Mounting method and cutting device

Abstract

To enable the suppression of a trouble related to a work regarded as necessary before processing.SOLUTION: A mounting method includes: a storage step 1001 for storing a plurality of cutting blades into a storage tray where a plurality of storage parts for storing cutting blades are formed; a replacement article position specification step 1002 for reading identification marks of a plurality of cutting blades stored in the storage trays by means of a reading unit to specify in which storage part of the storage trays a cutting blade to be mounted in a cutting device remains stored; a positioning step 1006 for positioning the storage trays where a plurality of cutting blades are stored at a consumables replacement position; and a mounting step 1008 for mounting, after executing the positioning step 1006, the cutting blade to be mounted into the cutting device, into the cutting device from above the storage tray on the basis of a position specified in the replacement article position specification step 1002 by means of a replacement device.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 13

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an attachment method for a consumable and a cutting device including the consumable.

Background Art

[0002] As a processing device for cutting a semiconductor wafer, a cutting device equipped with a cutting blade is widely used. The cutting blade is a consumable that is consumed by cutting, and when the cutting blade is consumed, it is necessary to replace it with a new cutting blade.

[0003] In order to prevent an operator from damaging a new cutting blade when replacing the cutting blade, for example, a cutting device equipped with an exchange device that automatically replaces the cutting blade has been proposed (see, for example, Patent Document 1). Further, in Patent Document 1, a storage tray for storing a plurality of consumables in a cutting device equipped with an exchange device has been proposed.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] A cutting device equipped with an exchange device shown in Patent Document 1 and the like registered the information of the consumables stored in each storage part of the storage tray one by one in advance, and the exchange device went to pick up the consumables to be attached to the device based on the registered information. However, it took time and effort for the work required before processing, such as registering information for each consumable, and improvement was eagerly desired.

[0006] The present invention has been made in view of such problems, and an object thereof is to provide an attachment method and a cutting device capable of suppressing the time and effort related to the work required before processing. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] To solve the above-mentioned problems and achieve the objective, the present invention provides a mounting method comprising: a holding table for holding a workpiece; a cutting unit having a spindle on which a cutting blade for cutting the workpiece held by the holding table is mounted; and a replacement mechanism for replacing consumables including the cutting blade. The cutting unit and the controller that controls the exchange mechanism, the reading unit that reads the identification marks of consumables stored in a storage tray capable of holding multiple consumables, the liftable cassette mounting base on which the cassette for storing the workpiece is placed, and the storage chamber provided below the cassette and which lifts and lowers together with the cassette mounting base and houses a storage tray capable of holding multiple consumables, Equipped with The controller includes a storage unit that stores information on consumables to be attached to the cutting device, and a replacement part location storage unit that identifies and stores which storage section of the storage tray the consumable to be attached to the cutting device is stored in based on the identification mark read by the reading unit, and the replacement mechanism attaches the consumable at the location stored in the replacement part location storage unit to the cutting device, and the reading unit is disposed in the storage compartment. A method for attaching consumables to a cutting device, comprising: a storage step of storing multiple consumables in a storage tray having multiple storage compartments for storing consumables, wherein the consumables have identification marks; a replacement part location identification step of reading the identification marks of the multiple consumables stored in the storage tray with a reading unit and identifying which storage compartment of the storage tray contains the consumable to be attached to the cutting device; a positioning step of positioning the storage tray containing the multiple consumables at a consumable replacement position; and, after performing the positioning step, an attachment step of attaching the consumable to be attached to the cutting device from the storage tray to the cutting device using the replacement mechanism based on the position identified in the replacement part location identification step.

[0008] In the above-described mounting method, the storage step may include storing multiple consumables in the storage tray with at least one storage section empty of consumables, and after performing the positioning step, before performing the mounting step, the replacement mechanism may remove the used consumables from the cutting device and store them in the storage section of the storage tray that does not currently contain consumables.

[0009] The present invention relates to a cutting apparatus comprising: a holding table for holding a workpiece; a cutting unit having a spindle on which a cutting blade for cutting the workpiece held by the holding table is mounted; a replacement mechanism for replacing consumables including the cutting blade; and a controller for controlling at least the cutting unit and the replacement mechanism, wherein the cutting apparatus further comprises: a reading unit for reading identification marks on consumables stored in a storage tray capable of holding a plurality of consumables; the controller includes a storage unit for storing information on consumables to be attached to the cutting apparatus; and a replacement position storage unit for identifying and storing which storage section of the storage tray the consumables to be attached to the cutting apparatus are stored in based on the identification marks read by the reading unit; and the replacement mechanism attaches the consumables at the positions stored in the replacement position storage unit to the cutting apparatus. The system also includes a height-adjustable cassette mounting platform on which a cassette for containing workpieces is placed, and a storage chamber located below the cassette that moves up and down together with the cassette mounting platform and houses a storage tray capable of holding multiple consumables, with the reading unit being disposed within the storage chamber. It is characterized by the following:

