Grip-based transport speed for transporting objects in manufacturing systems

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided for a grip-based transfer speed for an object transferred in a manufacturing system. A controller may detect an object disposed on an end effector of a robotic arm. The controller may apply reduced pressure to secure the object to the end effector via a reduced pressure grip pad. The controller may obtain reduced pressure measurements indicative of an amount of reduced pressure between the object and the end effector and may determine whether the obtained reduced pressure measurements meet a reduced pressure criterion. The controller may determine a transfer speed setting for transferring the object using the robotic arm based on whether the obtained reduced pressure measurements meet a reduced pressure criterion. The controller causes the robotic arm to move the object in accordance with the transfer speed setting.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] Embodiments of the present disclosure relate generally to manufacturing systems and, more particularly, to grip-based transfer velocities for transferring objects in manufacturing systems. [Background technology]

[0002]

[0002] One or more robots in a manufacturing system can transport objects (e.g., substrates, process kits, etc.) between stations (e.g., process chambers, transfer chambers, load locks, factory interfaces, etc.) of the manufacturing system. For example, a substrate can be placed on an end effector of a robot arm of the robot. The robot can transport the substrate between one or more stations of the manufacturing system via the robot arm. In some systems, the substrate can be secured to the end effector via a reduced pressure supplied to a space between the substrate and the end effector. The reduced pressure can be provided through one or more vacuum grip pads of the end effector that are connected to a reduced pressure source (e.g., a vacuum pump) via one or more vacuum lines (e.g., supplied via the robot arm of the robot). In some cases, the reduced pressure grip pads, the vacuum lines, and / or the reduced pressure source for the end effector are defective or otherwise unable to provide reduced pressure to the space between the substrate and the end effector. In other or similar cases, the object (e.g., substrate) can be warped or otherwise deformed. Thereby, the object does not interact with the vacuum grip pads of the end effector, and therefore the object may not be properly secured to the end effector and may fall or otherwise become dislodged from the end effector during transport of the substrate within the manufacturing system, and the object and / or other equipment of the manufacturing system may be damaged. Summary of the Invention

[0003]

[0003] Some described embodiments cover a manufacturing system including a robot arm. The robot arm includes an end effector and is configured to transport an object within the manufacturing system. The system may also include a controller operably coupled to the robot arm. The controller detects the presence of an object disposed on the end effector of the robot arm. The controller further applies a reduced pressure to a space between the object and the end effector via one or more reduced pressure grip pads of the end effector. The reduced pressure is applied to secure the object to the end effector. The controller further obtains reduced pressure measurements indicative of an amount of reduced pressure between the object and the end effector via one or more pressure sensors of the robot arm. The controller further determines whether the obtained reduced pressure measurements meet a reduced pressure criterion. The controller further determines a transport speed setting for transporting the object using the robot arm based on whether the obtained reduced pressure measurements meet a reduced pressure criterion. The controller further causes the robot arm to move the object according to the transport speed setting.

[0004] In some embodiments, a method includes detecting a presence of an object disposed on an end effector of a robot arm. The method further includes applying reduced pressure to a space between the object and the end effector via one or more grip pads of the end effector. The reduced pressure is applied to secure the object to the end effector. The method further includes obtaining reduced pressure measurements by one or more pressure sensors of the robot arm, the reduced pressure measurements indicative of an amount of reduced pressure between the object and the end effector. The method further includes determining whether the obtained reduced pressure measurements satisfy a reduced pressure criterion. The method further includes determining a transport speed setting for transporting the object using the robot arm based on whether the obtained reduced pressure measurements satisfy a reduced pressure criterion. The method further includes causing the robot arm to move the object according to the transport speed setting.

[0005] In some embodiments, a robotic arm for a manufacturing system includes an end effector. The end effector includes one or more reduced pressure pads configured to apply a reduced pressure to a space between the reduced pressure grip pads and an object to secure the object to the end effector. The end effector further includes a detector for detecting a presence of the object on the end effector. The detector may include an optical sensor and / or a capacitive sensor. The end effector may further include a pressure sensor for measuring a pressure in a space between the one or more reduced pressure grip pads and a substrate. The robotic arm may be configured to move according to a first motion profile in response to the pressure in the space between the reduced pressure grip pads and the substrate satisfying a pressure criterion and to move according to a second motion profile in response to the pressure in the space between the reduced pressure grip pads and the object failing to satisfy the pressure criterion.

[0006]

[0006] The present disclosure is presented by way of example, and not by way of limitation, in the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals indicate similar elements. It should be noted that different references to "an" or "one" embodiment in the present disclosure are not necessarily to the same embodiment, and such references mean at least one. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0007] [Figure 1]

[0007] FIG. 1 is a top view schematic diagram of an exemplary manufacturing system according to several aspects of the present disclosure. [Diagram 2]

[0008] 1 illustrates an exemplary end effector according to aspects of the present disclosure. [Diagram 3]

[0009] 1 is a flowchart of a method for transferring an object in a manufacturing system via an end effector of a robotic arm, according to aspects of the present disclosure. [Figure 4]

[0010] 1 is a flowchart of another method for transferring an object in a manufacturing system via an end effector of a robotic arm, in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure. [Diagram 5]

[0011] 1 shows a diagrammatic representation of a machine, taking the example form of a computing device, within which a set of instructions for causing the machine to perform any one or more of the methods described herein may be executed. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0008]

[0012] Several embodiments of the present disclosure relate to methods and systems for grip-based transfer velocity for transporting objects in a manufacturing system. The manufacturing system may include one or more robots configured to transport objects (e.g., substrates, process kits, diagnostic wafers, cover wafers, etc.) throughout the manufacturing system. For example, a transfer chamber robot may be configured to transport objects between process chambers, transfer chambers, load locks, etc. In another example, a factory interface robot may be configured to transport substrates between substrate carriers, factory interfaces, load locks, etc. The robot of the manufacturing system may include a robot arm that may include one or more end effectors. An object may be placed (or otherwise positioned) on the end effector. The robot may move a substrate through one or more portions of the manufacturing system via the end effector. For example, a processing device associated with the robot (e.g., a system controller for the manufacturing system) may cause the robot arm to move the end effector and substrate from a first position relative to a first station of the manufacturing system to a second position relative to a second station of the manufacturing system (e.g., according to a process recipe, etc.).

[0009]

[0013] The end effector may include one or more vacuum grip pads. The one or more vacuum grip pads may be configured to apply a reduced pressure to a space between the substrate and the end effector. The vacuum grip pads may be connected to a reduced pressure source (e.g., a vacuum pump) via one or more vacuum supply lines (e.g., supplied via a robotic arm of the robot). The reduced pressure source may generate a reduced pressure (e.g., in response to a command or signal from a system controller), which may be provided to the reduced pressure grip pad via the reduced pressure supply line. The reduced pressure grip pads may be configured to provide a reduced pressure to a space between the object and the end effector. When a reduced pressure is applied to the space between the object and the end effector, a reduced pressure force may be applied to the object and the substrate may be secured to the end effector.

