Processing equipment

Abstract

To promptly detect a failure of operation that is executed by a carrying-out / in unit.SOLUTION: A processing device comprises: a cassette table on which a storage cassette is placed; a carrying-out / in unit that carries out and carries in a work-piece unit, between a temporary placement region and the storage cassette; a holding table comprising a holding surface for holding the work-piece unit; a processing unit that processes a work-piece included in the work-piece unit; and a control unit. The carrying-out / in unit comprises a moving body, a gripping part, provided in the moving body, which grips an outer periphery part of the work-piece unit, and a moving mechanism with a motor which moves the moving body. The control unit comprises a load detecting part, connected to the carrying-out / in unit, which detects a load acting on the motor, and a determining part that determines whether the work-piece unit is moving or not, on the basis of the load acting on the motor detected by the load detecting part when activating the motor to move the moving body.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a processing apparatus for processing a plate-shaped workpiece such as a semiconductor wafer.

Background Art

[0002] Device chips used in electronic devices such as mobile phones and computers are formed by grinding a wafer on which a plurality of devices are arranged side by side on the front surface from the back surface to thin it, and then dividing the wafer for each device. The grinding of the workpiece is performed by a grinding apparatus equipped with a grinding wheel arranged in an annular shape. Further, for dividing a plate-shaped workpiece such as a wafer, for example, a cutting apparatus equipped with an annular cutting blade or a laser processing apparatus that irradiates the workpiece with a laser beam for laser processing is used.

[0003] Processing apparatuses such as a grinding apparatus, a cutting apparatus, and a laser processing apparatus include a chuck table (holding table) for holding a workpiece and a processing unit for processing the workpiece held by the chuck table. An accommodation cassette in which a plurality of workpieces are accommodated is carried into the processing apparatus. The processing apparatus pulls out each workpiece from the accommodation cassette to a temporary placement area, conveys it to the chuck table, processes it with the processing unit, washes it with a washing unit, returns it to the temporary placement area, and accommodates it in the accommodation cassette. (See Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2)

[0004] The unloading of the workpiece from the accommodation cassette to the temporary placement area and the loading of the workpiece from the temporary placement area to the accommodation cassette are performed by a loading / unloading unit provided in the processing apparatus. The loading / unloading unit has a moving body that moves between the cassette and the temporary placement area and a gripping portion provided on the side of the moving body facing the accommodation cassette.

[0005] When removing a workpiece from the storage cassette, the moving body approaches the storage cassette, the workpiece stored in the storage cassette is gripped by the gripping part, and the moving body moves away from the storage cassette toward the temporary storage area. When the gripping part releases its grip on the workpiece in this state, the workpiece is pulled out from the storage cassette to the temporary storage area. Conversely, when storing a workpiece placed in the temporary storage area into the storage cassette, the moving body moves toward the storage cassette, pushing the workpiece into the storage cassette. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 11-204461 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2001-110756 [Overview of the Initiative] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0007] The loading / unloading unit may occasionally fail to retrieve workpieces stored in the storage cassette to the temporary storage area. For example, a workpiece that should be in the storage cassette may not be present, and the gripping part of the loading / unloading unit may not be able to grip it. Alternatively, the gripping part of the unit may fail to grasp a workpiece stored in the storage cassette, and the workpiece may be left behind when the moving unit begins to move to the temporary storage area.

[0008] Conversely, the loading / unloading unit may occasionally fail to push workpieces placed in the temporary storage area into the storage cassette. For example, a workpiece that should have been processed and returned to the temporary storage area may not be present in the temporary storage area, preventing the loading / unloading unit from pushing it into the storage cassette.

[0009] If the loading / unloading unit fails to pull the workpiece out of the storage cassette or push the workpiece into the storage cassette, and the processing device continues to operate as planned, damage may occur to some components of the processing device or to the workpiece. Therefore, it is desirable that failures be detected as quickly as possible when they occur.

[0010] This invention has been made in view of the above problems, and its objective is to provide a processing device that can quickly detect failures in operations performed by the loading / unloading unit. [Means for solving the problem]

[0011] According to one aspect of the present invention, a processing apparatus is provided comprising: a cassette table on which a storage cassette for accommodating a workpiece unit containing a workpiece is placed; an loading / unloading unit for loading and unloading the workpiece unit between a temporary storage area for temporarily placing the workpiece unit and the storage cassette; a holding table having a holding surface for holding the workpiece unit; a processing unit for processing the workpiece contained in the workpiece unit held by the holding table; and a control unit, wherein the loading / unloading unit comprises a movable body, a gripping portion provided on the side of the movable body facing the cassette table for gripping the outer periphery of the workpiece unit, and a moving mechanism equipped with a motor for moving the movable body between the cassette table and the temporary storage area; and the control unit is connected to the loading / unloading unit and comprises a load detection unit for detecting the load applied to the motor, and a determination unit for determining whether or not the workpiece unit is moving based on the load applied to the motor detected by the load detection unit when the motor is operated to move the movable body.

[0012] Preferably, the determination unit of the control unit performs the determination when the loading / unloading unit loads the workpiece unit from the storage cassette placed on the cassette table.

[0013] Preferably, the determination unit of the control unit performs the determination when the loading / unloading unit loads the workpiece unit into the storage cassette placed on the cassette table.

[0014] Preferably, when the determination unit of the control unit determines that the workpiece unit is moving, it further determines the type of workpiece based on the load applied to the motor.

[0015] Preferably, the workpiece unit consists only of the workpiece, and the gripping portion of the loading / unloading unit is capable of gripping the workpiece.

