Processing apparatus and processing method

Abstract

To provide a processing apparatus and processing method that can suppress damage to processing apparatus or processing tools. [Solution] The processing apparatus comprises a holding table for holding a workpiece, processing units (grinding units 200, 300) for processing the workpiece held on the holding table, a moving unit (grinding feed unit) for moving the holding table and the processing unit toward and toward each other, and a control unit 190. The processing unit has spindles 220, 320 and processing tools (grinding wheels 210, 310) mounted on the ends of the spindles 220, 320 and rotating in conjunction with the rotation of the spindles 220, 320. It further comprises a vibration signal generation unit 150 that generates a vibration signal corresponding to the vibration of the processing tool. The control unit 190, when the vibration signal generated by the vibration signal generation unit 150 exceeds a first predetermined value, moves the processing tool and the holding table toward each other using the moving unit.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a processing apparatus and a processing method.

Background Art

[0002] Semiconductor devices are generally thinned by grinding a semiconductor wafer with a grinding apparatus and then divided into individual device chips by cutting along streets with a cutting apparatus. The grinding apparatus includes a holding table for holding a wafer and a grinding unit having a spindle with a grinding wheel mounted at its tip for grinding the wafer held on the holding table. The cutting apparatus includes a holding table for holding a wafer and a cutting unit having a spindle with a cutting blade mounted at its tip for cutting the wafer held on the holding table.

[0003] For example, in a grinding apparatus, in order to accurately control the grinding amount and finish thickness of a wafer, a so-called setup for grasping the distance from the holding surface of the holding table to the processing surface (lower surface) of the grinding wheel is required. In the setup of the grinding apparatus, a manual setup is generally performed in which an operator places a reference piece (block gauge) of a predetermined thickness on the holding surface of the holding table and then moves the grinding unit in a grinding feed to bring the processing surface of the grinding wheel into contact with a predetermined upper surface of the reference piece (see Patent Document 1).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] However, with manual setup, errors in operation or incorrect input of wafer thickness by the operator can cause the grinding wheel to dig into the holding table or wafer, potentially damaging the grinding machine or grinding wheel.

[0006] This invention has been made in view of the above problems, and its purpose is to provide a processing apparatus and processing method that can suppress damage to processing apparatus or processing tools. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] To solve the above-mentioned problems and achieve the objective, the processing apparatus of the present invention comprises a holding table for holding a workpiece, a processing unit for processing the workpiece held on the holding table, a moving unit for moving the holding table and the processing unit toward and toward each other, and a control unit, wherein the processing unit has a spindle and a processing tool attached to the end of the spindle and rotating in conjunction with the rotation of the spindle, and further comprises a vibration signal generation unit that generates a vibration signal corresponding to the vibration of the processing tool, and the control unit is characterized in that, when the vibration signal generated by the vibration signal generation unit exceeds a first predetermined value, the moving unit moves the processing tool and the holding table toward each other.

[0008] Furthermore, the processing apparatus of the present invention comprises a holding table for holding a workpiece, a processing unit for processing the workpiece held on the holding table, a moving unit for moving the holding table and the processing unit toward and toward each other, and a control unit, wherein the processing unit has a spindle and a processing tool attached to the end of the spindle and rotating in conjunction with the rotation of the spindle, and further comprises a vibration signal generation unit that generates a vibration signal corresponding to the vibration of the processing tool, and preferably the control unit stores in advance the position of the processing tool at the time the vibration signal generated by the vibration signal generation unit exceeds a second predetermined value as the origin position.

[0009] Furthermore, the present invention relates to a processing apparatus comprising: a processing unit for processing a workpiece held on the holding table, a spindle, and a processing tool mounted on the end of the spindle and rotating in conjunction with the rotation of the spindle; a moving unit for moving the holding table and the processing unit toward and toward each other; and a vibration signal generation unit for generating a vibration signal corresponding to the vibration of the processing tool, wherein the processing method for performing a predetermined process in the processing apparatus based on a vibration signal generated by the vibration signal generation unit is characterized by including: a first intensity storage step of storing in advance as a first predetermined value the intensity of the vibration signal generated when the processing tool and the holding table or the workpiece held on the holding table collide; a proximity step of bringing the holding table and the processing tool toward each other while monitoring the vibration signal generated by the vibration signal generation unit; and a separation step of moving the processing tool and the holding table toward each other if the vibration signal exceeds the first predetermined value.

[0010] Furthermore, the present invention relates to a processing apparatus comprising: a processing unit for processing a workpiece held on the holding table, a spindle, a processing tool mounted on the end of the spindle and rotating in conjunction with the rotation of the spindle, a moving unit for moving the holding table and the processing unit toward and toward each other, and a vibration signal generation unit for generating a vibration signal corresponding to the vibration of the processing tool, wherein the processing method for performing a predetermined process in the processing apparatus based on a vibration signal generated by the vibration signal generation unit is characterized by including: a second intensity storage step of storing in advance the intensity of the vibration signal generated when the processing tool and the holding table come into contact as a second predetermined value; and, if the vibration signal exceeds the second predetermined value, an origin storage step of storing in advance the position of the processing tool at the time the second predetermined value is exceeded as the origin position. [Effects of the Invention]

[0011] This invention can suppress damage to processing equipment or tools. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0012] [Figure 1] Figure 1 is a schematic perspective view showing an example of the configuration of a processing apparatus according to the first embodiment. [Figure 2] Figure 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the configuration of the processing unit of the processing apparatus shown in Figure 1. [Figure 3] Figure 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the configuration of the upper end of the processing unit shown in Figure 2. [Figure 4] Figure 4 is a graph showing an example of the change in the intensity of the vibration signal. [Figure 5] Figure 5 is a graph showing an example of the changes in vibration signal intensity and machining tool height during a collision. [Figure 6] Figure 6 is a graph showing an example of the changes in the intensity of the vibration signal and the height of the workpiece during contact. [Figure 7] Figure 7 is a flowchart showing the flow of the processing method according to the first embodiment. [Figure 8] Figure 8 is a flowchart showing the flow of the processing method according to the first embodiment. [Figure 9] Figure 9 is a schematic perspective view showing an example of the configuration of a processing apparatus according to the second embodiment. [Figure 10] Figure 10 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the configuration of the processing unit of the processing apparatus shown in Figure 9. [Figure 11] Figure 11 is a disassembled perspective view of the vibration signal generation unit of the processing unit of the processing apparatus shown in Figure 9. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0013] Embodiments for implementing the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. The present invention is not limited by the content described in the following embodiments. Further, the constituent elements described below include those that can be easily assumed by those skilled in the art and substantially identical ones. Furthermore, the configurations described below can be combined as appropriate. Also, various omissions, substitutions, or changes in the configuration can be made without departing from the gist of the present invention.