[0010]

[0014] In some cases, one or more of the reduced pressure grip pads, one or more of the reduced pressure lines, and / or the reduced pressure source of the end effector may be defective or otherwise damaged. In other or similar cases, an object (e.g., a substrate) may warp or otherwise deform, such that the object does not interact with the reduced pressure grip pads of the end effector. Thus, the reduced pressure grip pads may not provide a sufficient amount of reduced pressure in the space between the object and the end effector to properly secure the object to the end effector during transfer. In one exemplary embodiment, an end effector may include multiple reduced pressure pads. One of the multiple reduced pressure pads may be defective. In such an embodiment, while the other(s) reduced pressure grip pads may secure a portion of the substrate to the end effector, the defective grip pad would not be able to secure another portion of the substrate to the end effector. Thus, during transfer of the substrate within the manufacturing system, the unsecured portion of the substrate may disengage from the defective reduced pressure grip pad and the secured portion of the substrate may rotate about an axis relative to the non-defective reduced pressure grip pad. Such rotation may cause damage to the substrate, the end effector, and / or other equipment of the manufacturing system. In another exemplary embodiment, the vacuum line(s) and / or the vacuum source may fail or otherwise fail to provide adequate vacuum to the vacuum grip pad. Thus, no portion of the substrate may be secured to the end effector and the substrate may fall off the end effector during transport through the manufacturing system. When the substrate falls off the end effector, damage may result to the substrate, the end effector, and / or other equipment of the manufacturing system. A significant number of objects may become unsecured from the end effector and potentially be damaged. The throughput of the entire manufacturing system may be significantly reduced. Furthermore, significant time and resources may be required to repair the end effector and / or other equipment of the manufacturing system. This may further reduce the throughput and efficiency of the entire manufacturing system and increase wait times throughout the manufacturing system.

[0011]

[0015] Several embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to a grip-based transfer speed for transferring an object in a manufacturing system. An object (e.g., a substrate, a process kit, etc.) may be placed (or otherwise disposed) on an end effector of a robot arm for a robot in the manufacturing system. The end effector may include one or more reduced pressure grip pads and, in some embodiments, a presence sensor. The reduced pressure grip pads may be configured to provide reduced pressure between a space between the substrate and the end effector to secure the substrate to the end effector. The presence sensor may be configured to detect the presence of the substrate on the end effector. The reduced pressure grip pads may be connected to a reduced pressure source (e.g., a reduced pressure pump) via one or more reduced pressure lines (also referred to herein as reduced pressure lines). The reduced pressure lines and / or the reduced pressure grip pads may be connected to one or more pressure sensors. The one or more pressure sensors may be configured to measure an amount of reduced pressure provided by the reduced pressure source to the one or more reduced pressure grip pads. The amount of reduced pressure provided by the reduced pressure source may correspond, in some embodiments, to an amount of reduced pressure provided by the reduced pressure grip pads to a space between the object and the end effector.

[0012]

[0016] A controller for the manufacturing system (referred to herein as a system controller) can detect the presence of a substrate placed on the end effector. In some embodiments, the system controller can detect the presence of the substrate based on readings from a presence sensor. The system controller can send a signal to the reduced pressure source to cause the reduced pressure source to generate a reduced pressure. The reduced pressure grip pad can receive reduced pressure from the reduced pressure source via a reduced pressure line and provide reduced pressure to a space between the end effector and the substrate. In some embodiments, one or more pressure sensors on the robot arm can generate one or more measurements indicative of an amount of reduced pressure provided between the substrate and the end effector. The system controller can receive the generated measurement(s) and determine whether the measurement(s) meet a reduced pressure criterion. For example, the criterion can correspond to a threshold reduced pressure. The system controller can determine whether the measured reduced pressure meets or exceeds the threshold reduced pressure to determine whether the measurement(s) meet the criterion.

[0013]

[0017] In response to determining that the measured reduced pressure does not meet the criterion, the system controller may cause the robot arm to move the substrate within the manufacturing system via the end effector according to a first transport speed. The first transport speed may be sufficiently slow, whereby the substrate is secured to the end effector based on frictional forces between the substrate and one or more reduced pressure grip pads. In response to determining that the measured reduced pressure meets the criterion, the system controller may cause the robot arm to move the substrate within the manufacturing system according to a second transport speed that is faster than the first transport speed. The second transport speed may be a default transport speed associated with the manufacturing system.

[0014]

[0018] The embodiments of the present disclosure address the above-mentioned shortcomings by providing a technique for grip-based transfer speeds for transporting objects in a manufacturing system. When a substrate is placed on the end effector, a system controller may determine whether sufficient reduced pressure is provided to the space between the substrate and the end effector to properly secure the substrate to the end effector (i.e., whether adequate reduced pressure grips are applied to the object to prevent the object from moving so that it does not fall or rotate during transport by the robot arm). By determining whether the reduced pressure is sufficient, the system controller may identify an appropriate transfer speed for the robot arm to transport the substrate within the manufacturing system without the substrate moving or rotating on the end effector and / or falling off the end effector. Thus, fewer substrates may become unsecured during transport throughout the manufacturing system. Thus, fewer substrates may be damaged during transport. And / or the frequency with which the end effector and / or other equipment of the manufacturing system may be damaged due to unsecured substrates may be reduced. As the number of damaged substrates and / or equipment in the manufacturing system is reduced, the throughput and efficiency of the entire manufacturing system is increased and wait times for the entire manufacturing system are reduced.

[0015]

[0019] 1 is a top schematic view of an exemplary manufacturing system according to aspects of the present disclosure. The manufacturing system 100 may perform one or more processes on a substrate 102. The substrate 102 may be any suitable rigid, dimensionally consistent, planar article suitable for fabricating electronic devices or circuit components thereon (e.g., silicon-containing disks or wafers, patterned wafers, glass plates, cover wafers, etc.). In some embodiments, the substrate 102 may be a silicon-based substrate, a glass substrate, a glass-bonded substrate, a substrate including a reticle (e.g., lithography), etc. In further or alternative embodiments, the substrate 102 may be a bowed or warped substrate.

[0016]

[0020] The manufacturing system 100 may include a process tool 104 and a factory interface 106 coupled to the process tool 104. The process tool 104 may include a housing 108 having a transfer chamber 110 therein. The transfer chamber 110 may include one or more process chambers (also referred to as processing chambers) 114, 116, 118 disposed around and coupled to the transfer chamber 110. The process chambers 114, 116, 118 may be coupled to the transfer chamber 110 via respective ports, such as slit valves.