[0016] Alternatively, preferably, the workpiece unit includes the workpiece, a sheet disposed on the workpiece, and a frame disposed on the outer periphery of the sheet, wherein the gripping portion of the loading / unloading unit is capable of gripping the frame. [Effects of the Invention]

[0017] A processing apparatus according to one aspect of the present invention comprises a loading / unloading unit that includes a moving body, a gripping part provided on the moving body, and a motor for moving the moving body. The load on the motor differs significantly depending on whether the workpiece (workpiece unit) is being moved by the loading / unloading unit or not. Therefore, the determination unit of the control unit can immediately determine whether or not the workpiece is being moved based on the load on the motor when the motor is activated to move the moving body.

[0018] For example, if the load on the motor is less than the expected load when the loading / unloading unit is performing the operation of pulling a workpiece out of the storage cassette, it can be determined that the workpiece has not moved. Similarly, if the load on the motor is less than the expected load when the loading / unloading unit is performing the operation of pushing a workpiece into the storage cassette, it can be determined that the workpiece has not moved. If it is determined that the workpiece has not moved, it is detected that the operation performed by the loading / unloading unit has failed.

[0019] Therefore, according to one aspect of the present invention, a processing apparatus capable of quickly detecting a failure of an operation performed by a loading / unloading unit is provided.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0020] [Figure 1] It is a perspective view schematically showing a processing apparatus. [Figure 2] It is a perspective view schematically showing a storage cassette and a temporary placement area. [Figure 3] It is a perspective view schematically showing a guide rail moving mechanism and a loading / unloading unit. [Figure 4] It is a side view schematically showing a loading / unloading unit. [Figure 5] FIG. 5(A) is a side view schematically showing a loading / unloading unit for unloading a workpiece unit from a storage cassette, and FIG. 5(B) is a side view schematically showing a loading / unloading unit for loading a workpiece unit into a storage cassette.

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0021] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. First, the workpiece to be processed in the processing apparatus according to the present embodiment will be described. FIG. 1 includes a perspective view schematically showing a workpiece 1.

[0022] The workpiece 1 is, for example, a substantially disk-shaped substrate made of a material such as Si (silicon), SiC (silicon carbide), GaN (gallium nitride), GaAs (gallium arsenide), or other semiconductors, or a material such as sapphire, glass, quartz, etc.

[0023] The surface of the workpiece 1 is divided by a grid of planned division lines (not shown). Furthermore, devices such as ICs (Integrated Circuits) and LSIs (Large Scale Integrations) (not shown) are formed in each region of the workpiece 1's surface divided by these lines. By thinning the workpiece 1 using the processing apparatus and dividing it along the planned division lines, individual device chips are formed. However, the workpiece processed in the processing apparatus according to this embodiment is not limited to this.

[0024] Before the workpiece 1 is loaded into the processing device, the workpiece 1, the sheet 9, and the frame 7 are integrated to form a workpiece unit (frame unit) 11. The workpiece 1 is loaded into the processing device in the form of the workpiece unit 11 and processed. The individual device chips formed are supported by the sheet 9. Subsequently, the sheet 9 expands outward, widening the spacing between the device chips, and the device chips are picked up.

[0025] The annular frame 7 is formed of a material such as metal and has an opening 7a with a diameter larger than the diameter of the workpiece 1. When forming the workpiece unit 11, the workpiece 1 is positioned within the opening 7a of the frame 7 and housed in the opening 7a.

[0026] The sheet 9 has a diameter larger than the opening 7a of the frame 7. The sheet 9 is a tape called a dicing tape, which comprises, for example, a base layer and an adhesive layer formed on the base layer. The sheet 9 is attached to the frame 7 and the back surface 1b of the workpiece 1 by the adhesive force generated by the adhesive layer. Alternatively, instead of the dicing tape, a resin sheet such as a polyolefin sheet or a polyester sheet without an adhesive layer may be used. The resin sheet is heat-pressed to the workpiece 1 and the frame 7.

[0027] Polyolefin sheets are polymer sheets synthesized using alkenes as monomers, such as polyethylene sheets, polypropylene sheets, or polystyrene sheets. Polyester sheets are polymer sheets synthesized using dicarboxylic acids (compounds having two carboxyl groups) and diols (compounds having two hydroxyl groups) as monomers, such as polyethylene terephthalate sheets or polyethylene naphthalate sheets.

[0028] However, the workpiece 1 processed by the processing apparatus according to this embodiment does not need to be integrated with the sheet 9 and the frame 7. That is, the workpiece unit may consist only of the workpiece 1. A workpiece unit consisting only of the workpiece 1 may have protective tape attached to one side of the workpiece 1, or it may not have protective tape attached.

[0029] The following description will focus on the case where the workpiece 1 is brought into the processing apparatus as a workpiece unit 11, which includes the workpiece 1, a sheet 9 placed on the workpiece 1, and a frame 7 placed on the outer periphery of the sheet 9, and the processing apparatus processes the workpiece 1 in this state. However, the processing apparatus according to this embodiment is not limited to this.

[0030] Next, a processing apparatus for processing the workpiece 1 will be described. When dividing the workpiece 1 along the planned division line, for example, a cutting apparatus equipped with an annular cutting blade is used. Alternatively, a laser processing apparatus is used that laser-processes the workpiece 1 by irradiating it with a laser beam along the planned division line. In addition, the workpiece 1 is thinned by grinding from the back side with a grinding apparatus. The processing apparatus described below will be based on the example of a cutting apparatus in this embodiment, but the processing apparatus in this embodiment is not limited to a cutting apparatus.