[0011] In the cutting apparatus, the consumables are stored in the storage tray such that the identification mark contacts the storage tray, the storage tray is made of a transparent material in the area corresponding to the identification mark of the stored consumables, and the reading unit may have an imaging camera that captures the identification mark through the storage tray. [Effects of the Invention]

[0012] The present invention has the effect of reducing the effort required for tasks that must be performed before processing. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0013] [Figure 1] Figure 1 is a perspective view showing an example of the configuration of a cutting apparatus according to Embodiment 1. [Figure 2] Figure 2 is a perspective view showing the workpiece being machined by the cutting device shown in Figure 1. [Figure 3] Figure 3 is a perspective view showing the holding table of the cutting device shown in Figure 1. [Figure 4] Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of the cutting unit of the cutting apparatus shown in Figure 1. [Figure 5]FIG. 5 is a front view of a cutting blade attached to the cutting unit shown in FIG. 4. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a rear view of the cutting blade shown in FIG. 5. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a plan view showing a configuration example of a storage tray stored in the storage chamber of the cutting device shown in FIG. 1. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VIII-VIII in FIG. 7. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing a part of the configuration inside the storage chamber shown in FIG. 1 in a partial cross-section. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing in a partial cross-section the state in which a reading unit inside the storage chamber shown in FIG. 9 reads an identification mark. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing a configuration example of an exchange mechanism of the cutting device shown in FIG. 1. [Figure 12] FIG. 12 is another perspective view showing a configuration example of the exchange mechanism shown in FIG. 11. [Figure 13] FIG. 13 is a flowchart showing the flow of the attachment method according to Embodiment 1. [Figure 14] FIG. 14 is a plan view of a storage tray in which a cutting blade and a dress board are stored in a storage section in the storage step of the attachment method shown in FIG. 13. [Figure 15] FIG. 15 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing a main part of the storage tray shown in FIG. 14. [Figure 16] FIG. 16 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing in a partial cross-section the replacement item position specifying step of the attachment method shown in FIG. 13. [Figure 17] FIG. 17 is a view schematically showing the state in which an exchange device holding a replacement cutting blade in a first holding portion and a second holding portion of an exchange mechanism is positioned between cutting units in the removal step of the attachment method shown in FIG. 13. [Figure 18] FIG. 18 is a view schematically showing the state in which the exchange device of the exchange mechanism has removed a used cutting blade from one cutting unit in the removal step of the attachment method shown in FIG. 13. [Figure 19] FIG. 19 is a diagram schematically showing a state in which an exchange device of an exchange mechanism attaches an exchange cutting blade to one cutting unit in an attachment step of the attachment method shown in FIG. 13. [Figure 20] FIG. 20 is a diagram schematically showing a state in which an exchange device of an exchange mechanism removes a used cutting blade from the other cutting unit in the second removal step of the attachment method shown in FIG. 13. [Figure 21] FIG. 21 is a diagram schematically showing a state in which an exchange device of an exchange mechanism attaches an exchange cutting blade to the other cutting unit in an attachment step of the attachment method shown in FIG. 13. [Figure 22] FIG. 22 is a diagram schematically showing a state in which an exchange device of an exchange mechanism has completed the exchange of a cutting blade in an attachment step of the attachment method shown in FIG. 13. [Figure 23] FIG. 23 is a flowchart showing the flow of an attachment method according to a modification of Embodiment 1.

Embodiments of the Invention

[0014] Embodiments (embodiments) for implementing the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. The present invention is not limited by the contents described in the following embodiments. In addition, the constituent elements described below include those that can be easily assumed by those skilled in the art and those that are substantially the same. 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.

[0015] 〔Embodiment 1〕 A cutting device according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention will be described based on the drawings. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a configuration example of the cutting device according to Embodiment 1. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a workpiece to be machined by the cutting device shown in FIG. 1.

[0016] (Workpiece) The cutting apparatus 1 according to Embodiment 1 is a device for cutting (processing) the workpiece 200 shown in Figure 2. In Embodiment 1, the workpiece 200 is a wafer such as a disc-shaped semiconductor wafer or optical device wafer, with silicon, sapphire, gallium, etc. as the base material. The workpiece 200 has a device 203 formed in a grid-like region partitioned by a plurality of division lines 202 formed in a grid pattern on the surface 201.