[0017]

[0021] The process chambers 114, 116, 118 may be adapted to perform any number of processes on the substrate 102. The same or different substrate processes may be performed in each process chamber 114, 116, 118. The substrate processes may include atomic layer deposition (ALD), physical vapor deposition (PVD), chemical vapor deposition (CVD), etching, annealing, curing, pre-cleaning, metal or metal oxide removal, and the like. In one embodiment, a PVD process may be performed in one or both process chambers 114, an etching process may be performed in one or both process chambers 116, and an annealing process may be performed in one or both process chambers 118. Other processes may also be performed on the substrate 102 in the process chambers. The process chambers 114, 116, 118 may each include a substrate support assembly. The substrate support assembly may be configured to hold the substrate 102 in place while a substrate process is being performed.

[0018]

[0022] As described above, an etching process may be performed in one or more processing chambers 114, 116, 118. Accordingly, some of the process chambers 114, 116, 118 (e.g., etch chambers) may include a process kit (also referred to as an edge ring or process kit ring) that is positioned on a surface of the substrate support assembly. In some embodiments, the process kits may be replaced from time to time. While replacing a process kit in conventional systems involves disassembly of the process chambers 114, 116, 118 by an operator to replace the process kit, the manufacturing system 100 may be configured to facilitate replacing a process kit without disassembly of the process chambers 114, 116, 118 by an operator.

[0019]

[0023] In some embodiments, the process chambers 114, 116, 118 may include a carousel (also referred to as a susceptor). The carousel may be disposed within the interior space of the process chambers 114, 116, 118 and may be configured to rotate about an axial center of the process chambers 114, 116, 118 during a process (e.g., a deposition process) to ensure that process gases are evenly distributed. In some embodiments, one or more components of the carousel may be configured to handle one or more objects. For example, the carousel may include an end effector or other type of component configured to hold a substrate, a process kit, and / or a process kit carrier. One or more sensors may be disposed in the process chambers 114, 116, 118 and may be configured to detect the placement of an object on the carousel. In some embodiments, the carousel may include one or more vacuum grip pads connected to a vacuum source (e.g., a vacuum pump) via one or more vacuum lines according to embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0020]

[0024] The transfer chamber 110 may also include a transfer chamber robot 112. The transfer chamber robot 112 may include one or more arms, where each arm includes one or more end effectors at the end of each arm. The end effectors may be configured to handle a particular object, such as a substrate. Alternatively or additionally, the end effectors may be configured to handle a process kit (e.g., using a process kit carrier). In some embodiments, the transfer chamber robot 112 may be a selective compliance assembly robot arm (SCARA) robot, such as a two-link SCARA robot, a three-link SCARA robot, a four-link SCARA robot, or the like.

[0021]

[0025] A load lock 120 may also be coupled to the housing 108 and the transfer chamber 110. The load lock 120 may be configured to interact with and be coupled to the transfer chamber 110 on one side and the factory interface 106 on the other side. The load lock 120 may have an environmentally controlled atmosphere that may vary from a reduced pressure environment (where substrates may be transferred to and from the transfer chamber 110) to an inert gas environment at or near atmospheric pressure (where substrates may be transferred to and from the factory interface 106). In some embodiments, the load lock 120 may be a stacked load lock having a pair of upper and lower internal chambers positioned at different vertical heights (e.g., one above the other). In some embodiments, the pair of upper internal chambers may be configured to receive processed substrates from the transfer chamber 110 for removal from the process tool 104. Meanwhile, the pair of lower internal chambers may be configured to receive substrates from the factory interface 106 for processing within the process tool 104. In some embodiments, the load lock 120 may be configured to perform a substrate process (eg, an etch or a pre-clean) on one or more substrates 102 received therein.

[0022]

[0026] The factory interface 106 may be any suitable enclosure (e.g., a front-end equipment module (EFEM), etc.). The factory interface 106 may be configured to receive substrates 102 from substrate carriers 122 (e.g., Front Opening Unified Pods (Fops)) docked to various load ports 124 of the factory interface 106. A factory interface robot 126 (shown in phantom) may be configured to transfer substrates 102 between the substrate carriers (also called containers) 122 and the load locks 120. In other and / or similar embodiments, the factory interface 106 may be configured to receive replacement parts (e.g., process kits) from a replacement parts storage container 123. The factory interface robot 126 may include one or more robot arms and may be or include a SCARA robot. In some embodiments, the factory interface robot 126 may have more links and / or degrees of freedom than the transfer chamber robot 112. The factory interface robot 126 may include an end effector on the end of each robot arm. The end effector may be configured to pick up and handle a particular object, such as a substrate or a process kit. Alternatively or additionally, the end effector may be configured to handle an object, such as a process kit (e.g., using a process kit carrier).

[0023]

[0027] Any conventional robot type may be used for the factory interface robot 126. Transfers may be performed in any order or in any direction. In some embodiments, the factory interface 106 may be maintained in a non-reactive gas environment, for example, at a slight positive pressure (e.g., using nitrogen as the non-reactive gas).

[0024]

[0028] As indicated above, the transfer chamber robot 112 and / or the factory interface robot 126 may each include one or more robot arms. The one or more robot arms each include one or more end effectors at the end of each arm. In some embodiments, each end effector of a robot arm may include one or more reduced pressure grip pads. The one or more reduced pressure grip pads may be configured to provide reduced pressure from a reduced pressure source (e.g., a reduced pressure pump) via one or more reduced pressure supply lines. The reduced pressure grip pads may provide reduced pressure to secure an object (e.g., a substrate, a process kit, etc.) to the end effector (e.g., during transport of the object within the system 100). The one or more reduced pressure supply lines may be connected to one or more sensors (e.g., reduced pressure sensors, etc.). The one or more sensors may be configured in some embodiments to detect the amount of reduced pressure provided from the reduced pressure source to the reduced pressure grip pads. In further or alternative embodiments, each end effector may include a presence sensor. The presence sensor is configured to detect the presence of a substrate or other object placed on the end effector. Further details regarding the end effector of system 100 are provided with respect to FIG.

[0025]

[0029] In some embodiments, the transfer chamber 110, the process chambers 114, 116, and 118, and the load lock 120 may be maintained at a reduced pressure level. The manufacturing system 100 may include one or more reduced pressure ports coupled to one or more stations of the manufacturing system 100. For example, a first reduced pressure port 130a may couple the factory interface 106 to the load lock 120. A second reduced pressure port 130b may be coupled to the load lock 120 and may be disposed between the load lock 120 and the transfer chamber 110.

[0026]

[0030] The manufacturing system 100 may also include a system controller 128. The system controller 128 may be and / or include a computing device, such as a personal computer, a server computer, a programmable logic controller (PLC), a microcontroller, etc. The system controller 128 may include one or more processing devices, which may be a general-purpose processing device, such as a microprocessor or a central processing unit. More specifically, the processing device may be a complex instruction set computing (CISC) microprocessor, a reduced instruction set computing (RISC) microprocessor, a very long instruction word (VLIW) microprocessor, or a processor implementing other instruction sets or a processor implementing a combination of instruction sets. The processing device may also be one or more special-purpose processing devices, such as an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field programmable gate array (FPGA), a digital signal processor (DSP), a network processor, etc. The system controller 128 may include a data storage device (e.g., one or more disk drives and / or solid state drives), a main memory, a static memory, a network interface, and / or other components. The system controller 128 may execute instructions to perform any one or more of the methods and / or embodiments described herein. The instructions may be stored (during execution of the instructions) in a computer-readable storage medium, which may include main memory, static memory, secondary storage, and / or a processing device.