[0031] Figure 1 is a schematic perspective view of a cutting device (processing device) 2, which is an example of a processing device according to this embodiment. As shown in Figure 1, a cassette table 6 on which a storage cassette 13 is placed is provided at the corner of the base 4 of the cutting device 2. The cassette table 6 can be raised and lowered in the vertical direction (Z-axis direction) by a lifting mechanism (not shown). In Figure 1, the outline of the storage cassette 13 placed on the cassette table 6 is shown by a dashed line.

[0032] Here, a storage cassette 13 capable of accommodating multiple workpieces 1 (workpiece units 11) will be described using Figure 2. Figure 2 schematically shows a perspective view of the storage cassette 13. The storage cassette 13 has a box-shaped housing 15. Inside the housing 15, the storage cassette 13 has a storage space 17 that is wider than the width of the workpieces 1 (workpiece units 11). The storage cassette 13 can accommodate multiple workpieces 1 arranged vertically (in the Z-axis direction) in the storage space 17.

[0033] The front of the housing 15 of the storage cassette 13 is provided with an opening 19 that opens the storage space 17 to the outside. The workpiece 1 is loaded into and out of the storage cassette 13 through the opening 19. Therefore, the width of the opening 19 is greater than the width of the workpiece 1 (workpiece unit 11). Multiple support grooves 21 are formed on the inner surfaces of a pair of side walls 15a adjacent to the opening 19 of the storage cassette 13 to support the ends of the workpiece 1 (frame 7).

[0034] Multiple support grooves 21 are formed at the same height on each of the pair of side walls 15a. On the inner surfaces of each pair of side walls 15a, the support grooves 21 that are adjacent to each other vertically are arranged at a constant interval 23. When the workpiece 1 is placed in the storage cassette 13, it is inserted into one of the support grooves 21 formed on one of the side walls 15a, and also into the support groove 21 on the other side wall 15a, which is formed at the same height as the support groove 21 on the first side wall 15a.

[0035] In other words, the workpiece 1 (workpiece unit 11) is housed in the storage space 17 of the storage cassette 13 with the frame 7 supported by a pair of corresponding support grooves 21 formed in each side wall 15a. The storage cassette 13 can accommodate as many workpieces 1 as there are pairs of support grooves 21 arranged vertically in each side wall 15a.

[0036] For example, each side wall 15a is provided with 25 support grooves 21 spaced 10 mm apart vertically 23. In this case, the storage cassette 13 can accommodate 25 workpieces 1. However, the storage cassette 13 does not necessarily have to be filled to its maximum capacity with workpieces 1, and some of the support grooves 21 do not need to have workpieces 1 on them.

[0037] The unloading of the workpiece 1 (workpiece unit 11) from the storage cassette 13 is performed by the unloading / receiving unit 12, which will be described later. When unloading the workpiece 1 stored in the storage cassette 13, the cassette table 6 is raised or lowered so that the height of the workpiece 1 matches the height at which the unloading / receiving unit 12 can perform the unloading operation.

[0038] The area adjacent to the cassette table 6 on the upper surface of the base 4 of the cutting device (processing device) 2 is a temporary storage area 10 for temporarily placing the workpiece 1 (workpiece unit 11) that has been pulled out from the storage cassette 13 placed on the cassette table 6. Adjacent to the temporary storage area 10 is an loading / unloading unit 12 that loads the workpiece 1 (workpiece unit 11) from the storage cassette 13 to the temporary storage area 10.

[0039] Furthermore, the temporary placement area 10 is provided with a pair of guide rails 8 that move closer to and further apart from each other while maintaining a state parallel to the Y-axis direction (left-right direction, indexing feed direction). Figures 2 and 3 include schematic perspective views showing the guide rails 8.

[0040] Each pair of guide rails 8 has a support surface 8a that supports the workpiece 1 (frame 7) from below, and a stopper portion 8b that is generally perpendicular to the support surface 8a. The stopper portions 8b of each guide rail 8 are in contact with each other on the outside of the support surface 8a and face each other. The workpiece 1 that has been unloaded from the storage cassette 13 by the loading / unloading unit 12 is temporarily placed on the pair of guide rails 8.

[0041] Next, the temporary placement area 10 will be described in more detail. Figure 3 is a schematic perspective view showing the internal structure of the temporary placement area 10 of the base 4 of the cutting device 2. The temporary placement area 10 is provided with a guide rail moving mechanism 54 equipped with a motor 56 that moves a pair of guide rails 8 toward or toward each other. The guide rail moving mechanism 54 positions the pair of guide rails 8 in a position that grips the workpiece 1 (workpiece unit 11) and positions the workpiece 1 in a centering position, and in a position suitable for transporting the workpiece 1.

[0042] The guide rail moving mechanism 54 will be described in more detail. Figure 3 includes a schematic perspective view of the guide rail moving mechanism 54. The guide rail moving mechanism 54 comprises two rotating shafts along the Z-axis direction and a motor 56 that rotates one of the rotating shafts. A pulley 60a is provided at the end of each of the two rotating shafts. The belt 58 is wrapped around the two pulleys 60a in an annular manner.

[0043] The belt 58 located between the two pulleys 60a is divided into two parts, a first part and a second part. In this configuration, one guide rail 8 is fixed to the first part of the belt 58, and the other guide rail 8 is fixed to the second part of the belt 58. When the belt 58 is rotated by the motor 56 in this state, the two guide rails 8 move simultaneously by the same distance in opposite directions. That is, the two guide rails 8 move either toward each other or toward each other.

[0044] Next, the loading / unloading unit 12 will be described. As shown in Figure 2, an opening 14 is formed on the upper surface of the base 4, which vertically traverses the temporary storage area 10 along the Y-axis. Inside the opening 14, a moving mechanism is provided for moving the loading / unloading unit 12 along the Y-axis. The loading / unloading unit 12 includes a movable body 16 connected to the moving mechanism.