[0017] Furthermore, the workpiece 200 of the present invention may be a so-called TAIKO® wafer, which is thinned in the center and has a thickened portion on the outer periphery. In addition to wafers, it may also be a rectangular package substrate having multiple resin-sealed devices, a ceramic substrate, a ferrite substrate, a glass substrate, or a substrate containing at least one of nickel and iron. In Embodiment 1, the workpiece 200 is supported by an annular frame 211, with its back surface 204 attached to an adhesive tape 210 on which an annular frame 211 is mounted on the outer edge.

[0018] The outer edge of the annular frame 211 has parallel straight sections 221 and arc-shaped sections 222 positioned between the straight sections 221. In Embodiment 1, notches 223 are formed at both ends of one of the straight sections 221 (hereinafter referred to as reference numeral 221-1) of the annular frame 211. The notches 223 are formed by cutting out the outer edge of the annular frame 211 toward the inner circumference of the annular frame 211.

[0019] (cutting equipment) As shown in Figure 1, the cutting apparatus 1 according to Embodiment 1 comprises a holding table 10 that holds a workpiece 200 by suction on a holding surface 11, a cutting unit 20 that cuts the workpiece 200 held by the holding table 10 with a cutting blade 21 which is a consumable attached to a spindle 23, an imaging unit (not shown) that photographs the workpiece 200 held on the holding table 10, a replacement mechanism 3 for replacing the cutting blade 21 of the cutting unit 20, and a control unit 100 which is a controller, and is an apparatus that holds a workpiece 200 on the holding table 10 and cuts (equivalent to machining) along the division line 202 with the cutting blade 21.

[0020] Furthermore, the cutting apparatus 1 includes at least an X-axis movement unit (not shown) that feeds the holding table 10 in the X-axis direction parallel to the horizontal direction, a Y-axis movement unit (not shown) that indexes the cutting unit 20 in the Y-axis direction parallel to the horizontal direction and perpendicular to the X-axis direction, a Z-axis movement unit (not shown) that cuts the cutting unit 20 in the Z-axis direction parallel to the vertical direction and perpendicular to both the X-axis and Y-axis directions, and a rotational movement unit that rotates the holding table 10 around an axis parallel to the Z-axis direction. As shown in Figure 1, the cutting apparatus 1 is equipped with two cutting units 20, that is, a two-spindle dicer, a so-called facing dual type cutting apparatus.

[0021] (Retention table) Next, the holding table 10 will be described. Figure 3 is a perspective view showing the holding table of the cutting apparatus shown in Figure 1. As shown in Figure 3, the holding table 10 is disc-shaped, and the holding surface 11 for holding the workpiece 200 is formed from porous ceramic or the like. The holding table 10 is also provided to be movable in the X-axis direction by an X-axis movement unit, spanning between the machining position below the cutting unit 20 and the loading / unloading position where the workpiece 200 is loaded and unloaded, separated from below the cutting unit 20, and is also provided to be rotatable around an axis parallel to the Z-axis direction by a rotational drive source.

[0022] The holding table 10 is connected to a vacuum suction source (not shown), and by being sucked by the vacuum suction source, it sucks and holds the workpiece 200 placed on the holding surface 11. In Embodiment 1, the holding table 10 sucks and holds the back surface 204 of the workpiece 200 via adhesive tape 210. In addition, as shown in Figures 1 and 3, multiple clamping parts 12 that clamp the annular frame 211 are provided around the holding table 10. Note that in Figure 1, the device 203 on the surface 201 of the workpiece 200 and part of the clamping parts 12 are omitted.

[0023] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 3, a sub-chuck table 15 is provided next to the holding table 10, which moves in the X-axis direction together with the holding table 10 by an X-axis movement unit. In other words, the cutting apparatus 1 is equipped with a sub-chuck table 15. The sub-chuck table 15 holds the dress board 500, which is a consumable item.

[0024] The sub-chuck table 15 is formed in the shape of a rectangular plate and is positioned so that its upper surface is at the same height as the holding surface 11 of the holding table 10. The dress board 500 is placed on the upper surface 16 of the sub-chuck table 15. Multiple suction grooves 17 are formed on the upper surface 16 of the sub-chuck table 15, which are connected to a vacuum suction source (not shown). The sub-chuck table 15 holds the dress board 500 placed on its upper surface 16 by suction as the suction grooves 17 are sucked by the vacuum suction source.

[0025] The Dress Board 500 sharpens cutting blades 21 that have become clogged or damaged, thereby restoring their cutting ability. The process of sharpening the cutting blades 21 and restoring their cutting ability is called "dressing."

[0026] The dress board 500 is formed in the shape of a rectangular plate, with a planar shape that is approximately the same as the upper surface 16 of the sub-chuck table 15. The dress board 500 is constructed by mixing abrasive grains such as WA (white alundum, alumina-based) and GC (green carbonite, silicon carbide-based) into a resin or ceramic bonding material.