[0014] [First Embodiment] The processing apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described based on the drawings. FIG. 1 is a perspective view schematically showing a configuration example of the processing apparatus according to the first embodiment. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing the configuration of the processing unit of the processing apparatus shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing the configuration of the upper end portion of the processing unit shown in FIG. 2.

[0015] The processing apparatus 100 according to the first embodiment is a grinding apparatus for grinding the workpiece 10. In the first embodiment, the workpiece 10 to be processed by the processing apparatus 100 shown in FIG. 1 is, for example, a wafer such as a disk-shaped semiconductor wafer or an optical device wafer having a substrate such as silicon (Si), sapphire (Al2O3), gallium arsenide (GaAs), or silicon carbide (SiC).

[0016] The workpiece 10 has, for example, division planned lines set in a grid pattern and devices formed on the surfaces of the respective regions partitioned by the intersecting division planned lines. The devices are, for example, integrated circuits such as IC (Integrated Circuit) or LSI (Large Scale Integration), image sensors such as CCD (Charge Coupled Device) or CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor), MEMS (Micro Electro Mechanical Systems), or memories (semiconductor storage devices).

[0017] The workpiece 10 is ground on the back surface where no device is formed by the processing apparatus 100, thinned to a predetermined finish thickness, and then divided into individual devices along the planned division lines. Note that the workpiece 10 is processed and transported, for example, with a surface protection tape for protecting the device adhered to the surface. In the present invention, the workpiece 10 may not have a device formed on the surface, and may not have a surface protection tape adhered to the surface.

[0018] As shown in FIG. 1, the processing apparatus 100 includes a device base 101, a turntable 110, a plurality (three in the first embodiment) of holding tables 111 installed on the turntable 110, a rough grinding unit 200 (corresponding to a processing unit), a finish grinding unit 300 (corresponding to a processing unit), a grinding feed unit 120 (corresponding to a moving unit), a cassette mounting table 104, an alignment unit 105, a transfer unit 130, a cleaning unit 106, a vibration signal generation unit 150, and a control unit 190.

[0019] The turntable 110 is a disk-shaped table provided on the upper surface of the device base 101, is rotatably provided around an axis parallel to the Z-axis direction within a horizontal plane, and is rotationally driven at a predetermined timing. The Z-axis direction is a direction parallel to the vertical direction. A plurality of holding tables 111 are provided on the turntable 110 at equal angles in the circumferential direction. In the first embodiment, three holding tables 111 are provided at equal intervals with a phase angle of 120 degrees.

[0020] Each holding table 111 has a holding surface 112 on which the workpiece 10 is placed. The workpiece 10 is placed on the holding surface 112 on the surface side, for example, via a surface protection tape. The holding surface 112 has a disk shape formed of a porous material such as porous ceramics. The holding table 111 connects the holding surface 112 to a suction source (not shown) via the porous material, and sucks and holds the workpiece 10 placed on the holding surface 112 to the holding surface 112 by sucking the holding surface 112 by the suction source.

[0021] Furthermore, during grinding, the holding table 111 is driven to rotate around an axis parallel to the Z-axis direction by a rotation mechanism. The holding table 111 is sequentially moved to the loading / unloading position 121, the rough grinding position 122, the finish grinding position 123, and back to the loading / unloading position 121 by the rotation of the turntable 110. In other words, the turntable 110 rotates around its axis to position each holding table 111 at the predetermined loading / unloading position 121, the rough grinding position 122, and the finish grinding position 123.

[0022] The loading / unloading position 121 is the area where the workpiece 10 is loaded into or unloaded from the holding table 111. The rough grinding position 122 is the area where the rough grinding unit 200 performs rough grinding (equivalent to grinding) on ​​the workpiece 10 held on the holding table 111. The finish grinding position 123 is the area where the finish grinding unit 300 performs finish grinding (equivalent to grinding) on ​​the workpiece 10 held on the holding table 111.

[0023] The rough grinding unit 200 is located above the holding table 111 positioned at the rough grinding position 122, and is a processing unit that rough grinds the back surface exposed above the holding surface 112 of the workpiece 10 held by the holding surface 112 of the holding table 111. The finish grinding unit 300 is located above the holding table 111 positioned at the finish grinding position 123, and is a processing unit that finish grinds the back surface exposed above the holding surface 112 of the workpiece 10 held by the holding surface 112 of the holding table 111. In the following description, when the rough grinding unit 200 and the finish grinding unit 300 are not distinguished, they may be referred to as grinding units 200 and 300 as appropriate.

[0024] The grinding units 200 and 300 are supported by a vertical column 102 erected from one end of the device base 101 in the Y-axis direction parallel to the horizontal direction, via a grinding feed unit 120. As shown in Figure 2, the grinding units 200 and 300 include grinding wheels 210 and 310 (corresponding to machining tools), spindles 220 and 320 arranged extending along the Z-axis direction, spindle motors 230 and 330 that rotate the spindle 320 around its axis, and spindle housings 240 and 340 that support the spindle 320 so that it can rotate around its axis.

[0025] The grinding wheels 210 and 310 are fixed to the lower surface of the mounts 221 and 321, which will be described later. Each grinding wheel 210 and 310 comprises a wheel base 211 and 311 that is formed in an annular shape and fixed to the lower surface of the mounts 221 and 321, and a plurality of grinding wheels 212 and 312 arranged in an annular shape on the lower surface of the wheel base 211 and 311. The grinding wheels 212 and 312 are arranged at equal intervals in the circumferential direction of the wheel base 211 and 311 and are fixed in multiple quantities to the lower surface of the wheel base 211 and 311.

[0026] The grinding wheels 212 and 312 are constructed as a single segmented grinding wheel formed by mixing abrasive grains such as diamond or CBN (Cubic Boron Nitride) with a binder (also called a bonding agent) made of metal, ceramics, or resin, etc. The grinding wheels 212 and 312 grind the back surface of the workpiece 10. In the first embodiment, the circular diameter formed by connecting the outer edges of the grinding wheels 210 and 310 is equal to the outer diameter of the workpiece 10, but it does not have to be equal.

[0027] The spindles 220 and 320 are cylindrical in shape and are positioned along the Z-axis direction, which is the vertical direction. The spindle 320 has a disc-shaped mount 221 or 321 at one end, the lower end, to which the grinding wheels 210 or 310 can be fixed. In other words, the grinding wheels 210 or 310 are fixed to the lower end of the spindles 220 or 320. The spindles 220 or 320 are mounted coaxially with the mounts 221 or 321.

[0028] In the first embodiment, as shown in Figure 2, the spindles 220, 320 include cylindrical portions 222, 322 that are arranged coaxially with each other, and disc-shaped portions 223, 323 that are located in the center of the cylindrical portions 222, 322 and have a larger diameter than the cylindrical portions 222, 322.