[0027]

[0031] In some embodiments, the system controller may include or be connected (e.g., via a network) to a data store 130. The data store 130 may be a memory (e.g., random access memory), a drive (e.g., a hard drive or a flash drive), a database system, or another type of component or device capable of storing data. The data store 130 may include multiple storage components (e.g., multiple drives or multiple databases) that may span multiple computing devices (e.g., multiple server computers). The data store 130 may store data associated with processing of substrates in the manufacturing system 100 according to embodiments described herein.

[0028]

[0032] In one embodiment, the system controller 128 may execute instructions to cause an end effector of a robot arm (e.g., of the transfer chamber robot 112) to move an object (i.e., the substrate 102 and / or a process kit) from a first station (e.g., the load lock 120) of the manufacturing system 100 to a second station (e.g., the process chambers 114, 116, 118) of the manufacturing system 100. In some embodiments, the system controller 128 may detect that an object is placed on the end effector based on one or more signals received from a presence sensor of the end effector. In response to detecting that an object is placed on the end effector, the system controller 128 may cause a reduced pressure source to generate and / or otherwise provide reduced pressure via a reduced pressure line to a reduced pressure grip pad of the end effector. A pressure sensor(s) connected to one or more reduced pressure lines may measure the amount of reduced pressure provided to the reduced pressure grip pad and send one or more signals to the system controller 128 indicative of the measured amount of reduced pressure. The system controller 128 may determine a speed at which to transport the object through the end effector based on the amount of measured reduced pressure. Further details regarding transporting objects in the system 100 are provided with respect to FIGS.

[0029]

[0033] It should be noted that while some embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to transferring substrates 102 within the system 100, embodiments of the present disclosure may be applied to any type of object within the system 100 (e.g., process kits, process kit carriers, diagnostic wafers, cover wafers, etc.). It should also be noted that while some embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to transferring or moving substrates via the transfer chamber robot 112 and / or the factory interface robot 126, embodiments of the present disclosure may be applied to other objects within the system 100. For example, embodiments of the present disclosure may also be applied to carousels, etc., disposed within the process chambers 114, 116, 118.

[0030]

[0034] 2 illustrates an exemplary end effector 200, according to embodiments of the present disclosure. In some embodiments, the end effector 200 may correspond to an end effector of a robot arm of the transfer chamber robot 112, described with respect to FIG. 1. In other or similar embodiments, the end effector 200 may correspond to an end effector of a robot arm of the factory interface robot 126. In yet other or similar embodiments, the end effector 200 may correspond to an end effector of a carousel disposed within the process chambers 114, 116, 118.

[0031]

[0035] The end effector 200 may include one or more reduced pressure grip pads 210. The reduced pressure grip pads 210 may be configured to supply reduced pressure to a space between the end effector 200 and an object (e.g., substrate 102) placed or otherwise disposed on the end effector 200. The reduced pressure grip pad(s) 210 may be connected to a reduced pressure source 218 (e.g., a reduced pressure pump) via one or more reduced pressure supply lines 212. In one embodiment, each of the one or more reduced pressure grip pads 210 may include at least one opening. The at least one opening exposes an environment of the space between the substrate 102 and the end effector 200 to an environment of one or more reduced pressure supply lines 212 connected to the respective reduced pressure grip pad 210. The reduced pressure source 218 may generate reduced pressure. The reduced pressure may be provided to the openings of the respective reduced pressure grip pads 210 via the supply lines 212. The reduced pressure provided to the reduced pressure grip pads 210 may be provided to the space between the substrate 102 and the end effector 200. The reduced pressure grip pad(s) 210 may also be configured in some embodiments to provide a seal (e.g., an airtight seal) between a portion of the substrate 102 that interacts with the grip pad(s) 210 and the environment surrounding the substrate 102 (e.g., the environment of the transfer chamber 110, the process chambers 114, 115, 118, etc.). In some embodiments, the reduced pressure grip pad 210 may be comprised of one or more of a polyaryletherketone-based material, a polybenzimidazole-based material, a polyimide-based material, a polyethylene-based material, a perfluoroelastomer-based material, etc. Although the end effector 200 has three reduced pressure grip pads (e.g., reduced pressure grip pads 210A, 210B, and 210C), the end effector 200 may include any number of reduced pressure grip pads 210.

[0032]

[0036] In some embodiments, each reduced pressure grip pad 210 of the end effector 200 may be connected to a single supply line 212. The single supply line 212 may be connected to a reduced pressure source 218, as shown in FIG. 2. In other or similar embodiments, each reduced pressure grip pad 210 may be connected to a respective supply line 212. Each supply line 212 may be connected to the reduced pressure source 218 (or to a respective reduced pressure source 218). For example, reduced pressure grip pad 210a may be connected to a first supply line 212. Reduced pressure grip pad 210b may be connected to a second supply line 212. And / or reduced pressure grip pad 210c may be connected to a third supply line 212. The first, second, and / or third supply lines 212 may each be connected to a single reduced pressure source 218 or each may be connected to separate reduced pressure sources 218. In some embodiments, reduced pressure supply line(s) 212 may be routed through a robotic arm of robot 112 and / or robot 126. Reduced pressure source 218 may be a component of robot 112 and / or robot 126 in some embodiments. In other or similar embodiments, reduced pressure source 218 may be coupled or otherwise connected to robot 112 and / or robot 126.

[0033]

[0037] In some embodiments, one or more pressure sensors 214 may be configured to measure the amount of reduced pressure provided to the reduced pressure grip pad(s) 210 via the reduced pressure supply line(s) 212. In some embodiments, the one or more pressure sensors 214 may be reduced pressure sensors. However, other types of pressure sensors may also be used (e.g., pressure switches, etc.). As described above, in some embodiments, each reduced pressure grip pad 210 may be connected to a single supply line 212. In some such embodiments, one or more pressure sensors 214 may be connected to the single supply line 212. The pressure sensor(s) 214 may measure the amount of reduced pressure provided to each of the reduced pressure grip pads 210 connected to the single supply line 212. In other or similar embodiments, each reduced pressure grip pad 210 may be connected to a respective supply line 212, as described above. In such embodiments, one or more pressure sensors 214 may each be connected to a respective supply line and each may measure the amount of reduced pressure provided to a respective reduced pressure grip pad 210. The pressure sensor(s) 214 may be connected to the system controller 128 (e.g., via a network, etc.). In response to measuring the amount of reduced pressure provided to each reduced pressure grip pad 210, the pressure sensor(s) 214 may send a signal to the system controller 128 indicative of the measured amount of reduced pressure. In some embodiments, the measured amount of reduced pressure provided to the reduced pressure grip pads may correspond to the amount of reduced pressure provided to a space between the end effector 200 and an object placed on the end effector 200.