[0045] Figure 3 includes a schematic perspective view of the loading / unloading unit 12. An opening 18 is provided on the side of the mobile body 16 facing the cassette table 6, and a gripping portion 20 for gripping the outer periphery of the workpiece unit 11 is disposed in the opening 18. The gripping portion 20 comprises an upper plate 22 and a lower plate 24, whose base ends are housed in the mobile body 16 through the opening 18. The upper plate 22 and the lower plate 24 can be brought closer to or separated from each other by an opening and closing mechanism provided inside the mobile body 16.

[0046] Figure 4 is a schematic side view of the loading / unloading unit 12. Figure 4 shows a moving mechanism 66 equipped with a motor 74 that moves the mobile body 16 between the cassette table 6 (see Figure 1) and the temporary storage area 10 (see Figure 2). The moving mechanism 66 comprises a ball screw 70 aligned in the Y-axis direction between the vicinity of the cassette table 6 and the temporary storage area 10, a support 68 that rotatably supports the ball screw 70 at both ends of the ball screw 70, and a motor 74 connected to one end of the ball screw 70.

[0047] A nut portion 72, located at the bottom of the movable body 16, is screwed onto the ball screw 70. The motor 74 has the function of rotating the ball screw 70. When the motor 74 is operated and the ball screw 70 is rotated, the nut portion 72 moves along the ball screw 70. In other words, the moving mechanism 66 of the loading / unloading unit 12 can move the movable body 16 along the Y-axis direction by rotating the motor 74.

[0048] The loading / unloading unit 12's moving mechanism 66 may have a motor driver 76 that controls the motor 74 to rotate it by a predetermined amount at a predetermined speed. The motor driver 76 is composed of, for example, an IC. The motor driver 76 controls the motor 74 by adjusting the power supplied to the motor 74 from the power source. Alternatively, the control unit 50 of the cutting device 2 (see Figure 1), described later, may function as a motor driver that controls the motor 74.

[0049] When the workpiece 1 (workpiece unit 11) stored in the storage cassette 13 is to be unloaded by the unloading unit 12, the movable body 16 is moved toward the storage cassette 13, and the workpiece 1 (frame 7) is positioned between the upper plate 22 and the lower plate 24. Then, the upper plate 22 and the lower plate 24 are moved toward each other, and the workpiece 1 (frame 7) is sandwiched between the upper plate 22 and the lower plate 24. At this point, the workpiece 1 (frame 7) is gripped by the gripping part 20 of the unloading unit 12.

[0050] Subsequently, when the movable body 16 is moved away from the storage cassette 13, the workpiece 1 (workpiece unit 11) is pulled out of the storage cassette 13 to the temporary storage area 10. Then, the gripping part 20 releases its grip on the workpiece 1 (frame 7). At this time, the workpiece 1 (frame 7) is supported on the respective support surfaces 8a of the pair of guide rails 8.

[0051] Then, by moving the pair of guide rails 8 in a direction that brings them closer to each other in the X-axis direction, and by clamping the workpiece 1 (frame 7) between the abutment portions 8b of the pair of guide rails 8, the workpiece 1 (workpiece unit 11) can be positioned in the centering position.

[0052] When the workpiece 1, positioned at the centering position, is transported by the first transport unit 34 (described later) in a predetermined transport operation, the workpiece 1 is precisely positioned at a predetermined location at the transport destination. When the workpiece 1 is transported from the temporary storage area 10, the pair of guide rails 8 are moved in directions away from each other.

[0053] Let's continue the explanation of the cutting apparatus 2, referring again to Figure 1. An elongated opening 4a is formed on the upper surface of the base 4 adjacent to the cassette table 6, in the X-axis direction (front-to-back direction, machining feed direction). Inside the opening 4a are a ball screw type X-axis movement mechanism (machining feed unit), which is not shown, and a bellows-shaped dustproof and dripproof cover 28 that covers the top of the X-axis movement mechanism.

[0054] The X-axis movement mechanism is connected to the lower part of the X-axis movement table 30 and has the function of moving the X-axis movement table 30 in the X-axis direction. For example, the X-axis movement table 30 moves between the loading / unloading area adjacent to the cassette table 6 and the machining position below the cutting unit 40, which will be described later.

[0055] A chuck table (holding table) 32 for attracting and holding the workpiece 1 (workpiece unit 11) is provided on the X-axis moving table 30. The chuck table 32 is connected to a rotational drive source (not shown), such as a motor, and rotates around a rotation axis that is roughly parallel to the Z-axis direction (vertical direction, cutting feed direction). The chuck table 32 also moves in the X-axis direction by the X-axis moving mechanism described above.

[0056] The upper surface of the chuck table 32 is a holding surface 32a for holding the workpiece 1 (workpiece unit 11). The holding surface 32a is connected to a suction source (not shown) via a suction passage (not shown) formed inside the chuck table 32. In addition, clamps 32b are provided around the chuck table 32 for fixing the frame 7 included in the workpiece unit 11 from the outside.

[0057] The transport of the workpiece 1 (workpiece unit 11) from the temporary storage area 10 to the chuck table 32 is performed by a first transport unit 34 located adjacent to the temporary storage area 10 and the opening 4a on the upper surface of the base 4. The first transport unit 34 has a shaft portion that is vertically movable and rotatable and protrudes upward from the upper surface of the base 4, an arm portion that extends horizontally from the upper end of the shaft portion, and a holding portion provided below the tip of the arm portion.