[0029] The spindle motors 230 and 330 are mounted on the upper ends (corresponding to the other end) of the spindles 220 and 320. In the first embodiment, the spindle motors 230 and 330 include a rotor (not shown) attached to the outer circumferential surface of the cylindrical portion 222 and 322 of the spindles 220 and 320, and stators 232 and 332 mounted on the inner circumferential surface of the spindle housings 240 and 340. The spindle motors 230 and 330 rotate the rotor, i.e., the spindles 220 and 320, around their axis when power is applied to the coils of the stators 232 and 332.

[0030] The spindle housings 240, 340 comprise cylindrical portions 241, 341 and covers 242, 342. The cylindrical portions 241, 341 are formed in a cylindrical shape and house the cylindrical portions 222, 322 and disc portions 223, 323 of the spindles 220, 320, with their lower and upper ends exposed. The covers 242, 342 are attached to the base ends of the cylindrical portions 241, 341 and cover the upper ends of the spindles 220, 320. The spindle housings 240, 340 support the spindles 220, 320 so that they can rotate around their axis by air bearings 260, 360.

[0031] The air bearings 260, 360 include a plurality of air outlets 261, 361 and air supply passages 262, 362 provided within the spindle housings 240, 340 and communicating with the air outlets 261, 361. Some of the air outlets 261, 361 open to the inner circumferential surface of the cylindrical portions 241, 341 of the spindle housings 240, 340 and face the outer circumferential surface of the central portion of the cylindrical portions 222, 322 of the spindles 220, 320. The remaining air outlets 261, 361 open to the inner surface of the housing portions 243, 343 that house the disc portions 223, 323 inside the cylindrical portions 241, 341 of the spindle housings 240, 340 and face both surfaces of the disc portions 223, 323 of the spindles 220, 320.

[0032] The air supply passages 262 and 362 are passages provided within the spindle housings 240 and 340, and compressed air is supplied from the air supply sources 263 and 363. The air bearings 260 and 360 support the spindles 220 and 320 so that they can rotate around their axis by ejecting the compressed air supplied from the air supply sources 263 and 363 through the air supply passages 262 and 362 to the air outlets 261 and 361.

[0033] The grinding units 200 and 300 fix the grinding wheels 210 and 310 to mounts 221 and 321 provided at the lower ends of the spindles 220 and 320 using bolts or the like, and position the grinding wheels 212 and 312 of the grinding wheels 210 and 310 facing the holding surface 112 of the holding table 111. The grinding units 200 and 300 rotate the spindles 220 and 320 and the grinding wheels 210 and 310 around their axes using the spindle motors 230 and 330, and supply grinding fluid to the back surface of the workpiece 10 held on the holding table 111 at the rough grinding position 122 and the finish grinding position 123, while the grinding feed unit 120 brings the grinding wheels 212 and 312 closer to the holding table 111 at a predetermined feed speed, thereby performing rough grinding or finish grinding on the back surface of the workpiece 10.

[0034] The grinding feed unit 120 shown in Figure 1 moves the grinding units 200 and 300 in the Z-axis direction, bringing the grinding units 200 and 300 closer to and further apart from the holding table 111. In the first embodiment, the grinding feed unit 120 is mounted on an upright column 102 erected from one end of the device base 101 in the Y-axis direction parallel to the horizontal direction. The grinding feed unit 120 includes a well-known ball screw rotatably mounted around its axis, a well-known motor for rotating the ball screw around its axis, and well-known guide rails for supporting the spindle housings 240 and 340 of each grinding unit 200 and 300 so that they can move in the Z-axis direction.

[0035] In the first embodiment, the rough grinding unit 200 and the finish grinding unit 300 are arranged so that the axes of rotation of the grinding wheels 210 and 310 and the axes of rotation of the holding table 111 are spaced horizontally apart from each other and parallel to each other, and the grinding wheels 212 and 312 pass over the center of the back surface of the workpiece 10 held on the holding table 111.

[0036] The cassette mounting table 104 is on which the cassette 103 is placed. The cassette 103 is a storage container having multiple slots for accommodating multiple workpieces 10. The cassette 103 accommodates multiple workpieces 10 before and after grinding. In the first embodiment, a pair of cassette mounting tables 104 are provided, and each is equipped with a cassette 103. The cassette mounting table 104 supports the cassette 103 so that it can move up and down along the Z-axis. The alignment unit 105 is a table on which the workpieces 10 removed from the cassette 103 are temporarily placed and their center alignment is performed.

[0037] The transport unit 130 transports the workpiece 10. The transport unit 130 comprises an input unit 131, an output unit 132, and an input / output unit 133.

[0038] The loading unit 131 has a suction pad 134 at its tip for adsorbing the workpiece 10, and is formed in an arm shape that is pivotably mounted on the device base 101 with its base end as the pivot point. The loading unit 131 adsorbs and holds the workpiece 10, which has been aligned by the alignment unit 105, onto the holding table 111 located at the loading / unloading position 121.

[0039] The unloading unit 132 has a suction pad 135 at its tip for adsorbing the workpiece 10, and is formed in an arm shape that is pivotably mounted on the device base 101 with its base end as the pivot point. The unloading unit 132 adsorbs and holds the ground workpiece 10, which is located on the holding table 111 at the loading / unloading position 121, with the suction pad 135 and unloads it to the washing unit 106.

[0040] The loading / unloading unit 133 takes the workpiece 10 before grinding from the cassette 103 and transports it to the alignment unit 105, and also takes the workpiece 10 after grinding from the washing unit 106 and transports it to the cassette 103. The loading / unloading unit 133 is, for example, a robot pick equipped with a U-shaped hand, which uses the U-shaped hand to hold and transport the workpiece 10.

[0041] The cleaning unit 106 cleans the workpiece 10 after grinding and removes contaminants such as grinding debris adhering to the ground back surface.

[0042] The vibration signal generation unit 150 shown in Figures 2 and 3 generates a vibration signal corresponding to the vibration of the machining tool. The vibration signal generation unit 150 of the first embodiment is a vibration detection sensor provided at the upper ends of the spindles 220 and 320, which detects the vibration of the grinding wheels 210 and 310 and generates a vibration signal. The vibration signal generation unit 150 of the first embodiment comprises a piezoelectric element 151, a rotating coil 152, and a stationary coil 153.

[0043] The piezoelectric element 151 is installed within the spindles 220 and 320. The piezoelectric element 151 deforms due to the vibration of the spindles 220 and 320, generating a voltage corresponding to the vibration of the spindles 220 and 320. The voltage generated by the piezoelectric element 151 changes periodically due to the vibration of the spindles 220 and 320.