[0027] Furthermore, an identification mark 502 is attached to the lower surface 501 of the dress board 500, which is placed on the upper surface 16 of the sub-chuck table 15. That is, the dress board 500 has an identification mark 502. The identification mark 502 includes information indicating at least the type of dress board 500. In Embodiment 1, the identification mark 502 is a well-known two-dimensional code, but it may also be a one-dimensional code, or a figure, number, letter, or a combination thereof.

[0028] (Cutting unit) Next, the cutting unit 20 will be described. Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of the cutting unit of the cutting device shown in Figure 1. Figure 5 is a front view of the cutting blade mounted on the cutting unit shown in Figure 4. Figure 6 is a rear view of the cutting blade shown in Figure 5.

[0029] The cutting unit 20 is a cutting means equipped with a detachable cutting blade 21, which is a consumable part used to cut a workpiece 200 held on the holding table 10 while supplying cutting fluid. Each cutting unit 20 is provided to move in the Y-axis direction by a Y-axis moving unit and to move in the Z-axis direction by a Z-axis moving unit relative to the workpiece 200 held on the holding table 10.

[0030] Each pair of cutting units 20 is mounted on one column of a gate-shaped support frame (not shown) erected from the main body 2 of the device, via a Y-axis moving unit and a Z-axis moving unit, respectively. The cutting units 20 can position the cutting blade 21 at any position on the holding surface 11 of the holding table 10 using the Y-axis moving unit and the Z-axis moving unit.

[0031] As shown in Figure 4, the cutting unit 20 includes a spindle housing 22 (shown in Figure 1) that is movable in the Y-axis and Z-axis directions by a Y-axis movement unit and a Z-axis movement unit, a spindle 23 that is rotatably mounted on the spindle housing 22 around its axis and rotated by a motor (not shown), and a mounting flange 24 attached to the tip of the spindle 23. A cutting blade 21 is attached to the tip of the spindle 23 via the mounting flange 24. Thus, the cutting blade 21 is attached to the tip of the spindle 23 via the mounting flange 24.

[0032] In Embodiment 1, the tip of the spindle 23 is formed in the shape of a frustoconical cone, with the outer diameter gradually decreasing towards the tip, and protrudes from the tip of the spindle housing 22. A suction passage 231 connected to a vacuum suction source (not shown) is opened on the outer circumferential surface of the tip of the spindle 23. A screw hole 232 into which a bolt 25 can be screwed is provided on the tip surface of the spindle 23.

[0033] The mounting flange 24 comprises a cylindrical boss portion 241 and a flange portion 242 located at the axial center of the boss portion 241. The boss portion 241 accommodates the tip of the spindle 23 into one end 243 and the bolt 25 into the other end 244. The inner circumferential surface of the one end 243 of the boss portion 241 is formed so that the outer circumferential surface of the tip of the spindle 23 can make close contact with it, with the inner diameter gradually decreasing towards the other end 244. The outer diameter of the one end 243 of the boss portion 241 is larger than that of the other end 244. In addition, a washer receiving surface 245 is formed on the inner circumferential surface of the other end 244 of the boss portion 241, onto which a washer 26 through which the bolt 25 threads pass is superimposed.

[0034] The flange portion 242 is formed in an annular shape with a larger diameter than the outer diameter of the boss portion 241. The flange portion 242 has mounting projections 246 that protrude toward the other end 244 on its outer edge and extend around its entire circumference. The surface 247 of the mounting projection 246 is a retaining surface for holding the cutting blade 21 and is perpendicular to the axis of the mount flange 24. For this reason, the mount flange 24 has the surface 247 of the mounting projection 246.

[0035] The mounting flange 24 accommodates the tip of the spindle 23 within one end 243 of the boss portion 241, and the threaded portion of the bolt 25, which passes through the washer 26 placed on the washer receiving surface 245, is screwed into the screw hole 232, thereby mounting it to the tip of the spindle 23 as shown in Figure 4. The mounting flange 24 is also provided with a suction passage 249 that opens to the inner circumferential surface of one end 243 of the boss portion 241 and to the inner surface 248 of the mounting projection 246 of the flange portion 242. When the mounting flange 24 is mounted to the tip of the spindle 23, the suction passage 249 communicates with the suction passage 231 of the spindle 23.