[0034]

[0038] The end effector 200 may include one or more presence sensors 216 configured to detect the presence of an object on the end effector 200. In some embodiments, the presence sensor 216 may include a capacitive sensor, a through beam sensor, an optical sensor, a reflective sensor, a Halifax sensor, an ultrasonic sensor, a weight-based sensor, or the like. The presence sensor(s) 216 may be connected to the system controller 128 (e.g., via a network, etc.). In response to detecting that an object has been placed on the end effector 200, the presence sensor(s) 216 may send a notification to the system controller 128 indicating the presence of the object.

[0035]

[0039] It should be noted that while Fig. 2 illustrates a single presence sensor 216 on the end effector 200, the end effector 200 may include any number of presence sensors 216. It should also be noted that while Fig. 2 illustrates the pressure sensor(s) 214 and the presence sensor(s) 216 as components of the end effector 200, the pressure sensor(s) 214 and / or the presence sensor(s) 216 may be separate from the end effector 200 in some embodiments. For example, the presence sensor 216 may include a weight sensor present on or otherwise connected to the robot 112 and / or the robot 126, but may not be included in the end effector 200. In another example, the pressure sensor 214 may be included in the robot arm and / or the robot 112 and / or the robot 126 instead of in the end effector 200.

[0036]

[0040] In some embodiments, the end effector 200 may include one or more additional components to those shown in FIG. 2. For example, the end effector 200 may include one or more friction pads (not shown). The one or more friction pads are configured to secure an object to the end effector 200 according to embodiments of the present disclosure. In some embodiments, the friction pads may secure an object to the end effector 200 based on friction forces between the object and the friction pads, as described herein. The friction pads may secure an object based on friction forces in addition to or in place of the vacuum grip pads.

[0037]

[0041] FIG 3 is a flow chart of a method 300 for determining a velocity for conveying an object in a manufacturing system via an end effector of a robotic arm, according to aspects of the disclosure. FIG 4 is a flow chart of another method 400 for determining a velocity for conveying an object in a manufacturing system via an end effector of a robotic arm, according to aspects of the disclosure. Methods 300 and 400 may be performed by processing logic, which may include hardware (circuitry, dedicated logic, etc.), software (such as executed on a general purpose computer system or dedicated machine), firmware, or any combination thereof. Some steps of methods 300 and 400 may be performed by a processing device, such as system controller 128 of FIG 1.

[0038]

[0042] For simplicity of explanation, methods 300 and 400 are shown and described as a series of operations. However, operations according to the present disclosure may occur in various orders and / or simultaneously and with other operations not shown or described herein. Moreover, not all illustrated operations may be performed to implement a methodology in accordance with the disclosed subject matter. In addition, those skilled in the art will understand and appreciate that the methods may alternatively be represented as a series of interrelated states via a state diagram or events.

[0039]

[0043] 3, at block 310, processing logic (e.g., system controller 128) detects the presence of an object placed on an end effector of the robot arm. In some embodiments, the end effector may correspond to end effector 200 of FIG. 2. In some embodiments, system controller 128 may detect the presence of the object based on one or more signals received from a sensor of end effector 200 (e.g., presence sensor 216) or a sensor coupled to end effector 200 (e.g., presence sensor 216). In one exemplary example, presence sensor 216 may be a through beam sensor. The through beam sensor may include a transmitting component and a receiving component. The transmitting component may be configured to transmit a beam (e.g., a light beam) to the receiving component. When the object is placed on end effector 200, the object may interrupt the beam transmitted by the transmitting component to the receiving component. In response to detecting that the beam is interrupted, the sensor may detect that the object has been placed on end effector 200. The presence sensor 216 may include other types of sensors (e.g., weight sensors, capacitance sensors, Halifax sensors, etc.), as described above. In some embodiments, the presence sensor 216 may include an optical sensor (e.g., a camera, etc.), which may be located inside or outside a station of the manufacturing system 100 and may visually monitor the presence of an object placed on the end effector 200.

[0040]

[0044] In block 312, processing logic (e.g., system controller 128) applies a reduced pressure to the space between the object and the end effector via one or more vacuum grips of the end effector. As described above, the end effector 200 may include a reduced pressure grip, such as reduced pressure grip 210. The reduced pressure grip is connected to a reduced pressure source 218 via one or more vacuum lines 212. The system controller 128 may send a signal to the reduced pressure source 218 causing the reduced pressure source 218 to generate a reduced pressure (e.g., by activating a vacuum pump, etc.). The reduced pressure grip pad 210 may receive the reduced pressure via the reduced pressure line(s) 212 and provide a reduced pressure to the space between the object and the end effector 200, as described above.

[0041]

[0045] At block 314, processing logic (e.g., system controller 128) obtains a reduced pressure measurement indicative of an amount of reduced pressure between the object and the end effector. In some embodiments, system controller 128 may obtain the reduced pressure measurement from a pressure sensor (e.g., pressure sensor 214 described above). Pressure sensor 214 may measure the amount of reduced pressure provided to one or more reduced pressure grip pads 210 of end effector 200 and may send a signal indicative of the measurement to system controller 128 (e.g., over a network). In some embodiments, pressure sensor 214 may measure the amount of reduced pressure automatically (e.g., in response to reduced pressure source 218 generating and providing reduced pressure). In other or similar embodiments, system controller 128 may send a request to pressure sensor 214 to measure (e.g., in conjunction with or in response to sending a signal to reduced pressure source 218 to provide reduced pressure).

[0042]

[0046] At block 316, processing logic (e.g., system controller 128) determines whether the obtained reduced pressure measurements meet reduced pressure criteria. In some embodiments, the reduced pressure criteria may include a threshold reduced pressure. The threshold reduced pressure may correspond to an amount of reduced pressure provided to the space between the object and the end effector 200. This amount of reduced pressure has been determined or is otherwise known to be sufficient to secure the object to the end effector 200. In some embodiments, the system controller 128 may determine the threshold reduced pressure based on historical data associated with the manufacturing system. For example, for a set of objects to be transferred by the end effector 200 (or another end effector of the system 100), the system controller 128 may store (e.g., in a data store) an indication of the amount of reduced pressure provided to the space between each of the set of objects and the end effector 200 before and / or during transfer. The system controller 128 may also store an indication of whether each respective object was properly secured to the end effector 200 during transfer (e.g., whether the object moved or fell off the end effector 200 before, during, and / or after transfer). Based on such data, the system controller 128 may determine a minimum amount of reduced pressure to apply to the space between the object and the end effector 200 (e.g., by identifying the lowest amount of applied reduced pressure that allowed the object to be secured to the end effector 200, etc.). The determined minimum amount of reduced pressure may correspond to a threshold reduced pressure. In other or similar embodiments, a user (e.g., an operator, developer, engineer, etc.) of the system 100 may provide an indication of the threshold reduced pressure to the system controller 128 (e.g., via a client device connected to the system controller 128 over a network, etc.).

