturing apparatus 100 during the manufacturing process in the time series data. Specifically, the extraction unit 354 extracts the production formula 401 corresponding to the upper limit power of each manufacturing apparatus 100 during the manufacturing process from the production formula database 400 of each manufacturing apparatus 100. The determining unit 353 determines the operating parameters contained in the production formula 401 extracted by the extraction unit 354. Thus, the determining unit 353 determines the operating parameters.

[0146] In addition, the output unit 355 outputs the operating parameters determined by the determination unit 353 and the timing determined by the decision unit 352 for each manufacturing process. The output of these operating parameters and timing is, for example, displayed on the display 306.

[0147] (The manufacturing support process performed by the manufacturing support device 110 in the manufacturing process in the modified example 2)

[0148] Figure 9 This is a flowchart illustrating an example of the manufacturing support processing performed by the manufacturing support device involved in Modification 2 during the manufacturing process. Figure 9 In the process, the manufacturing support device 110 determines whether the timing for changing the operating parameters has been reached (step S1101).

[0149] The manufacturing support device 110 remains in standby mode until the timing for changing the operating parameters is reached (step S1101: No). When the timing for changing the operating parameters is reached (step S1101: Yes), the manufacturing support device 110 acquires the available power that can be used in the factory (step S1102).

[0150] Then, the manufacturing support device 110 determines the timing of each manufacturing process for each manufacturing device 100 so that the peak power consumption is different (step S1103). Next, the manufacturing support device 110 obtains the upper limit power of each manufacturing device at the determined timing (step S1104). Then, the manufacturing support device 110 obtains time series data of the upper limit power for each manufacturing device 100 (step S1105).

[0151] Next, the manufacturing support device 110 extracts a production recipe 401 from the production recipe database 400 of each manufacturing device 100, which corresponds to the upper limit power when each manufacturing device 100 performs the manufacturing process (step S1106). Then, the manufacturing support device 110 outputs the operating parameters contained in the extracted production recipe 401 and the timing determined in step S1103 (step S1017), and ends a series of processes.

[0152] (An example of power consumption involved in Variation 2)

[0153] Figure 10A as well as Figure 10B This is a graph showing the power consumption shift (power value versus usage time) as indicated by the operating parameters output by the manufacturing support device involved in Modification 2. Figure 10A as well as Figure 10B In this process, the power shift 1200 includes manufacturing process power 1201 (1201a, 1201b, 1201c).

[0154] exist Figure 10A In the examples, manufacturing process powers 1201a and 1201b represent, for instance, the manufacturing process powers (the sum of power supply 1 and power supply 2) in production formula 401a (unrestricted). Manufacturing process power 1201a represents the power value of one manufacturing apparatus 100. Manufacturing process power 1201b represents the power value of another manufacturing apparatus 100, different from the first. The peak values ​​of manufacturing process power 1201b are staggered relative to manufacturing process power 1201a.

[0155] exist Figure 10B In the example shown in production formula 401b, manufacturing process power 1201c is the manufacturing process power (the sum of power supply power 1 and power supply power 2) in limit A. The peak values ​​of manufacturing process power 1201c are staggered with those of manufacturing process power 1201a. Furthermore, compared with manufacturing process power 1201a, the peak power value of manufacturing process power 1201c is lower and the power usage time is longer.

[0156] In this way, the manufacturing support device 110 can prevent power peaks from overlapping in the manufacturing processes of each manufacturing device 100. For example, in the presence of two manufacturing devices 100 with lower power consumption (low-power devices) and one manufacturing device 100 with higher power consumption (high-power device), the two low-power devices can be operated simultaneously, followed by the operation of the high-power device. This prevents the power peaks between the two low-power devices and the high-power device from overlapping. Furthermore, when the upper limit power is low, by reducing the power value at the power peak and extending the power usage time, the product quality can be maintained at a certain level.

[0157] The manufacturing support device 110 involved in Modification 2 determines the timing of the manufacturing process so that the peak power consumption of at least some of the manufacturing devices 100 is different, and obtains the upper limit power of each manufacturing device 100 at the determined timing. Therefore, optimal operating parameters can be determined based on the upper limit power at each timing. Thus, the instantaneous power consumption in each manufacturing process can be significantly reduced.

[0158] Furthermore, in Modification 2, the manufacturing support device 110 determines its operating parameters based on the upper limit power during the manufacturing process, as shown in the time series data of the upper limit power. Therefore, each manufacturing device 100 can operate with optimal operating parameters within the upper limit power range corresponding to the time series data.

[0159] Furthermore, when multiple manufacturing devices 100 are started, the control shown in Modified Example 2 can also be executed. Specifically, the manufacturing support device 110 determines the timing of startup so that the power consumption peaks among at least some of the multiple manufacturing devices 100 are different. For example, the determination unit 352 determines the startup timing of each manufacturing device 100 separately so that the power peaks of each manufacturing device 100 do not overlap.

[0160] The acquisition unit 351 acquires the upper limit power of each manufacturing device 100 based on the timing determined by the determination unit 352. Then, the determination unit 353 determines the operating parameters based on the upper limit power acquired by the acquisition unit 351. As a result, it is possible to suppress the overlap of power peaks among the multiple manufacturing devices 100 at startup.