[0044] The rotating coil 152 and the stationary coil 153 are well-known coils. The rotating coil 152 is provided on the end face of the upper end of the spindles 220 and 320 and is connected to the piezoelectric element 151. The rotating coil 152 generates a magnetic flux that changes periodically due to the vibration of the spindles 220 and 320, due to the voltage generated by the piezoelectric element 151. The rotating coil 152 is connected to the control unit 190, and electromagnetic induction occurs between the rotating coil 152 and the control unit 190, generating an induced current that changes periodically due to the vibration of the spindles 220 and 320, due to the magnetic flux generated by the rotating coil 152. The stationary coil 153 is provided on the inner surface of the covers 242 and 342, opposite the rotating coil 152. The stationary coil 153 outputs the generated induced current to the control unit 190.

[0045] The vibration signal generation unit 150 detects the vibration of the spindles 220 and 320 by outputting an induced current, which changes periodically due to the vibration of the spindles 220 and 320, to the control unit 190 via the fixed coil 153. In this way, the vibration signal generation unit 150 is a so-called AE (Acoustic Emission) sensor that detects the vibration of the spindles 220 and 320.

[0046] The control unit 190 controls each of the above-mentioned component units that make up the processing device 100, causing the processing device 100 to perform processing operations on the workpiece 10. The control unit 190 is a computer having a processing unit with a microprocessor such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a storage device with memory such as ROM (Read Only Memory) or RAM (Random Access Memory), and an input / output interface device.

[0047] The arithmetic processing unit of the control unit 190 performs calculations according to a computer program stored in the memory device and outputs control signals for controlling the processing device 100 to the aforementioned components of the processing device 100 via the input / output interface device. The control unit 190 is also connected to a display unit consisting of a liquid crystal display device that displays the status of processing operations and images, an input unit used by the operator to register processing content information, and a notification unit that notifies the operator.

[0048] The input unit consists of at least one of the following: a touch panel provided on the display unit, and a keyboard or the like. The notification unit notifies the operator by emitting at least one of the following: sound, light, or a message on the touch panel.

[0049] Next, the processing operation of the processing device 100 will be described. In the first embodiment, the processing device 100 first places the cassette 103 containing the workpiece 10 with its back surface facing upwards on the cassette mounting base 104 of the device base 101 by the operator. The processing device 100 starts processing when the processing conditions are registered in the control unit 190 and the control unit 190 receives a start command for processing from the operator.

[0050] When the machining operation starts, the control unit 190 rotates the spindles 220 and 320 of each grinding unit 200 and 300 around their axes at the rotational speed specified by the machining conditions. The control unit 190 has the loading / unloading unit 133 take one workpiece 10 from one of the cassettes 103 and load it into the alignment unit 105, and has the alignment unit 105 perform center alignment of the workpiece 10.

[0051] Next, the control unit 190 causes the suction pad 134 of the loading unit 131 to hold the aligned workpiece 10 by suction, and loads the workpiece into the loading unit 131 onto the holding surface 112 of the holding table 111 located at the loading / unloading position 121. The control unit 190 then uses suction to hold the workpiece 10 on the holding surface 112 of the holding table 111 located at the loading / unloading position 121.

[0052] Next, the control unit 190 rotates the turntable 110 to move the holding table 111, which is holding the workpiece 10 at the loading / unloading position 121, to the rough grinding position 122. The control unit 190 rotates the holding table 111 at the rough grinding position 122 around its axis, supplies grinding fluid, and uses the grinding feed unit 120 to feed the rough grinding unit 200, thereby rough grinding the workpiece 10. After rough grinding the workpiece 10 to a predetermined thickness, the control unit 190 rotates the turntable 110 to move the holding table 111, which is holding the workpiece 10 after rough grinding, to the finish grinding position 123.

[0053] Next, the control unit 190 rotates the holding table 111 at the finish grinding position 123 around its axis, supplies grinding water, and uses the grinding feed unit 120 to feed the finish grinding unit 300, thereby performing finish grinding on the workpiece 10. After the workpiece 10 has been finish ground to a predetermined thickness, the control unit 190 rotates the turntable 110 to move the holding table 111, which is holding the finish-ground workpiece 10, to the loading / unloading position 121.

[0054] Next, the control unit 190 stops the rotation and suction holding of the holding table 111 located at the loading / unloading position 121. The control unit 190 has the workpiece 10, after finish grinding, held by the suction pad 135 of the unloading unit 132, and transports it from the holding table 111 at the loading / unloading position 121 to the washing unit 106. After the workpiece 10 is washed and dried in the washing unit 106, the control unit 190 places it into the cassette 103 in the loading / unloading unit 133.

[0055] Furthermore, each time the control unit 190 rotates the turntable 110 by 120 degrees, the processing device 100 transports the workpiece 10 from the holding table 111 at the loading / unloading position 121, which holds the workpiece 10 after finish grinding, to the washing unit 106, loads the workpiece 10 before grinding into the holding table 111 located at the loading / unloading position 121, performs rough grinding on the workpiece 10 before grinding held on the holding table 111 at the rough grinding position 122, and performs finish grinding on the workpiece 10 after rough grinding held on the holding table 111 at the finish grinding position 123.

[0056] Thus, each time the control unit 190 rotates the turntable 110 by 120 degrees, the processing device 100 washes, unloads, and loads the workpiece 10 onto the holding table 111 at the loading / unloading position 121. The processing device then positions the workpiece 10, held on the holding surface 112 of the holding table 111, sequentially to the rough grinding position 122 and the finish grinding position 123, and performs rough grinding and finish grinding in sequence. The processing device 100 terminates its processing operation when the control unit 190 has performed rough grinding and finish grinding on all the workpieces 10 in the cassette 103.

[0057] Next, the vibration signal 20 generated by the vibration signal generation unit 150 will be described. Figure 4 is a graph showing an example of the change in the intensity of the vibration signal. In the processing apparatus 100, as described above, during processing by the processing unit (grinding units 200, 300 in the first embodiment), the vibration signal generation unit 150 generates a vibration signal 20 corresponding to the vibration of the processing tool (grinding wheels 210, 310 in the first embodiment). The control unit 190 then calculates the frequency and amplitude of the vibration of the spindles 220, 320 based on the induced current from the fixed coil 153 of the vibration signal generation unit 150. In other words, the control unit 190 acquires the vibration signal generated by the vibration signal generation unit 150.

[0058] Figure 5 is a graph showing an example of the changes in the intensity of the vibration signal and the height (Z coordinate) of the workpiece during a collision. The control unit 190 controls the grinding feed unit 120 to move the grinding wheels 210, 310 and the holding table 111 in a direction that separates them, for example, as shown in Figure 5, when the vibration signal 20 exceeds a first predetermined value 30. The first predetermined value 30 shown in Figures 4 and 5 is a threshold value that is stored in advance based on the intensity of the vibration signal 21 generated when the grinding wheels 210, 310 and the holding table 111 or the workpiece 10 held on the holding table collide.