[0058] When the first transport unit 34 transports the workpiece 1 (workpiece unit 11) from the temporary storage area 10 to the chuck table 32, the X-axis moving table 30 is moved to position the chuck table 32 in the loading / unloading area. Then, the workpiece 1 (frame 7) that is temporarily placed in the temporary storage area 10 is held by the holding part, the workpiece 1 is lifted, and the shaft part is rotated to move the workpiece 1 above the chuck table 32.

[0059] Next, the workpiece 1 (workpiece unit 11) is lowered and placed on the holding surface 32a of the chuck table 32. Then, the frame 7 is fixed with the clamp 32b, and the suction source of the chuck table 32 is activated to draw in the sheet 9. As a result, the workpiece 1 is held in place by suction through the sheet 9.

[0060] The cutting apparatus 2 includes a support structure 36 positioned above the movement path of the X-axis moving table 30 from the loading / unloading area to the machining area, so as to cross the opening 4a. The support structure 36 is equipped with an imaging unit 38 facing downward. The imaging unit 38 images the surface 1a of the workpiece 1, which is held by suction on the chuck table 32 that moves to the machining area below the cutting unit 40, and detects the position and orientation of the division lines provided on the surface 1a.

[0061] The machining area is provided with a cutting unit (machining unit) 40 for cutting (machining) the workpiece 1 of the workpiece unit 11 held by the chuck table (holding table) 32. The cutting unit 40 comprises a cutting blade (machining tool) 42 having an annular grinding wheel portion on its outer circumference, and a spindle 44 with the cutting blade 42 attached to its tip and aligned with the Y-axis direction which serves as the rotation axis of the cutting blade 42.

[0062] A rotational drive source (not shown), such as a motor, is connected to the base end of the spindle 44. The workpiece 1 held in the chuck table 32 can be cut (processed) by having the rotating cutting blade 42 cut into it. When the workpiece 1 is cut along all the planned division lines, individual device chips are formed. After that, the chuck table 32 is moved to the loading / unloading area by the X-axis movement mechanism.

[0063] An opening 4b is formed adjacent to the temporary placement area 10 and opening 4a on the upper surface of the base 4, and a cleaning unit 46 for cleaning the workpiece 1 after processing is housed in the opening 4b. The cleaning unit 46 is equipped with a spinner table for holding the workpiece 1 (workpiece unit 11). A rotational drive source (not shown) for rotating the spinner table at a predetermined speed is connected to the lower part of the spinner table.

[0064] The cutting apparatus 2 includes a second transport unit 48 that transports the workpiece unit 11 from the chuck table 32 located in the loading / unloading area to the cleaning unit 46. The second transport unit 48 has an arm that is movable along the Y-axis and a holding part provided below the tip of the arm.

[0065] When the second transport unit 48 transports the workpiece 1 (workpiece unit 11) from the chuck table 32 to the washing unit 46, first the workpiece 1 (workpiece unit 11) is held by the holding part. Then, the arm is moved along the Y-axis to place the workpiece 1 (workpiece unit 11) on the spinner table of the washing unit 46. After that, the workpiece 1 (workpiece unit 11) is held by the spinner table and washed.

[0066] When cleaning the workpiece 1 with the cleaning unit 46, a cleaning fluid (typically a mixed fluid of water and air) is sprayed onto the surface 1a of the workpiece 1 while rotating the spinner table. The workpiece 1, after being cleaned by the cleaning unit 46, is then placed in a storage cassette 13 on the cassette table 6.

[0067] When storing the workpiece 1 in the storage cassette 13, the workpiece 1 (workpiece unit 11) is transported from the washing unit 46 to the temporary storage area 10 using the first transport unit 34. Then, the movable body 16 of the loading / unloading unit 12 is moved toward the storage cassette 13 to push the workpiece 1 (workpiece unit 11) into the storage cassette 13. At this time, in order to ensure that the storage operation is carried out reliably, the pair of guide rails 8 may be brought close to each other when the workpiece 1 (workpiece unit 11) is placed in the temporary storage area 10 to position the workpiece 1 (workpiece unit 11) in a centering position.

[0068] The cutting apparatus 2 further includes a control unit 50 that controls each component of the cutting apparatus 2. The control unit 50 controls, for example, the cassette table 6, the loading / unloading unit 12, the temporary storage area 10, the X-axis movement mechanism, the chuck table 32, the imaging unit 38, the cutting unit 40, the cleaning unit 46, and the transport units 34, 48.

[0069] The control unit 50 is composed of a computer that includes, for example, a processing unit such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a main memory such as DRAM (Dynamic Random Access Memory), and an auxiliary storage device such as flash memory. The functions of the control unit 50 are realized by operating the processing unit and other devices according to the software stored in the auxiliary storage device.

[0070] The control unit 50 of the cutting apparatus (processing apparatus) 2 according to this embodiment includes a storage unit 50a that stores various types of information. The storage unit 50a stores programs and control conditions for controlling each component, and the control unit 50 controls each component according to the programs and control conditions.

[0071] For example, the memory unit 50a has pre-entered and registered processing conditions for processing the workpiece 1, and the control unit 50 controls the cutting unit (processing unit) 40, etc., according to the processing conditions. The processing conditions are set appropriately according to the type of workpiece 1 and the desired processing result. The control unit 50 then controls each component while referring to the information sent from each component to proceed with cutting (processing) the workpiece 1 in a predetermined procedure. However, the memory unit 50a may also store other information. The configuration and functions of the control unit 50 will be described in detail later.

[0072] The cutting device 2 is equipped with a touch panel display 52. ​​The touch panel display 52 displays various information and operation screens. The operator can input various commands to the cutting device (processing device) 2 by touching a predetermined position on the touch panel display 52 that displays the screen. In other words, the touch panel display 52 functions as an input unit (input interface) used for inputting various commands, and also functions as a notification unit that notifies various information.