[0043]

[0047] In response to processing logic determining that the acquired reduced pressure measurement does not satisfy the reduced pressure criterion, method 300 proceeds to block 318. In some embodiments, processing logic may determine that the acquired reduced pressure measurement does not satisfy the reduced pressure criterion by determining that the acquired reduced pressure measurement does not meet or satisfies (e.g., falls below) the threshold reduced pressure. In response to processing logic determining that the acquired reduced pressure measurement satisfies the reduced pressure criterion, method 300 proceeds to block 320. In some embodiments, processing logic may determine that the acquired reduced pressure measurement satisfies the reduced pressure criterion by determining that the acquired reduced pressure measurement meets or satisfies the threshold reduced pressure.

[0044]

[0048] At block 318, the processing logic (e.g., the system controller 128) moves the object through the end effector in the manufacturing system according to the first conveying speed setting. As indicated above, the system controller 128 may determine that the acquired reduced pressure measurements do not meet the reduced pressure criteria in response to determining that the acquired reduced pressure measurements do not meet or exceed a threshold reduced pressure associated with properly securing the object to the end effector. Thus, the first conveying speed setting may correspond to a first conveying speed. The first conveying speed is sufficiently slow such that the object is secured to the end effector based on frictional forces between the object and the one or more reduced pressure grip pads. In some embodiments, the system controller 128 may determine the first conveying speed based on a conveying speed data structure. The conveying speed data structure may include one or more entries. The one or more entries each include a mapping between a type of material for the object, a type of material for the reduced pressure grip pads, and a speed for conveying the object through the end effector.

[0045]

[0049] The data included within each entry of the transport speed data structure may be provided based on empirical and / or test data associated with one or more past objects transported within the system 100. In one embodiment, the system controller 128 (or another controller associated with the system 100) may transport an object between stations of the system 100 via the end effector 200 at various transport speeds. In some cases, an object may be secured to the end effector 200 via the reduced pressure grip pads 210. In other cases, an object may be partially secured to the end effector 200 via the reduced pressure grip pads 210 (e.g., secured by at least one but not all grip pads 210 of the end effector 200) or may not be secured to the end effector 200 via the reduced pressure grip pads 210. A user of the system 100 (e.g., an operator, engineer, developer, etc.) may provide an indication of the type of material from which the object is constructed and / or the type of material from which the reduced pressure grip pads are constructed (e.g., via a client device connected to the system controller 128). In some embodiments, the system controller 128 may determine, for each transport speed used to transport the object, whether the object moved (e.g., slid, rotated) or fell off the end effector during transport. For example, a user may provide (e.g., via a client device) an indication of whether the object moved, slid, or fell off the end effector during transport. In another example, one or more optical components (e.g., cameras) of the manufacturing system may monitor the environment in which the object is being transported and send an indication to the system controller 128 indicating whether motion associated with the object was detected by the components during transport. The system controller 128 may identify the fastest of the various transport speeds at which no motion was detected for the object during transport (e.g., the object was stationary on the end effector 200 during transport). The system controller 128 may store the identified transport speed as well as an indication of the type of material for the object and the vacuum grip pad in an entry of the transport speed data structure.It should be noted that while embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to a system controller 128 facilitating conveying speed experiments, other components in or coupled to the system 100 may facilitate conveying speed experiments or other conveying speed experiments and provide corresponding experimental data to the system controller 128.

[0046]

[0050] The system controller 128 may determine the first conveying speed setting by determining the material type of the object and the material type of the reduced pressure grip pad. In some embodiments, the system controller 128 may determine the material type based on a notification received from a user of the system (e.g., via a client device). In other or similar embodiments, the system controller 128 may identify a portion of a memory (e.g., a data store, etc.) associated with the system 100 that includes an indication of the material type associated with the object and the reduced pressure grip pad, and may retrieve the material type from the identified portion of the memory. In response to determining the material type of the object and the material type of the reduced pressure grip pad, the system controller 128 may identify an entry in a conveying speed data structure that corresponds to the determined material type, and may extract the first conveying speed setting from the identified entry.

[0047]

[0051] In other or similar embodiments, the system controller 128 may determine the first transport speed setting based on an estimated frictional force associated with the object and the reduced pressure grip pad. In some embodiments, the system controller 128 may determine the estimated frictional force based on a coefficient of friction between the object and the reduced pressure grip pad. The coefficient of friction refers to the ratio of frictional forces that resist movement of two surfaces in contact. The coefficient of friction associated with the object and the reduced pressure grip pad may depend on the type of material the object is made of, the type of material the reduced pressure grip pad is made of, and the weight of the object. The system controller 128 may determine the material of the object and the reduced pressure grip pad and may determine the weight of the object, as indicated above. In some embodiments, the system controller 128 may identify the weight of the object by accessing a database or other type of data structure that indicates weights (or approximate weights) for one or more objects associated with the system 100. In other or similar embodiments, the system controller 128 may determine the weight of the object based on a signal from a weight sensor associated with the end effector 200, as described above. The system controller 128 may determine a coefficient of friction based on the determined material type of the object and the reduced pressure grip pad 210, and the determined weight of the object. In some embodiments, the system controller 128 may determine a first transport speed setting based on the determined coefficient of friction. In one example, the system controller 128 may determine the first transport speed by calculating, for a set of transport speeds, the amount of motion (e.g., sliding motion, rolling motion, etc.) that may be caused by the object on the end effector 200 when the end effector 200 is moved at the respective transport speeds, taking into account the determined coefficient of friction. The system controller 128 may select the transport speed associated with zero motion (or near zero motion) or a minimum amount of motion as the first transport speed.

[0048]

[0052] In response to determining the first transport speed setting, the system controller 128 may cause the robot arm, including the end effector 200, to move according to the first transport speed setting. The first transport speed setting may cause the end effector to move the object at a first transport speed. The first transport speed may be slow enough to secure the object to the end effector via frictional forces between the object and the reduced pressure grip pad 210.

[0049]

[0053] As indicated above, in response to the processing logic determining that the acquired reduced pressure measurements satisfy the reduced pressure criteria, the method 300 proceeds to block 320. In block 320, the processing logic moves the object within the manufacturing system via the end effector according to a second conveying speed. In response to determining that the acquired reduced pressure measurements meet or exceed a threshold reduced pressure associated with properly securing the object to the end effector, the system controller 128 may determine that the acquired reduced pressure measurements satisfy the reduced pressure criteria. Thus, the system controller 128 may determine that the object is properly secured to the end effector 200. The second conveying speed setting may be associated with a second conveying speed that is faster than the first conveying speed. In some embodiments, the second conveying speed setting may correspond to a default conveying speed associated with the system 100.