[0059] Figure 6 is a graph showing an example of the changes in the intensity of the vibration signal and the height (Z coordinate) of the machining tool during contact. In the machining apparatus 100, the origin positions of the grinding wheels 210 and 310 may be calibrated and stored in advance before starting the machining operation by the machining unit as described above. The control unit 190, for example, as shown in Figure 6, stores the positions of the grinding wheels 210 and 310 at the time the vibration signal 20 exceeds a second predetermined value 40 as the origin position. The second predetermined value 40 shown in Figures 4 and 6 is a threshold value stored in advance based on the intensity of the vibration signal 22 generated when the grinding wheels 210 and 310 come into contact with the holding table 111. The second predetermined value 40 is smaller than the first predetermined value 30.

[0060] Next, the flow of the processing method according to the first embodiment will be described. Figures 7 and 8 are flowcharts showing the flow of the processing method according to the first embodiment. The processing method described below is a method that performs predetermined processing in the processing apparatus 100 based on the vibration signal 20 generated by the vibration signal generation unit 150.

[0061] Figure 7 shows the flow of a processing method for suppressing damage caused by collision between the grinding wheels 210, 310 and the holding table 111 or the workpiece 10 held on the holding table 111 in the processing apparatus 100. The processing method shown in Figure 7 includes a first strength storage step 1, a proximity step 2, and a separation step 3.

[0062] The first intensity storage step 1 is a step of pre-storing a first predetermined value 30. The first intensity storage step 1 is performed at least before the machining operation by the machining unit is started. In the first intensity storage step 1, for example, the intensity of the vibration signal 21 generated when the grinding wheels 210, 310 are lowered at a predetermined grinding feed rate and collide with the holding table 111 or the workpiece 10 held on the holding table 111 is pre-stored as the first predetermined value 30. In this case, the workpiece 10 may be a dummy wafer or the like.

[0063] Proximity step 2 is performed in parallel with the machining operation by the machining unit, more specifically the grinding feed operation. Proximity step 2 is a step in which the holding table 111 and the machining tool (in the first embodiment, the grinding wheels 210, 310) are brought relatively close together while monitoring the vibration signal 20 generated by the vibration signal generation unit 150.

[0064] Separation step 3 is a step in which the machining tool and the holding table 111 are relatively separated when the vibration signal 20 monitored in proximity step 2 exceeds a first predetermined value 30. In other words, in separation step 3, if the vibration signal 20 exceeds the first predetermined value 30, it is determined that the machining tool and the holding table 111 or the workpiece 10 held on the holding table 111 have collided. Separation step 3 prevents the spindle 220 from penetrating the holding table 111 below the point of collision, thus avoiding a fatal failure of the machining apparatus 100.

[0065] Figure 8 shows the flow of a processing method for calibrating the origin positions of the grinding wheels 210 and 310 in the processing apparatus 100. The processing method shown in Figure 8 includes a second strength storage step 4 and an origin storage step 5.

[0066] The second intensity storage step 4 is a step of pre-storing a second predetermined value 40. The second intensity storage step 4 is performed at least before the machining operation by the machining unit is started. In the second intensity storage step 4, for example, the intensity of the vibration signal 22 generated when the grinding wheels 210, 310 are slowly lowered at a predetermined speed slower than the grinding feed rate and brought into contact with the holding table 111 is pre-stored as the second predetermined value 40.

[0067] Origin memory step 5 is performed, for example, before starting a series of machining operations by the machining unit. Origin memory step 5 is a step in which, if the vibration signal 20 exceeds a second predetermined value 40, the position of the machining tool at the time the second predetermined value 40 is exceeded is stored in advance as the origin position. In other words, in origin memory step 5, if the vibration signal 20 exceeds the second predetermined value 40, it is determined that the machining tool and the holding table 111 have come into contact.

[0068] In the second strength memory step 4 and origin memory step 5, the grinding wheels 210 and 310 are brought into contact with the outer circumference of the holding table 111. Alternatively, they may be brought into contact with a known height relationship with the holding surface 112 of the holding table 111, such as a sub-chuck.

[0069] The first strength storage step 1 shown in Figure 7 and the second strength storage step 4 shown in Figure 8 may reuse values ​​used in other processing devices 100, for example, if the model of the processing device 100, the configuration of the holding table 111 and processing units 200 and 300 are the same. The origin storage step 5 shown in Figure 8 is performed at the timing to calibrate the deviation of the origin position, such as wear or replacement of the holding table 111 (porous material) or wear or replacement of the grinding wheel (processing tool).

[0070] [Second Embodiment] A cutting apparatus according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described based on the drawings. Figure 9 is a schematic perspective view showing an example of the configuration of the processing apparatus according to the second embodiment. Figure 10 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the configuration of the processing unit of the processing apparatus shown in Figure 9. Figure 11 is an exploded perspective view showing the vibration signal generation unit of the processing unit of the processing apparatus shown in Figure 9.

[0071] The processing apparatus 400 according to the second embodiment is a cutting apparatus that cuts a workpiece 10. In the second embodiment, the workpiece 10 that is the target of processing by the processing apparatus 400 shown in Figure 9 is, for example, a disc-shaped semiconductor wafer or optical device wafer with a substrate of silicon, sapphire, gallium arsenide, or silicon carbide, and may be the same as the target of processing for the processing apparatus 100 according to the first embodiment. The processing apparatus 400 shown in Figure 9 may cut a rectangular package substrate having a plurality of resin-sealed devices, a ceramic plate, or a glass plate as the workpiece 10.

[0072] As shown in Figure 9, the processing apparatus 400 includes a holding table 410, an X-axis moving unit, a Y-axis moving unit 420, a Z-axis moving unit 430 (corresponding to a moving unit), a cutting unit 500 (corresponding to a processing unit), a cassette elevator 401, a cleaning unit 403, an imaging unit 404, a vibration signal generation unit 440, and a control unit 490.

[0073] The holding table 410 has a holding surface 411 on which the workpiece 10 is placed. The holding surface 411 is a disc shape formed from a porous material such as porous ceramic. The holding surface 411 of the holding table 410 is connected to a suction source (not shown) via the porous material, and the workpiece 10 placed on the holding surface 411 is held in place by suction from the suction source. The holding table 410 is also movable by an X-axis movement unit (not shown) and rotated around an axis parallel to the vertical Z-axis direction by a rotation drive source (not shown). The rotation drive source is moved by the X-axis movement unit in the X-axis direction parallel to the horizontal direction.