[0073] In the cutting apparatus 2 described above, the workpiece 1 stored in the storage cassette 13 is successively unloaded and processed. More specifically, the workpiece 1 (workpiece unit 11) is unloaded from the storage cassette 13 to the temporary storage area 10 by the loading / unloading unit 12 and held by the chuck table (holding table) 32. Then, the workpiece 1 is processed by the cutting unit (processing unit) 40. After that, the workpiece 1 is washed by the washing unit 46, returned to the temporary storage area 10, and then loaded back into the storage cassette 13 by the loading / unloading unit 12.

[0074] In addition, the loading / unloading unit 12 may occasionally fail to pull out the workpiece 1 stored in the storage cassette 13 to the temporary storage area 10. For example, the workpiece 1 that should be stored in the storage cassette 13 may not be present, and the gripping part 20 of the loading / unloading unit 12 may not be able to grip the workpiece 1. Also, if the gripping part 20 fails to grip the workpiece 1 stored in the storage cassette 13, the workpiece 1 may be left behind when the moving body 16 starts moving to the temporary storage area 10.

[0075] Furthermore, the loading / unloading unit 12 may occasionally fail to push the workpiece 1, which is placed in the temporary storage area 10, into the storage cassette 13. For example, the workpiece 1, which should have been processed and returned to the temporary storage area 10, may not be present in the temporary storage area 10, and the loading / unloading unit 12 may not be able to push the workpiece 1 into the storage cassette 13.

[0076] If the loading / unloading unit 12 fails to pull out or push in the workpiece 1, and the cutting device (processing device) 2 continues to operate as planned, some components of the cutting device 2 or the workpiece 1 may be damaged. Therefore, it is desirable that failures be detected as quickly as possible when the workpiece 1 fails to be pulled out of the storage cassette 13 or when the workpiece 1 fails to be pushed into the storage cassette 13.

[0077] Therefore, the processing apparatus according to this embodiment is configured to quickly detect failures in the operations performed by the loading / unloading unit 12. The following description of the processing apparatus according to this embodiment will focus on the configuration for detecting failures in the operations performed by the loading / unloading unit 12.

[0078] Failure detection of operations performed by the loading / unloading unit 12 is primarily achieved by the functions of the control unit 50. Specifically, when the motor 74 of the loading / unloading unit 12 is activated to move the moving body 16, the control unit 50 determines whether or not the workpiece 1 (workpiece unit 11) is moving based on the load on the motor 74. The control unit 50 is connected to the loading / unloading unit 12 along with other components of the cutting device (processing device) 2.

[0079] The control unit 50 is equipped with a load detection unit 50c that detects the load applied to the motor 74 of the loading / unloading unit 12. The motor driver 76 of the moving mechanism 66 of the loading / unloading unit 12 transmits the load current value when the motor 74 is operated to move the moving body 16 at a predetermined speed to the load detection unit 50c of the control unit 50.

[0080] Alternatively, the motor driver 76 calculates the output torque of the motor 74 from the load current value and transmits this output torque, along with the load on the motor 74, to the load detection unit 50c of the control unit 50. Alternatively, the motor driver 76 calculates the ratio of the output torque of the motor 74 to the rated torque and transmits this calculated ratio, along with the load, to the load detection unit 50c of the control unit 50. Note that the load of the motor 74 transmitted to the control unit 50 by the moving mechanism 66 of the loading / unloading unit 12 is not limited to these and is not particularly restricted.

[0081] Furthermore, the load detection unit 50c of the control unit 50 detects the load on the motor 74. For example, the load detection unit 50c detects the load current value of the motor 74 transmitted from the motor driver 76 as the load on the motor 74. Alternatively, the load detection unit 50c calculates the output torque of the motor 74 from the load current value of the motor 74 transmitted from the motor driver 76. Alternatively, the load detection unit 50c calculates the ratio of the output torque of the motor 74 to the rated torque.

[0082] Furthermore, the load detection unit 50c may detect the load of the motor 74 from the output torque of the motor 74 calculated by the motor driver 76. Alternatively, the load detection unit 50c may detect the load of the motor 74 from the ratio of the output torque of the motor 74 to the rated torque calculated and transmitted by the motor driver 76. The load of the motor 74 detected by the load detection unit 50c is not limited to these and is not particularly restricted.

[0083] The control unit 50 further includes a determination unit 50b that determines whether or not the workpiece 1 (workpiece unit 11) is moving based on the load on the motor 74 detected by the load detection unit 50c when the motor 74 is operated to move the movable body 16. Here, it will be explained that the determination unit 50b can utilize the load on the motor 74 when performing its determination.

[0084] When the workpiece 1 (workpiece unit 11) is moved by the moving body 16, the moving mechanism 66 of the loading / unloading unit 12 is subjected to a load not only for moving the moving body 16 but also for moving the workpiece 1. Therefore, when the motor 74 is operated to move the moving body 16 and the workpiece 1 at a certain speed, the motor 74 is subjected to an extremely large load compared to when the moving body 16 is not moving the workpiece 1. On the other hand, when the moving body 16 is not moving the workpiece 1, the motor 74 that moves the moving body 16 is not subjected to such a large load.

[0085] Therefore, based on the load of the motor 74 detected when the motor 74 for moving the mobile body 16 is activated, it becomes possible to determine whether or not the workpiece 1 (workpiece unit 11) is moving.