[0036] The cutting blade 21 is an extremely thin cutting wheel having a substantially ring shape. In Embodiment 1, the cutting blade 21 is a so-called hub blade, and as shown in Figures 4, 5, and 6, it comprises an annular support base 212 made of a metal such as an aluminum alloy, and an annular cutting edge 213 fixed to the outer circumference of the support base 212 for cutting the workpiece 200. The support base 212 has a mounting hole 214 in the center for mounting to the boss portion 241 of the mounting flange 24. The mounting hole 214 passes through the boss portion 241 of the mounting flange 24 to the inside. The cutting edge 213 is made of abrasive grains such as diamond or CBN (Cubic Boron Nitride) and a bonding material (binder) such as metal or resin, and is formed to a predetermined thickness.

[0037] In the cutting unit 20 configured in this way, the mounting hole 214 of the support base 212 of the cutting blade 21 is fitted onto the outer circumference of the other end 244 of the boss portion 241 of the mounting flange 24 attached to the tip of the spindle 23. At this time, the support base 212 is held in close contact with the surface 247 of the mounting projection 246. The cutting unit 20 is fixed to the mounting flange 24 by a vacuum suction source that sucks the space between the surface 248 of the flange portion 242, the mounting projection 246, and the back surface 215 of the support base 212 through suction passages 231 and 249.

[0038] Furthermore, the axes of the spindle 23, mounting flange 24, and cutting blade 21 of the cutting unit 20 are set parallel to the Y-axis direction.

[0039] Furthermore, in Embodiment 1, when the cutting blade 21 is fixed to the mounting flange 24, the back surface 215 of the support base 212 facing the mounting flange 24 is marked with an identification mark 216 containing information indicating at least the type of cutting blade 21, as shown in Figure 6. That is, the cutting blade 21 has an identification mark 216. In Embodiment 1, the identification mark 216 is a well-known two-dimensional code, but it may also be a one-dimensional code, or a graphic, number, letter, or a combination thereof.

[0040] The imaging unit is fixed to the cutting unit 20 so as to move integrally with the cutting unit 20. The imaging unit is equipped with an image sensor that captures the area to be divided of the workpiece 200 held on the holding table 10 before cutting. The image sensor is, for example, a CCD (Charge-Coupled Device) image sensor or a CMOS (Complementary MOS) image sensor. The imaging unit captures the workpiece 200 held on the holding table 10 to obtain an image for performing alignment, such as aligning the workpiece 200 with the cutting blade 21, and outputs the obtained image to the control unit 100.

[0041] The X-axis movement unit moves the holding table 10 in the X-axis direction, which is the machining feed direction, thereby feeding the holding table 10 and the cutting unit 20 relatively along the X-axis direction. The Y-axis movement unit moves the cutting unit 20 in the Y-axis direction, which is the indexing feed direction, thereby feeding the holding table 10 and the cutting unit 20 relatively along the Y-axis direction. The Z-axis movement unit moves the cutting unit 20 in the Z-axis direction, which is the in-cut feed direction, thereby feeding the holding table 10 and the cutting unit 20 relatively along the Z-axis direction.

[0042] The X-axis moving unit, Y-axis moving unit, and Z-axis moving unit each include a well-known ball screw rotatably mounted around its axis, a well-known motor for rotating the ball screw around its axis, and a well-known guide rail for supporting the holding table 10 or cutting unit 20 so that it can move in the X-axis, Y-axis, or Z-axis direction. The rotational moving unit includes a motor for rotating the holding table 10 around its axis.

[0043] Furthermore, the cutting apparatus 1 includes an X-axis position detection unit (not shown) for detecting the position of the holding table 10 in the X-axis direction, a Y-axis position detection unit (not shown) for detecting the position of the cutting unit 20 in the Y-axis direction, and a Z-axis position detection unit for detecting the position of the cutting unit 20 in the Z-axis direction. The X-axis position detection unit and the Y-axis position detection unit can be configured with a linear scale parallel to the X-axis direction or the Y-axis direction and a reading head. The Z-axis position detection unit detects the position of the cutting unit 20 in the Z-axis direction using motor pulses. The X-axis position detection unit, the Y-axis position detection unit, and the Z-axis position detection unit output the position of the holding table 10 in the X-axis direction and the position of the cutting unit 20 in the Y-axis direction or Z-axis direction to the control unit 100.

[0044] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 1, the cutting apparatus 1 includes a storage chamber 40, a cassette mounting table 50 on which the storage chamber 40 is installed and on which the cassette 51 is placed, a table cover 60 which is a temporary storage area, a cleaning unit 70 which cleans the workpiece 200 after cutting, and a transport unit 80 which is a transport means.

[0045] Next, the storage chamber 40 will be described. Figure 7 is a plan view showing an example of the configuration of the storage tray housed in the storage chamber of the cutting device shown in Figure 1. Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view along the line VIII-VIII in Figure 7. Figure 9 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a partial cross-section of the configuration inside the storage chamber shown in Figure 1. Figure 10 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a partial cross-section of the state in which the reading unit inside the storage chamber shown in Figure 9 reads the identification mark.