[0074] The X-axis movement unit is a machining feed unit that moves the holding table 410 in the X-axis direction, which is the machining feed direction parallel to the holding surface 411, thereby feeding the holding table 410 and the cutting unit 500 relatively along the X-axis direction. The Y-axis movement unit 420 is an indexing feed unit that moves the cutting unit 500 in the Y-axis direction, which is the indexing feed direction parallel to the holding surface 411 and perpendicular to the X-axis direction, thereby feeding the holding table 410 and the cutting unit 500 relatively along the Y-axis direction. The Z-axis movement unit 430 is a cutting feed unit that moves the cutting unit 500 in the Z-axis direction, which is the cutting feed direction perpendicular to the holding surface 411, thereby feeding the holding table 410 and the cutting unit 500 relatively along the Z-axis direction.

[0075] The X-axis moving unit, Y-axis moving unit 420, and Z-axis moving unit 430 each include well-known ball screws 421, 431 rotatably mounted around their axes, a well-known pulse motor 432 for rotating the ball screws 421, 431 around their axes, and well-known guide rails 423, 433 for supporting the holding table 410 or cutting unit 500 so that it can move in the X-axis, Y-axis, or Z-axis direction.

[0076] The cutting unit 500 is a unit that cuts (processes) the workpiece 10 held on the holding table 410 with a cutting blade 510 while supplying cutting fluid to the workpiece 10. As shown in Figures 9 and 10, the cutting unit 500 comprises a cutting blade 510 (corresponding to a machining tool), a spindle 520, a housing 530, a first flange member 540, and an annular second flange member 550.

[0077] The cutting blade 510 is a so-called hub blade, fixed to the outer circumference of a disc-shaped support base 511, and includes an annular cutting edge 512 for cutting the workpiece 10. The cutting edge 512 is made of abrasive grains such as diamond or CBN and a bonding material (binder) such as metal or resin, and is formed to a predetermined thickness. Alternatively, a washer blade consisting only of the cutting edge 512 may be used as the cutting blade 510.

[0078] The cutting blade 510 is mounted on the tip of the spindle 520, which will be described later. The cutting blade 510 passes through the cylindrical portion 541 of the first flange member 540, which will be described later. The cutting blade 510 is placed on top of the surface of the flange portion 542, which will be described later. The cutting blade 510 is clamped between the first flange member 540 and the second flange member 550 by screwing the second flange member 550, which will be described later, onto the outer circumference of the cylindrical portion 541.

[0079] The spindle 520 is rotatably supported in the housing 530, which will be described later. One end of the spindle 520 protrudes outward from one end of the housing body 531, which will be described later. A motor (not shown) for rotating the spindle 520 is connected to the other end of the spindle 520. In addition, a first flange member 540, which will be described later, is attached to the outer circumference of one end of the spindle 520.

[0080] The housing 530 comprises a roughly rectangular cylindrical housing body 531 that is movable in the Z direction by a Z-axis movement unit 430, and an annular housing cover 532 fixed to one end of the housing body 531. The housing body 531 houses the spindle 520 so that it can rotate around its axis. A circular opening 533 is formed in the center of the housing cover 532, through which one end of the spindle 520 passes. The housing cover 532 is fixed to one end of the housing body 531 by a screw 534.

[0081] The first flange member 540 and the second flange member 550 support the cutting blade 510 and are made of metal. The first flange member 540 comprises a cylindrical portion 541 attached to the outer circumference of one end of the spindle 520, and a flange portion 542 extending radially outward from the outer surface of the cylindrical portion 541. A recess 544 is provided on the surface 543 of the flange portion 542 facing the housing cover 532. The first flange member 540 is fixed to the spindle 520 by fitting one end of the spindle 520 into the cylindrical portion 541 and screwing a bolt 562 that passes through a washer 561 into the end of the spindle 520.

[0082] The first flange member 540 and the second flange member 550 grip the cutting blade 510 between them, and the first flange member 540 is fixed to one end of the spindle 520, while the second flange member 550 is fixed to the first flange member 540, thereby forming a mount that fixes the cutting blade 510 to the spindle 520.

[0083] The cassette elevator 401 shown in Figure 9 carries a cassette 402 that contains the workpiece 10 before and after cutting, and moves the cassette 402 in the Z-axis direction. The cleaning unit 403 cleans the workpiece 10 after it has been cut by the cutting unit 500. The processing apparatus 400 also includes a transport unit (not shown) that loads and unloads the workpiece 10 into and out of the cassette 402 and transports the workpiece 10.

[0084] The imaging unit 404 shown in Figure 9 images the surface of the workpiece 10 held on the holding table 410. The imaging unit 404 is fixed so as to move integrally with the cutting unit 500. The imaging unit 404 is, for example, a CCD camera. The imaging unit 404, for example, images the surface of the workpiece 10 held on the holding table 410 before cutting to obtain an image for performing alignment to position the workpiece 10 and the cutting blade 510, and outputs the obtained image to the control unit 490.

[0085] The vibration signal generation unit 440 shown in Figures 9 to 11 generates a vibration signal corresponding to the vibration of the machining tool. It is formed in the first flange member 540 of the second embodiment and generates a vibration signal corresponding to the vibration of the cutting blade 510. The vibration signal generation unit 440 is located in a hole 570 that opens at the bottom of a recess 544 in the flange portion 542 of the first flange member 540. The hole 570 in which the vibration signal generation unit 440 is located has a bottom 571, with the second flange member 550 side being closed by the base material constituting the first flange member 540. The planar shape of the hole 570 is formed to be circular.

[0086] The vibration signal generation unit 440 includes a pair of electrode terminals 441 and 442, a piezoelectric element 450, wiring 460, an insulating section 470, and a transmission section 480.

[0087] The electrode terminals 441 and 442 convert vibrations into electrical signals. The electrode terminals 441 and 442 are made of metal. One electrode terminal 441 is provided on one bottom surface 451 of the piezoelectric element 450 and is formed in a circular shape. The other electrode terminal 442 is provided on the other bottom surface 452 of the piezoelectric element 450 and is formed in a circular shape with a notch 443 formed in part of it.

[0088] The piezoelectric element 450 is formed in a columnar shape consisting of two bottom surfaces 451, 452 and a side surface 453 connected to the bottom surfaces 451, 452, and is provided sandwiched between a pair of electrode terminals 441, 442. In the second embodiment, the bottom surfaces 451, 452 of the piezoelectric element 450 are formed in a circular cylindrical shape, but the shape of the piezoelectric element 450 is not limited to a cylindrical shape. The outer diameter of the piezoelectric element 450 is smaller than the inner diameter of the hole 570.