[0050]

[0054] As previously described, FIG. 4 is a flowchart of a method 400 for determining a speed for conveying an object within a manufacturing system via an end effector of a robot arm, according to aspects of the present disclosure. In block 410, the processing logic (e.g., the system controller 128) applies a reduced pressure to a space between the object and the end effector of the robot arm to secure the object to the end effector. The system controller 128 may apply the reduced pressure according to embodiments previously described. In block 412, the processing logic (e.g., the system controller 128) moves the object within the manufacturing system via the end effector according to an initial conveying speed setting. In some embodiments, the initial conveying speed setting may correspond to a default setting associated with the system 100 (e.g., the second conveying speed described with respect to FIG. 3).

[0051]

[0055] At block 414, the processing logic (e.g., system controller 128) detects that the reduced pressure between the space between the object and the end effector fails to meet the reduced pressure criteria. In some embodiments, the system controller 128 may receive a signal from a pressure sensor (e.g., pressure sensor 214) associated with the end effector 200 indicating a measured amount of reduced pressure provided to the space between the object and the end effector 200. The system controller 128 may determine that the measured amount of reduced pressure fails to meet the reduced pressure criteria, according to embodiments previously described. As indicated above, a failure to meet the reduced pressure criteria may indicate that the object is not properly secured to the end effector 200.

[0052]

[0056] At block 416, the processing logic moves the object within the manufacturing system via the end effector according to the updated transport speed setting. The updated transport speed setting may correspond to a sufficiently slow transport speed (e.g., the first transport speed in FIG. 3) such that the object is secured to the end effector based on friction forces between the object and the end effector 200. The system controller 128 may determine the updated transport speed according to the embodiments described above. The updated transport speed may be slower than the initial transport speed.

[0053]

[0057] FIG. 5 illustrates a diagrammatic representation of a machine, taking the exemplary form of a computing device, on which a set of instructions may be executed to cause the machine to perform any one or more of the methodologies described herein. In alternative embodiments, the machine may be connected (e.g., networked) to other machines in a local area network (LAN), an intranet, an extranet, or the Internet. The machine may function as a server or a client machine in a client-server network environment, or as a peer machine in a peer-to-peer (or distributed) network environment. The machine may be a personal computer (PC), a tablet PC, a set-top box (STB), a personal digital assistant (PDA), a mobile phone, a web appliance, a server, a network router, a switch, or a bridge, or any machine capable of executing a set of instructions (sequential or otherwise) that define operations to be performed by the machine. Furthermore, although a single machine is illustrated, the term "machine" should also be construed to include any collection of machines (e.g., computers) that individually or jointly execute a set (or sets) of instructions to perform any one or more of the methodologies described herein. In some embodiments, computing device 500 may correspond to system controller 128 of FIG.

[0054]

[0058] The exemplary computing device 500 includes a processing device 502, a main memory 504 (e.g., read only memory (ROM), flash memory, dynamic random access memory (DRAM), such as synchronous DRAM), a static memory 506 (e.g., flash memory, static random access memory (SRAM), etc.), and a secondary memory (e.g., a data storage device 528), which communicate with each other via a bus 508.

[0055]

[0059] The processing device 502 may represent one or more general-purpose processors, such as a microprocessor or a central processing unit. More specifically, the processing device 502 may be a complex instruction set computing (CISC) microprocessor, a reduced instruction set computing (RISC) microprocessor, a very long instruction word (VLIW) microprocessor, or a processor implementing other instruction sets or a processor implementing a combination of instruction sets. The processing device 502 may also be one or more special-purpose processing devices, such as an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field programmable gate array (FPGA), a digital signal processor (DSP), a network processor, or the like. The processing device 502 may also be a system on a chip (SoC), a programmable logic controller (PLC), or other type of processing device. The processing device 502 is configured to execute processing logic (instructions 526) for performing the processes and steps described herein.

[0056]

[0060] The computing device 500 may further include a network interface device 522 for communicating with a network 564. The computing device 500 may also include a video display unit 510 (e.g., a liquid crystal display (LCD) or a cathode ray tube (CRT)), an alphanumeric input device 512 (e.g., a keyboard), a cursor control device 514 (e.g., a mouse), and a signal generation device 520 (e.g., a speaker).

[0057]

[0061] The data storage device 528 may include a machine-readable storage medium (or more specifically a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium) 524 on which is stored one or more sets of instructions 526 embodying one or more of the methods or functions described herein. Here, non-transitory storage medium refers to a storage medium other than a carrier wave. The instructions 526 may also reside, completely or at least partially, within the main memory 504 and / or within the processing device 502 during execution by the computing device 500, with the main memory 504 and the processing device 502 also constituting computer-readable storage media.

[0058]

[0062] The computer-readable storage medium 524 may also be used to store the instructions 526. The computer-readable storage medium 524 may also store a software library that includes a method for invoking the instructions 526. Although in one embodiment, the computer-readable storage medium 524 is shown as a single medium, the term "computer-readable storage medium" should be understood to include a single medium or multiple media (e.g., a centralized database, or a distributed database, and / or associated caches and servers) that store one or more sets of instructions. The term "computer-readable storage medium" should also be interpreted to include any medium capable of storing or encoding a set of instructions for execution by a machine that cause the machine to perform any one or more of the methods of the present disclosure. Thus, the term "computer-readable storage medium" should be interpreted to include, but is not limited to, solid-state memory, optical media, and magnetic media.

[0059]

[0063] The foregoing description sets forth numerous specific details, such as examples of specific systems, components, methods, and the like, to provide a good understanding of some embodiments of the present disclosure. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that at least some embodiments of the present disclosure can be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known components or methods are not described in detail or are presented in simple block diagram form to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the present disclosure. Thus, the specific details described are merely exemplary. Certain implementations may differ from these exemplary details and still be considered to be within the scope of the present disclosure.

[0060]

[0064] Throughout this specification, a reference to "one embodiment" or "an embodiment" means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment. Thus, the appearances of the phrases "in one embodiment" or "in one embodiment" in various places throughout this specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment. In addition, the term "or" is intended to mean an inclusive "or" rather than an exclusive "or". When the term "about" or "approximately" is used herein, it is intended to mean that the nominal value presented is accurate to within ±10%.

[0061]

[0065] Although the operations of the methods herein are illustrated and described in a particular order, the order of the operations of each method may be changed such that certain operations are performed in reverse order, and certain operations are performed at least partially concurrently with other operations. In another embodiment, instructions or sub-operations of separate operations may be intermittent and / or interleaved.

[0062]

[0066] It should be understood that the above description is intended to be illustrative, and not limiting. Many other embodiments will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading and understanding the above description. The scope of the disclosure should therefore be determined with reference to the appended claims, along with the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled.