[0086] The determination unit 50b can perform a determination when the loading / unloading unit 12 loads the workpiece 1 (workpiece unit 11) from the storage cassette 13 placed on the cassette table 6. The determination unit 50b can also perform a determination when the loading / unloading unit 12 loads the workpiece 1 (workpiece unit 11) into the storage cassette 13 placed on the cassette table 6. Next, the procedure for the determination performed by the determination unit 50b of the control unit 50 will be described.

[0087] The determination unit 50b compares, for example, the load on the motor 74 detected by the load detection unit 50c with a predetermined threshold. If the load on the motor 74 exceeds the predetermined threshold, it determines that the workpiece 1 (workpiece unit 11) is moving together with the moving body 16. For example, it determines that the workpiece 1 gripped by the gripping unit 20 is being removed from the storage cassette 13, or that the moving body 16 is pushing the workpiece 1 into the storage cassette 13.

[0088] On the other hand, if the load on the motor 74 does not exceed a predetermined threshold, the determination unit 50b determines that there is no workpiece 1 (workpiece unit 11) moving with the mobile body 16. For example, it can be determined that the workpiece 1 is not being gripped by the gripping unit 20 and has not been able to be removed from the storage cassette 13, or that the mobile body 16 has not pushed the workpiece 1 into the storage cassette 13. In other words, the determination unit 50b can determine that the loading and unloading of the workpiece 1 by the loading / unloading unit 12 has failed.

[0089] The memory unit 50a stores the conditions for the determination performed by the determination unit 50b. More specifically, the memory unit 50a stores the load of the motor 74 as a predetermined threshold value, which serves as the criterion for determining whether or not the workpiece 1 (workpiece unit 11) is moving together with the moving body 16. The determination unit 50b performs the determination by referring to the predetermined threshold value that has been pre-registered in the memory unit 50a.

[0090] For example, when the load detection unit 50c detects the output torque of the motor 74 as the load applied to the motor 74, the determination unit 50b performs a determination based on the output torque of the motor 74 detected by the load detection unit 50c. In this case, the storage unit 50a has pre-registered the output torque that will be the threshold for the determination as a predetermined threshold.

[0091] The determination unit 50b makes a determination as soon as the motor 74 starts operating whether or not the workpiece 1 (workpiece unit 11) is moving, and this determination is completed immediately. Therefore, for example, if the workpiece 1 (workpiece unit 11) is not moving, the determination is completed immediately even if the motor 74 starts operating and the moving body 16 begins to move.

[0092] Then, if the determination unit 50b determines that the workpiece 1 (workpiece unit 11) is not moving, the control unit 50 controls the movement mechanism 66 of the loading / unloading unit 12 to immediately stop the motor 74.

[0093] Furthermore, the control unit 50 may have a notification control unit 50d that controls the notification unit to notify the user of the cutting device (processing device) 2 if the determination unit 50b determines that the workpiece 1 (workpiece unit 11) is not moving. If the cutting device 2 has a touch panel display 52 that can function as a notification unit, the notification control unit 50d will display a warning screen on the touch panel display 52 that the loading / unloading unit 12 has failed to load or unload the workpiece 1.

[0094] However, the notification unit controlled by the notification control unit 50d is not limited to this. For example, if the cutting device (processing device) 2 is equipped with an alarm lamp that can emit light of multiple colors as a notification unit, the notification control unit 50d controls the alarm lamp. When the determination unit 50b determines that the workpiece 1 (workpiece unit 11) is not moving, the notification control unit 50d controls this alarm lamp to light up a lamp that emits red light to indicate a warning.

[0095] Furthermore, if the cutting device 2 is equipped with a buzzer capable of generating an alarm sound as a notification unit, the notification control unit 50d controls the buzzer. When the determination unit 50b determines that the workpiece 1 (workpiece unit 11) is not moving, the notification control unit 50d controls the buzzer to generate an alarm sound.

[0096] On the other hand, the control unit 50 does not stop the motor 74 if the determination unit 50b determines that the workpiece 1 (workpiece unit 11) is moving. For example, if the loading / unloading unit 12 is unloading the workpiece 1 from the storage cassette 13, the motor 74 does not stop and the unloading operation of the workpiece 1 continues. In this case, the notification control unit 50d does not need to notify the notification unit of any particular information, and may instead notify the notification unit that the cutting device 2 is operating normally.

[0097] Furthermore, when the determination unit 50b of the control unit 50 determines that the workpiece 1 (workpiece unit 11) is moving, it may also determine the type of workpiece 1 (workpiece unit 11) based on the load applied to the motor 74.

[0098] The cutting device (processing device) 2 processes various types of workpieces 1. Normally, the storage cassette 13 contains workpieces 1 that are scheduled to be processed by the cutting device 2. However, workpieces 1 of a type not scheduled to be processed by the cutting device 2 may be mistakenly stored in the storage cassette 13. Alternatively, a storage cassette 13 containing workpieces 1 of a type not scheduled to be processed by the cutting device 2 may be mistakenly placed on the cassette table 6.

[0099] In these cases, the cutting device 2 processes a workpiece 1 of a type not intended for processing under processing conditions unsuitable for that workpiece 1, resulting in the workpiece 1 not being processed to sufficient quality or being damaged during processing. Furthermore, the cutting blade (working tool) 42 of the cutting unit (processing unit) 40 will be processing an object other than its intended use, which may lead to malfunctions such as damage or excessive wear.

[0100] Here, the weight of the workpiece 1 varies depending on its size, thickness, and material. Therefore, the load on the motor 74 that moves the mobile body 16 when the loading / unloading unit 12 unloads the workpiece 1 from the storage cassette 13 varies depending on the type of workpiece 1. Conversely, by referring to the load on the motor 74 when the loading / unloading unit 12 unloads the workpiece 1 from the storage cassette 13, it is possible to determine the type of workpiece 1.