[0046] The storage chamber 40 is formed in the shape of a box to house the storage tray 400 shown in Figures 7 and 8, and the storage tray 400 can be freely inserted and removed through an opening (not shown) provided on the side of the washing unit 70. Furthermore, by opening and closing the opening and closing door 49 (shown in Figure 1) provided on the side away from the washing unit 70, the storage chamber 40 can be freely inserted and removed by, for example, an operator through an opening (not shown) provided on the side away from the washing unit 70. The storage tray 400 can house the cutting blade 21 mounted on the spindle 23 of the cutting unit 20 and the dress board 500 held on the sub-chuck table 15 in the cutting apparatus 1 shown in Figure 1, and is a jig for transporting the cutting blade 21 and the dress board 500 from the storage chamber 40 onto the table cover 60 that covers the holding table 10 at the loading and unloading position when replacing the cutting blade 21 mounted on the cutting unit 20 and when replacing the dress board 500 held on the sub-chuck table 15.

[0047] The storage tray 400 is formed in a plate shape, with the planar shape of its outer edge being the same as the planar shape of the outer edge of the annular frame 211. For this reason, as shown in Figure 7, the outer edge of the storage tray 400 is formed of parallel straight sections 401 and arc-shaped arc sections 402 positioned between the straight sections 401. In Embodiment 1, notches 403 are formed at both ends of one of the straight sections 401 (hereinafter referred to as reference numeral 401-1) of the storage tray 400. The notches 403 are formed by cutting out the outer edge of the storage tray 400 toward the inner circumference of the storage tray 400.

[0048] As shown in Figure 8, the storage tray 400 comprises a transparent plate 410 (corresponding to a transparent member) of uniform thickness made of a transparent material such as glass or resin, and a hard plate 411 laminated on the transparent plate 410 and having a uniform thickness. The hard plate 411 is made of a metal such as stainless steel and has a uniform thickness.

[0049] The hard plate 411 is provided with multiple blade storage sections 420 (corresponding to storage sections) for storing the consumable cutting blades 21, and multiple board storage sections 430 (corresponding to storage sections) for storing the dress boards 500. In other words, the storage tray 400 is provided with multiple blade storage sections 420 and multiple board storage sections 430.

[0050] In Embodiment 1, the rigid plate 411 has multiple blade housing sections 420 spaced apart along the outer edge of the housing tray 400 on its outer edge, and multiple board housing sections 430 in its central part. In Embodiment 1, the blade housing section 420 includes a circular hole 421 that penetrates the rigid plate 411, a spacer 422 provided within the circular hole 421, and a protrusion 423 that extends from the spacer 422.

[0051] The circular hole 421 has a circular shape in its planar form, and its inner diameter is larger than the outer diameter of the cutting blade 213. The spacer 422 is formed in the shape of a disc with a diameter smaller than the outer diameter of the cutting blade 213 and the outer diameter of the support base 212, and thinner than the hard plate 411. It is positioned coaxially with the circular hole 421 and fixed on the transparent plate 410. The protrusion 423 is formed in the shape of a cylinder with an outer diameter slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the mounting hole 214 of the cutting blade 21. The protrusion 423 is positioned coaxially with the spacer 422 and fixed on the spacer 422. The blade housing section 420 accommodates the cutting blade 21 in the circular hole 421 with the protrusion 423 passing through the mounting hole 214 and the back side 215 overlapping the spacer 422.

[0052] Thus, in Embodiment 1, the consumable cutting blade 21 is housed in the blade housing section 420 of the housing tray 400 such that the identification mark 216 faces the bottom surface of the circular hole 421 of the housing tray 400. When the cutting blade 21 is housed in the blade housing section 420, the spacer 422 abuts against the back surface 215 of the support base 212, preventing the cutting edge 213 from contacting the transparent plate 410, i.e., the bottom surface of the circular hole 421. Furthermore, when the cutting blade 21 is housed in the blade housing section 420, the identification mark 216 does not overlap the spacer 422.

[0053] In Embodiment 1, the board housing section 430 is composed of a rectangular hole 431 that penetrates the rigid plate 411. The rectangular hole 431 is formed in a rectangular shape, similar to the planar shape of the dress board 500. The board housing section 430 houses the dress board 500, which is placed on the transparent plate 410, within the rectangular hole 431. The dress board 500 is also housed in the board housing section 430 with the identification mark 502 superimposed on the transparent plate 410.