Claims

1. 1. A manufacturing system comprising: a robotic arm having an end effector configured to transport an object within the manufacturing system; and a controller operably coupled to the robotic arm, the controller comprising: detecting the presence of an object disposed on the end effector of the robotic arm; applying a reduced pressure to a space between the object and the end effector via one or more reduced pressure grip pads of the end effector, the reduced pressure being applied to secure the object to the end effector; obtaining, by one or more pressure sensors of the robotic arm, reduced pressure measurements indicative of an amount of reduced pressure between the object and the end effector; determining whether the acquired reduced pressure measurements satisfy a reduced pressure criterion; determining a transport speed setting for transporting the object using the robotic arm based on whether the obtained reduced pressure measurements satisfy the reduced pressure criterion; and causing the robot arm to move the object according to the transport speed setting.

2. Determining the conveying speed setting includes:

2. The manufacturing system of claim 1, further comprising: determining a first conveying speed setting in response to determining that the acquired reduced pressure measurement does not satisfy the reduced pressure criterion, the first conveying speed setting corresponding to a first conveying speed that is sufficiently slow so that the object is secured to the end effector based on frictional forces between the object and the end effector.

3. Determining the conveying speed setting includes:

3. The manufacturing system of claim 2, further comprising: determining a second transport speed setting in response to determining that the acquired reduced pressure measurement value satisfies the reduced pressure criterion, the second transport speed setting corresponding to a second transport speed faster than the first transport speed.

4. Determining the conveying speed setting includes: The manufacturing system of claim 1 , further comprising: determining a default transport speed setting associated with the robot arm in response to determining that the acquired reduced pressure measurements do not meet the reduced pressure criteria.

5. The controller further comprises: determining a first material type associated with the object; and The manufacturing system of claim 1 , further comprising: determining a conveying speed based at least in part on the type of material for the object.

6. The controller further comprises: determining a second material type associated with the one or more vacuum grip pads; 6. The manufacturing system of claim 5, wherein the conveying speed is determined based on the first material type and the second material type, the first material type including a silicon-based material type, and the second material type including at least one of a polyaryletherketone-based material type, a polybenzimidazole-based material type, a polyimide-based material type, a polyethylene-based material type, or a perfluoroelastomer-based material type.

7. To determine whether the acquired reduced pressure measurements satisfy the reduced pressure criteria, the controller: determining whether the acquired reduced pressure measurement exceeds a reduced pressure measurement threshold; The manufacturing system of claim 1 , wherein the acquired reduced pressure measurement is determined to satisfy the reduced pressure criterion in response to the acquired reduced pressure measurement exceeding the reduced pressure measurement threshold.

8. 2. The manufacturing system of claim 1, wherein the controller detects the presence of the placed object based on one or more readings by a presence sensor of the end effector, the presence sensor comprising at least one of a through beam sensor, an optical sensor, a reflective sensor, a capacitive sensor, a Halifax sensor, an ultrasonic sensor, or a weight-based sensor.

9. 10. The manufacturing system of claim 1, wherein the object comprises at least one of a substrate, a process kit ring, a process kit ring carrier, a diagnostic wafer, or a cover wafer.

10. Detecting the presence of an object disposed on an end effector of the robotic arm; applying a reduced pressure to a space between the object and the end effector via one or more reduced pressure grip pads of the end effector, the reduced pressure being applied to secure the object to the end effector; obtaining, by one or more pressure sensors of the robotic arm, reduced pressure measurements indicative of an amount of reduced pressure between the object and the end effector; determining whether the acquired reduced pressure measurements satisfy a reduced pressure criterion; determining a transport speed setting for transporting the object using the robotic arm based on whether the obtained reduced pressure measurements satisfy the reduced pressure criterion; and causing the robot arm to move the object according to the transport speed setting.

11. Determining the conveying speed setting includes:

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising: determining a first conveying speed setting in response to determining that the acquired reduced pressure measurements do not satisfy the reduced pressure criterion, the first conveying speed setting corresponding to a first conveying speed that is sufficiently slow such that the object is secured to the end effector based on frictional forces between the object and the end effector.

12. Determining the conveying speed setting includes:

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising determining a second transport speed setting in response to determining that the acquired reduced pressure measurements satisfy the reduced pressure criterion, the second transport speed setting corresponding to a second transport speed faster than the first transport speed.

13. Determining the conveying speed setting includes: The method of claim 10 , comprising determining a default transport speed setting associated with the robotic arm in response to determining that the acquired reduced pressure measurements do not meet the reduced pressure criterion.

14. determining a first material type associated with the object; and The method of claim 10 , further comprising determining a conveying speed based at least in part on the type of material for the object.

15. 15. The method of claim 14, further comprising determining a second material type associated with the one or more vacuum grip pads, and wherein the transport speed is determined based on the first material type and the second material type, the first material type comprising a silicon-based material type and the second material type comprising at least one of a polyaryletherketone-based material type, a polybenzimidazole-based material type, a polyimide-based material type, a polyethylene-based material type, or a perfluoroelastomer-based material type.

16. Determining whether the acquired reduced pressure measurements satisfy the reduced pressure criteria comprises: determining whether the acquired reduced pressure measurement exceeds a reduced pressure measurement threshold; The method of claim 10 , wherein the acquired reduced pressure measurement is determined to satisfy the reduced pressure criterion in response to the acquired reduced pressure measurement exceeding the reduced pressure measurement threshold.

17. 11. The method of claim 10, wherein the presence of the object is detected based on one or more readings by a presence sensor of the end effector, the presence sensor comprising at least one of a thru-beam sensor, an optical sensor, a reflective sensor, a capacitive sensor, a Halifax sensor, an ultrasonic sensor, or a weight-based sensor.

18. 1. A robotic arm for a manufacturing system, comprising: An end effector, one or more vacuum pads configured to apply a reduced pressure to a space between the vacuum grip pads and the object to secure the object to the end effector; and an end effector comprising a detector for detecting the presence of the object on the end effector, the detector including at least one of an optical sensor or a capacitive sensor; a pressure sensor for measuring pressure in the space between the one or more vacuum grip pads and the object; The robotic arm is configured to move according to a first motion profile in response to the pressure in the space between the reduced pressure grip pad and the object satisfying a pressure criterion, and to move according to a second motion profile in response to the pressure in the space between the reduced pressure grip pad and the object failing to satisfy the pressure criterion.

19. 20. The robotic arm of claim 18, wherein the end effector further comprises one or more frictional gripping pads configured to contact the object to secure the object.

20. 20. The robot arm of claim 18, wherein the first motion profile corresponds to a first conveying speed and the second motion profile corresponds to a second conveying speed, the second conveying speed being sufficiently slow such that the object is fixed to the end effector based on frictional forces between the object and the end effector, and the first conveying speed being faster than the second conveying speed.

Images