[0101] For example, the storage unit 50a of the control unit 50 stores information about the load applied to the motor 74 when moving multiple types of workpieces 1 (workpiece units 11) that may be processed by the cutting device (processing device) 2 using the loading / unloading unit 12. Then, when a certain type of workpiece 1 is processed under predetermined processing conditions in the cutting device (processing device) 2, the control unit 50 reads these processing conditions from the storage unit 50a.

[0102] Then, when the storage cassette 13 is placed on the cassette table 6, the loading / unloading unit 12 starts the loading operation of the workpiece 1 (workpiece unit 11) stored in the storage cassette 13. The determination unit 50b then determines whether or not the workpiece 1 (workpiece unit 11) is moving based on the load of the motor 74 at this time.

[0103] Furthermore, the determination unit 50b reads information from the information stored in the storage unit 50a regarding the load applied to the motor 74 when the workpiece to be processed is moved by the loading / unloading unit 12, and compares it with the load actually applied to the motor 74 detected by the load detection unit 50c. If the difference between the two falls within an acceptable range, the determination unit 50b determines that the workpiece 1 being transported by the loading / unloading unit 12 is of the type of workpiece that is scheduled to be processed.

[0104] On the other hand, if the difference between the two exceeds an acceptable range as a result of the comparison, the determination unit 50b determines that the workpiece 1 being transported by the loading / unloading unit 12 is not of the type of workpiece intended for processing. In this case, the control unit 50 stops the loading / unloading unit 12 from unloading the workpiece 1 and notifies a notification unit such as a touch panel display 52 of the determination result.

[0105] In this way, the determination unit 50b of the control unit 50 can determine the type of workpiece 1 based on the load applied to the motor 74. Therefore, it is prevented that workpieces 1 of a type not intended for processing are processed by the cutting device (processing device) 2.

[0106] As described above, in the processing apparatus according to this embodiment, the determination unit 50b of the control unit 50 can determine whether or not the workpiece 1 (workpiece unit 11) is moving based on the load applied to the motor 74 when the movable body 16 of the loading / unloading unit 12 is moved. Therefore, failures in the operation performed by the loading / unloading unit 12 can be detected quickly.

[0107] It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above and can be implemented with various modifications. For example, although the above embodiments described a cutting device 2 as an example, the processing device according to one aspect of the present invention is not limited to this. The processing device according to one aspect of the present invention may be a laser processing device that laser processes a workpiece 1, a grinding device that grinds a workpiece 1 with a grinding wheel, or a polishing device that polishes a workpiece 1.

[0108] Furthermore, the structures, methods, etc., of the embodiments and modifications described above can be modified as appropriate, as long as they do not deviate from the scope of the present invention. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0109] 1 Workpiece 1a surface 1b back side 7 frames 7a aperture 9 sheets 11 Workpiece Unit 13 Cassettes 15 cabinets 15a side wall 17 Containment space 19 Aperture 21 Support groove 2 Cutting equipment 4 bases 4a,4b opening 6 Cassette Table 8 Guide rails 8a Support surface 8b Buttocks 10 Temporary placement area 12 Loading / Unloading Units 14 Aperture 16 Mobile Unit 18 Aperture 20 Gripping part 22 Top plate 24 Lower plate 28 Dustproof and splashproof cover 30 X-axis moving table 32 Chuck Table 32a Holding surface 32b Clamp 34,48 Transport Units 36 Support structure 38 imaging units 40 Cutting Units (Processing Units) 42 Cutting blades (machining tools) 44 spindles 46 Washing Unit 50 control units 50a storage section 50b Judgment part 50c load detection unit 50d Notification Control Unit 52 Touchscreen Display 54 Guide rail moving mechanism 56 Motor 58 belts 60a pulley 66 Moving mechanism 68 Support 70 Ball screw 72 Nut section 74 Motor 76 Motor Driver

Claims

1. A processing apparatus comprising: a cassette table on which a storage cassette containing a workpiece unit including a workpiece is placed; a loading / unloading unit for loading and unloading the workpiece unit between a temporary storage area for temporarily placing the workpiece unit and the storage cassette; a holding table having a holding surface for holding the workpiece unit; a processing unit for processing the workpiece contained in the workpiece unit held by the holding table; and a control unit, The loading / unloading unit is, Mobile and A gripping portion is provided on the side of the moving body facing the cassette table and grips the outer periphery of the workpiece unit, It comprises a motor and a moving mechanism for moving the mobile body between the cassette table and the temporary storage area, The control unit is, It is connected to the loading / unloading unit, A load detection unit for detecting the load applied to the motor, The system includes a determination unit that determines whether or not the workpiece unit is moving based on the load applied to the motor detected by the load detection unit when the motor is operated to move the movable body. A processing apparatus characterized by the following features.

2. The processing apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the determination unit of the control unit performs the determination when the loading / unloading unit loads the workpiece unit from the storage cassette placed on the cassette table.

3. The processing apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the determination unit of the control unit performs the determination when the loading / unloading unit loads the workpiece unit into the storage cassette placed on the cassette table.

4. The processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that when the determination unit of the control unit determines that the workpiece unit is moving, it further determines the type of workpiece based on the load applied to the motor.

5. The workpiece unit consists solely of the workpiece. The processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the gripping portion of the loading / unloading unit is capable of gripping the workpiece.

6. The workpiece unit includes the workpiece, a sheet disposed on the workpiece, a frame disposed on the outer periphery of the sheet, and The processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the gripping portion of the loading / unloading unit is capable of gripping the frame.

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