[0054] Thus, in Embodiment 1, the consumable dress board 500 is housed in the board housing section 430 of the housing tray 400 such that the identification mark 502 faces the bottom surface of the rectangular hole 431 of the housing tray 400. Furthermore, when the blade housing section 420 houses the cutting blade 21, the identification mark 216 does not overlap with the spacer 422. Therefore, the housing tray 400 is composed of a transparent plate 410 in the area that overlaps (corresponds to the corresponding area) with the cutting blade 21 housed in the housing sections 420 and 430 and the identification marks 216 and 502 of the dress board 500. In this specification, housing the cutting blade 21 and dress board 500 in the housing sections 420 and 430 such that the identification marks 216 and 502 face the transparent plate 410 corresponds to housing the cutting blade 21 and dress board 500 in the housing sections 420 and 430 of the housing tray 400 such that the identification marks 216 and 502 abut against the housing tray 400.

[0055] The storage tray 400 with the above configuration can be housed in the storage chamber 40 with the cutting blade 21 and dress board 500 housed in the storage sections 420 and 430, and can be transported by the transport unit 80 in the same way as the annular frame 211. That is, the storage tray 400 is transported between the storage chamber 40 and the holding table 10 by the transport unit 80 which is the same as that used for the workpiece 200. The storage tray 400 also has a circular through-hole 404 that penetrates the transparent plate 410 and the hard plate 411 in the center.

[0056] The storage chamber 40 is installed below the cassette 51 and on the cassette mounting base 50, and moves up and down along the Z-axis direction together with the cassette mounting base 50. The storage chamber 40 houses the storage tray 400 in an orientation such that the straight section 401-1, which has notches 403 at both ends, is positioned closest to the opening on the washing unit 70 side than the other straight sections 401. As shown in Figures 9 and 10, the storage chamber 40 comprises a flat, box-shaped chamber body 41 (shown in Figure 1) with an opening that allows the storage tray 400 to be inserted and removed, a pair of support shelves 42 provided inside the chamber body 41, and a reading unit 43.

[0057] Each support shelf 42 extends linearly along the X-axis and is spaced apart from one another in the Y-axis direction. As shown in Figure 9, the support shelves 42 support both ends of the storage tray 400 in the Y-axis direction.

[0058] The reading unit 43 reads the identification marks 216 and 502 on the cutting blades 21 and dress boards 500 housed in the housing trays 400 housed in the housing chamber 40. In Embodiment 1, the reading unit 43 is installed in the housing chamber 40, positioned below the support shelf 42, and includes a lifting cylinder 44, a rotary drive source 45, and an imaging camera 46.

[0059] As shown in Figure 10, the lifting cylinder 44 is positioned below the support shelf 42 and comprises a cylinder body 47 fixed to the chamber body 41, and a rod 48 that extends and retracts from the cylinder body 47 along the Z-axis direction, and when extended, its upper end fits into a through hole 404 to lift the storage tray 400 in the storage chamber 40 upward. The rotary drive source 45 rotates the lifting cylinder 44 around an axis parallel to the Z-axis direction.

[0060] The imaging camera 46 is lifted by a lifting cylinder 44 and rotated by a rotary drive source 45 via a storage tray 400 in a storage chamber 40 to capture images of the identification marks 216, 502, and outputs the captured images to the control unit 100. The imaging camera 46 is equipped with an image sensor such as a CCD (Charge-Coupled Device) image sensor or a CMOS (Complementary MOS) image sensor to capture images of the identification marks 216, 502.

[0061] The cassette 51 is a box-shaped container for housing the workpiece 200. The cassette 51 houses multiple workpieces 200 before and after cutting, spaced apart in the Z-axis direction. The cassette 51 allows the workpieces 200 to be easily inserted and removed through an opening on the side of the cleaning unit 70. The cassette 51 is placed on top of the storage chamber 40. The cassette 51 houses the workpieces 200 with a straight section 221-1, which has notches 223 at both ends, positioned closest to the opening on the side of the cleaning unit 70 compared to the other straight sections 221.

[0062] The cassette mounting platform 50 raises and lowers the storage chamber 40 and the cassette 51 along the Z-axis.

[0063] The table cover 60 is positioned next to the Y-axis direction of the holding table 10 at the loading / unloading position. The table cover 60 is formed in a flat shape and is rotatably mounted on the outer edge of the device body 2 around a hinge 61. The table cover 60 is moved by a drive device (not shown) between a standby position, shown by a solid line in Figure 1, where both surfaces are parallel to the vertical direction and retracted from the holding surface 11 of the holding table 10, and a table protection position, shown by a dashed line in Figure 1, where both surfaces are parallel to the horizontal direction and overlap the holding surface 11 of the holding table 10. When the cutting blade 21 and dress board 500 are replaced, the table cover 60 is positioned in the table protection position and the storage tray 400 is temporarily placed on it. Even when the table cover 60 is positioned in the table protection position, the upper surface 16 of the sub-chuck table 15 remains exposed and is not covered by the table cover 60.