[0089] The piezoelectric element 450 is made of ceramics such as barium titanate (BaTiO3), lead zirconate titanate (Pb(Zi,Ti)O3), lithium niobate (LiNbO3), or lithium tantalate (LiTaO3). The piezoelectric element 450 is polarized in advance by applying a DC electric field (e.g., several kV / mm) to a pair of electrode terminals 441 and 442. The polarization axis direction 600 of the piezoelectric element 450 is in the direction connecting the two bottom surfaces 451 and 452. The piezoelectric element 450 is housed in the hole 570 with the axial direction of the cutting unit 500 parallel to the polarization axis direction 600. The piezoelectric element 450 is subjected to pressure in the direction that brings the bottom surfaces 451 and 452 closer together due to the vibration of the cutting blade 510. When pressure is applied to the bottom surfaces 451 and 452 of the piezoelectric element 450 in a direction that brings them closer together, the piezoelectric element 450 generates a surface charge on the bottom surfaces 451 and 452 corresponding to the pressure. When pressure is applied to the bottom surfaces 451 and 452 in a direction that brings them closer together, the piezoelectric element 450 generates a surface charge on the bottom surfaces 451 and 452 corresponding to the pressure, thereby detecting vibrations in the direction connecting the two bottom surfaces 451 and 452. In this way, the piezoelectric element 450 detects vibrations of the cutting blade 510 in the direction connecting the two bottom surfaces 451 and 452 and converts them into a voltage (also called a vibration signal or electrical signal).

[0090] The wiring 460 comprises a first wiring 461 connected to one electrode terminal 441 and a second wiring 462 connected to the other electrode terminal 442. The first wiring 461 and the second wiring 462 are made of conductive metal and are electrically insulated from each other. The first wiring 461 is connected to one electrode terminal 441 and comprises a foil portion 463 located on the side surface 453 and within the notch 443 of the other electrode terminal 442 on the bottom surface 452, and a terminal portion 464 extending from the foil portion 463 toward the housing cover 532. The second wiring 462 comprises a terminal portion 465 extending from the other electrode terminal 442 toward the housing cover 532. The wiring 460 is connected to the first coil 481 and the second coil 482 of the transmission unit 480, which will be described later.

[0091] The insulating section 470 electrically insulates the pair of electrode terminals 441 and 442, the piezoelectric element 450, and the wiring 460 from the surroundings. The insulating section 470 comprises a resin ring 471, an insulating ceramic 472, and a molded resin 473.

[0092] The resin ring 471 is made of an electrically insulating synthetic resin. The resin ring 471 is formed in a cylindrical shape. The resin ring 471 is attached to the outer circumference of the piezoelectric element 450 and inserted inside the hole 570 to electrically insulate the piezoelectric element 450 mainly from the first flange member 540.

[0093] The insulating ceramic 472 is formed in the shape of a disc of constant thickness. The outer diameter of the insulating ceramic 472 is equal to the outer diameter of the piezoelectric element 450. The insulating ceramic 472 is made of a material with higher rigidity than synthetic resin, and in the second embodiment, it is made of the same material as the piezoelectric element 450. The insulating ceramic 472 is not polarized, as no DC electric field has been applied to it beforehand. The insulating ceramic 472 is positioned between the bottom 571 of the hole 570 and one electrode terminal 441 provided on the piezoelectric element 450, and is in close contact with them. For this reason, one electrode terminal 441 of the piezoelectric element 450 is in close contact with the bottom 571 of the hole 570 provided on the first flange member 540 via the insulating ceramic 472, and the bottom surface 451 of the piezoelectric element 450 is in close contact with the insulating ceramic 472 via one electrode terminal 441. The insulating ceramic 472 is placed between the bottom 571 of the hole 570 and one electrode terminal 441 provided on the piezoelectric element 450, and primarily electrically insulates the piezoelectric element 450 from the first flange member 540.

[0094] The molded resin 473 is made of an insulating synthetic resin and is embedded in the recess 544, covering the terminal portions 464, 465 and the first coil 481 described later. The molded resin 473, embedded in the recess 544, electrically insulates the terminal portions 464, 465 of the wiring 460 and the first coil 481 from the first flange member 540.

[0095] The transmission unit 480 includes a first coil 481 and a second coil 482 connected to terminals 464 and 465 of the wiring 460, which transmit vibration signals to the control unit 490. In the second embodiment, the first coil 481 and the second coil 482 are annular coils around which a conductor is wound. The first coil 481 is fixed in a recess 544 of the first flange member 540, and the second coil 482 is fixed to the housing cover 532.

[0096] The first coil 481 and the second coil 482 are positioned opposite each other at a predetermined distance and are magnetically coupled. Therefore, the voltage generated by the vibration signal generation unit 440 is transmitted to the second coil 482 through mutual induction between the first coil 481 and the second coil 482. The second coil 482 is connected to the control unit 490.

[0097] The vibration signal generation unit 440 detects the vibration of the spindle 520 by outputting a voltage to the control unit 490 from a piezoelectric element 450, which is periodically deformed by the vibration of the spindle 520 via a second coil 482. In this way, the vibration signal generation unit 440 is a so-called AE sensor that detects the vibration of the spindle 520.

[0098] The control unit 490 controls each of the above-mentioned units that constitute the processing apparatus 400, causing the processing apparatus 400 to perform processing operations on the workpiece 10. The control unit 490 may be a computer similar to the control unit 190 of the first embodiment, and a description of its configuration will be omitted.

[0099] Next, the processing operation of the processing device 400 will be described. In the second embodiment, in the processing device 400, first, the operator places the cassette 402 containing the workpiece 10 with its surface facing upward into the cassette elevator 401. The processing device 400 starts processing when the processing conditions are registered in the control unit 490 and the control unit 490 receives a start instruction from the operator.

[0100] When the machining operation starts, the control unit 490 rotates the spindle 520 of the cutting unit 500 around its axis at a rotational speed determined by the machining conditions. The control unit 490 has a transport unit (not shown) take one workpiece 10 from the cassette 402 and load it onto the holding table 410, and then holds the workpiece 10 by suction on the holding surface 411 of the holding table 410.

[0101] Next, the control unit 490 supplies cutting fluid and moves or rotates the holding table 410 using the X-axis moving unit and rotary drive source, and moves the cutting unit 500 using the Y-axis moving unit 420 and Z-axis moving unit 430 to cut the workpiece 10 along the planned division lines. Once all the planned division lines have been cut, the machining device 400 terminates the cutting process.

[0102] Next, the control unit 490 stops the rotation and suction holding of the holding table 410. The control unit 490 then has the transport unit transport the workpiece 10 after machining from the holding table 410 to the washing unit 403. After the workpiece 10 is washed and dried in the washing unit 403, the control unit 490 has the transport unit place it into the cassette 402.

[0103] In the processing apparatus 400 of the second embodiment, as described above, during processing by the processing unit (cutting unit 500 in the second embodiment), the vibration signal generation unit 440 generates a vibration signal 20 (see Figure 4, etc.) corresponding to the vibration of the processing tool (cutting blade 510 in the second embodiment). The control unit 490 then calculates the frequency and amplitude of the vibration of the spindle 520 based on the voltage caused by the deformation of the piezoelectric element 450 of the vibration signal generation unit 440. In other words, the control unit 490 acquires the vibration signal 20 generated by the vibration signal generation unit 440.