[0161] Furthermore, as illustrated in Modification 2, various optimization algorithms can be used to prevent the power peaks of multiple manufacturing devices 100 from overlapping.

[0162] Furthermore, in Modification 2, power control among multiple manufacturing apparatuses 100 was described. Not limited to the above modifications, the power among multiple devices (e.g., the first film-forming chamber 120a and the second film-forming chamber 120b) of a manufacturing apparatus 100 can also be controlled in the same way. Specifically, the manufacturing support device 110 can also be controlled so that the power peaks of the manufacturing processes in the multiple devices (the first film-forming chamber 120a and the second film-forming chamber 120b) do not overlap.

[0163] Alternatively, the program used to implement the manufacturing support system 1 and manufacturing support device 110 described above can be recorded on a computer-readable recording medium, allowing the computer system to read and execute the program. Furthermore, the term "computer system" here includes hardware such as the operating system and peripheral devices. "Computer-readable recording medium" refers to portable media such as floppy disks, optical disks, ROMs, and CD-ROMs, and storage devices such as hard disks built into the computer system. Moreover, "computer-readable recording medium" also includes media that retain programs for a certain period of time, such as volatile memory (RAM) within a computer system that acts as a server or client when transmitting programs via a network such as the Internet or a communication line such as a telephone line. Additionally, the program can be transmitted from the computer system storing the program in a storage device, etc., via a transmission medium or through transmission waves in the transmission medium to other computer systems. Here, "transmission medium" for transmitting the program refers to a medium with the function of transmitting information, such as a network (communication network) such as the Internet or a communication line (communication line) such as a telephone line. Furthermore, the program described above can be a program used to implement some of the aforementioned functions. Furthermore, it can also be a program that can achieve the aforementioned functions by combining with programs already recorded in the computer system, namely a differential file (differential program).

[0164] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures

[0165] 1…Manufacturing support system, 100…Manufacturing apparatus, 110…Manufacturing support apparatus, 113a…Heater, 115a…Vacuum exhaust system, 151…Atmosphere gas power supply, 155…Substrate-side power supply, 301…CPU, 302…Memory, 306…Display, 351…Acquisition unit, 352…Decision unit, 353…Determination unit, 354…Extraction unit, 355…Output unit, 400…Production formula database, 401…Production formula, 600…Power usage shift, 601…Manufacturing process power, 700…Startup method database, 701…Startup method, 1200…Power usage shift, 1201…Manufacturing process power

Claims

1. A manufacturing support device, comprising: The acquisition unit acquires the upper limit of power consumption that can be used by the manufacturing equipment that manufactures products using a vacuum manufacturing process. The determining unit determines operating parameters corresponding to the upper limit power consumption acquired by the acquiring unit, the operating parameters enabling the product to be manufactured with a certain quality in the manufacturing process; and The output unit outputs the operating parameters determined by the determining unit.

2. The manufacturing support apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, The extraction unit extracts the operating method corresponding to the upper limit power consumption from the storage unit that stores the operating method that establishes a correspondence between the operating parameters and power consumption. The determining unit determines the operating parameters included in the operating method extracted by the extraction unit.

3. The manufacturing support apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, The determining unit predicts quality performance based on the operating parameters by learning from sample data related to past manufacturing processes, and determines the operating parameters that are below the upper limit power consumption and meet the certain quality requirements based on the prediction results.

4. The manufacturing support device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein, The determining unit determines the operating parameters corresponding to the upper limit power consumption when the manufacturing device is started.

5. The manufacturing support device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein, The acquisition unit acquires the maximum power consumption that a factory with multiple manufacturing units can use, and based on the maximum power consumption, acquires the upper limit power consumption that each manufacturing unit in the factory can use.

6. The manufacturing support apparatus according to claim 5, wherein, have: The decision-making unit determines the timing of the manufacturing process so that the peak power consumption of at least some of the plurality of manufacturing devices is different; The acquisition unit acquires the upper limit power consumption that each manufacturing unit in the factory can use based on the timing determined by the decision unit.

7. The manufacturing support apparatus according to claim 6, wherein, The output unit outputs the timing determined by the decision unit.

8. The manufacturing support device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein, The acquisition unit acquires the time-series data of the upper limit power consumption; The determining unit determines the operating parameters based on the upper limit power consumption during the manufacturing process as seen in the time series data.

9. A manufacturing support method, wherein a manufacturing support device performs a process, the process comprising: The acquisition process is to acquire the upper limit of power consumption that the manufacturing equipment can use to manufacture products through a vacuum manufacturing process. The process is determined, and operating parameters corresponding to the upper limit power consumption obtained in the acquisition process are determined, the operating parameters enabling the product to be manufactured with a certain quality in the manufacturing process; as well as The output process outputs the operating parameters determined in the defined process.

10. A program that enables a computer for manufacturing support devices to function as the following components: The acquisition unit acquires the upper limit of power consumption that can be used by the manufacturing equipment that manufactures products using a vacuum manufacturing process. The determining unit determines operating parameters corresponding to the upper limit power consumption acquired by the acquiring unit, the operating parameters enabling the product to be manufactured with a certain quality in the manufacturing process; The output unit outputs the operating parameters determined by the determining unit.

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