[0104] In the processing apparatus 400, the processing method for suppressing damage caused by collision between the cutting blade 510 and the holding table 410 or the workpiece 10 held on the holding table 410 is the same as the processing method of the first embodiment shown in Figure 7, so the explanation is omitted. Also, in the processing apparatus 400, the processing method for calibrating the origin position of the cutting blade 510 is the same as the processing method of the first embodiment shown in Figure 8, so the explanation is omitted.

[0105] [Other embodiments] It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above. That is, it can be implemented with various modifications without departing from the core principles of the present invention.

[0106] For example, the location where the vibration signal generation units 150 and 440 are provided is not limited to the embodiment. In the grinding apparatus of the first embodiment, the vibration signal generation unit 150 is provided between the upper ends of the spindles 220 and 320 and the spindle housings 240 and 340, but it may also be provided between the upper surfaces of the mounts 221 and 321 and the lower surfaces of the spindle housings 240 and 340. In this case, since the AE sensor is closer to the machining point, it is expected that vibrations can be detected more precisely.

[0107] Furthermore, the control units 190 and 490 that perform separation step 3 are not limited to computers, but may also be signal processing boards that control the motors that rotate the spindles 220, 320, and 520. That is, if the control units 190 and 490 are computers, the control units 190 and 490 perform a Fourier transform on the vibration signals acquired from the vibration signal generation units 150 and 440, and determine whether the vibration intensity exceeds a first predetermined value 30 based on the amplitude spectrum.

[0108] On the other hand, if the control units 190 and 490 are signal processing boards, the control units 190 and 490 determine whether the vibration intensity exceeds a first predetermined value of 30 based on the raw vibration signal data acquired from the vibration signal generation units 150 and 440. In this case, the control units 190 and 490, which are signal processing boards, can control the separation between the machining tool and the holding tables 111 and 410 at a faster speed by outputting a signal (standby signal) that electrically reverses the rotation of the motors of the spindles 220, 320, and 520, and the moving units (grinding feed unit 120, X-axis moving unit, and Z-axis moving unit 430).

[0109] [Effects of the Embodiment] As described above, the processing apparatus 100,400 according to the embodiment uses vibration signal generation units 150,440 (AE sensors) disposed on the spindles 220,320,520 to observe vibrations when the processing tool (grinding wheel 210,310, cutting blade 510) collides with the holding table 111,410 or the workpiece 10. If vibrations exceeding a first predetermined value of 30 are detected, the spindles 220,320,520 and the holding table 111,410 are separated.

[0110] As a result, although a collision occurs when the first predetermined value of 30 is exceeded, the spindles 220, 320, and 520 do not penetrate the holding tables 111 and 410 any further, thereby suppressing damage to the spindles 220, 320, and 520 and the machining tools, and preventing fatal failures of the machining equipment 100 and 400.

[0111] Furthermore, the processing apparatus 100,400 according to the embodiment uses vibration signal generation units 150,440 (AE sensors) disposed on the spindles 220,320,520 to observe vibrations when the processing tool (grinding wheel 210,310, cutting blade 510) comes into contact with the holding table 111,410 or the workpiece 10. If vibrations exceeding a second predetermined value of 40 are detected, the position of the processing tool at the time the second predetermined value of 40 is exceeded is stored in advance as the origin position. This makes setup possible without using block gauges. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0112] 10 Workpiece 20, 21, 22 Vibration signals 30 First predetermined value 40 Second predetermined value 100,400 Processing equipment 111,410 retention tables 150,440 Vibration signal generation unit 190 Control Unit 200 Rough grinding unit (grinding unit, processing unit) 300 Finishing grinding unit (grinding unit, processing unit) 500 Cutting Units (Processing Units) 210,310 Grinding Wheels (Machining Tools) 510 Cutting Blades (Machining Tools) 220, 320, 520 spindles

Claims

1. A processing device, A holding table for holding the workpiece, A processing unit for processing a workpiece held on the holding table, A moving unit that moves the holding table and the processing unit in directions toward and away from each other, Control unit and Equipped with, The processing unit is, Spindle and, A machining tool mounted on the end of the spindle and rotating in conjunction with the rotation of the spindle, It has, The system further includes a vibration signal generation unit that generates vibration signals corresponding to the vibrations of the processing tool, The control unit is, If the vibration signal generated by the vibration signal generation unit exceeds a first predetermined value, The moving unit separates the machining tool and the holding table relative to each other. A processing apparatus characterized by the following features.

2. A processing device, A holding table for holding the workpiece, A processing unit for processing a workpiece held on the holding table, A moving unit that moves the holding table and the processing unit in directions toward and away from each other, Control unit and Equipped with, The processing unit is, Spindle and, A machining tool mounted on the end of the spindle and rotating in conjunction with the rotation of the spindle, It has, The system further includes a vibration signal generation unit that generates vibration signals corresponding to the vibrations of the processing tool, The control unit is, If the vibration signal generated by the vibration signal generation unit exceeds a second predetermined value, The position of the machining tool at the point when the second predetermined value is exceeded is stored in advance as the origin position. The processing apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that

3. A holding table for holding the workpiece, A machining unit comprising a spindle and a machining tool attached to the end of the spindle and rotating in conjunction with the rotation of the spindle, for machining a workpiece held on a holding table, A moving unit that moves the holding table and the processing unit in directions toward and away from each other, A vibration signal generation unit that generates a vibration signal corresponding to the vibration of the processing tool, In a processing apparatus equipped with, A processing method for performing a predetermined process in a processing apparatus based on a vibration signal generated by the vibration signal generation unit, A first intensity storage step involves pre-storing the intensity of a vibration signal generated when the machining tool and the holding table or the workpiece held on the holding table collide as a first predetermined value. A proximity step in which the holding table and the machining tool are brought relatively close together while monitoring the vibration signal generated by the vibration signal generation unit, If the vibration signal exceeds the first predetermined value, a separation step is taken to move the machining tool and the holding table apart relative to each other. including A processing method characterized by the following.

4. A holding table for holding the workpiece, A machining unit comprising a spindle and a machining tool attached to the end of the spindle and rotating in conjunction with the rotation of the spindle, for machining a workpiece held on a holding table, A moving unit that moves the holding table and the processing unit in directions toward and away from each other, A vibration signal generation unit that generates a vibration signal corresponding to the vibration of the processing tool, In a processing apparatus equipped with, A processing method for performing a predetermined process in a processing apparatus based on a vibration signal generated by the vibration signal generation unit, A second intensity storage step involves pre-storing the intensity of the vibration signal generated when the processing tool and the holding table come into contact as a second predetermined value. If the vibration signal exceeds the second predetermined value, the origin storage step involves pre-storing the position of the machining tool at the time the second predetermined value was exceeded as the origin position. including A processing method characterized by the following.

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