[0064] The cleaning unit 70 includes a spinner table 71 that suction-holds the workpiece 200 and rotates around an axis parallel to the Z-axis direction, and a cleaning fluid supply nozzle that supplies cleaning fluid to the workpiece 200 held by the spinner table 71. In Embodiment 1, the cleaning unit 70 is positioned next to the cassette mounting table 50, i.e., the cassette 51 and the storage chamber 40, in the X-axis direction, and next to the loading / unloading position holding table 10 in the Y-axis direction.

[0065] The transport unit 80 transports the workpiece 200 to the cassette 51, then to the holding table 10, then to the washing unit 70, and back to the cassette 51 when cutting the workpiece 200. In addition, when changing the cutting blade 21 and the dressing board 500, the transport unit 80 transports the storage tray 400 from the storage chamber 40 to the table cover 60 at the table protection position, and also transports the storage tray 400 from the table cover 60 back into the storage chamber 40.

[0066] As shown in Figure 1, the transport unit 80 comprises a pair of transport arms 81 and a pair of centering guides 82. In Embodiment 1, the pair of transport arms 81 comprises a cylinder unit 83 that is movable in the X-axis and Y-axis directions on the device body 2 and extends downward, and a suction part 85 attached to the tip of the rod 84 of the cylinder unit 83. The rod 84 of the cylinder unit 83 is provided to be retractable, and the direction of extension and retraction of the rod 84 is arranged parallel to the Z-axis direction. The suction part 85 is capable of suction-holding the annular frame 211 and is also capable of suction-holding the outer edge of the storage tray 400. Furthermore, the suction part 85 of one of the transport units 80 is fitted with an loading / unloading unit 86 that holds the annular frame 211 or the outer edge of the storage tray 400, allowing the workpiece 200 to be loaded into and unloaded from the cassette 51, and allowing the storage tray 400 to be loaded into and unloaded from the storage chamber 40.

[0067] The pair of centering guides 82 are positioned adjacent to the cassette mounting base 50, i.e., the cassette 51 and the storage chamber 40, in the X-axis direction, and spaced apart from each other in the Y-axis direction. The pair of centering guides 82 are formed in a straight line parallel to the X-axis direction and include a mounting wall 87 on which the annular frame 211 and the storage tray 400 are placed on the upper surface, and positioning walls 88 erected from the edges of the mounting wall 87 on opposite sides. The pair of centering guides 82 are also provided to be movable in the Y-axis direction by a drive mechanism (not shown), and are moved away from each other or towards each other by the movement mechanism.

[0068] The transport unit 80 moves one transport arm 81 while the pair of centering guides 82 are separated from each other, and the rod 84 of the cylinder unit 83 of the transport arm 81 is extended and retracted, thereby holding the annular frame 211 that holds the workpiece 200 in the cassette 51 with the loading unit 86 and loading it out of the cassette 51 onto the mounting wall 87 of the pair of centering guides 82. Similarly, the transport unit 80 also holds the storage tray 400 in the storage chamber 40 with the loading unit 86 and loading it out of the storage chamber 40 onto the mounting wall 87 of the pair of centering guides 82.

[0069] The transport unit 80 brings a pair of centering guides 82 closer together, positions the workpiece 200 or the storage tray 400 in the Y-axis direction using a positioning wall 88, the suction part 85 of one transport arm 81 holds the annular frame 211 or the storage tray 400 by suction, and the cylinder unit 83 of the other transport arm 81 moves in the Y-axis direction and the rod 84 of the cylinder unit 83 extends and retracts, thereby transporting the suction-held workpiece 200 onto the holding surface 11 of the holding table 10 and transporting the storage tray 400 onto the table cover 60 in a table protection position.

[0070] The transport unit 80 transports the workpiece 200 after cutting to the spinner table 71 of the washing unit 70 using the other transport arm 81, then transports the washed workpiece 200 onto the mounting wall 87 of the centering guide 82 using the other transport arm 81, and then stores the workpiece 200 in the cassette 51 using the loading / unloading unit 86. The transport unit 80 also transports the storage tray 400 on the table cover 60 onto the mounting wall 87 of the centering guide 82 using the other transport arm 81, and then stores it in the storage chamber 40 using the loading / unloading unit 86.

[0071] (exchange mechanism) Next, this specification will describe the replacement mechanism 3 with reference to the drawings. Figure 11 is a perspective view showing an example configuration of the replacement mechanism of the cutting device shown in Figure 1. Figure 12 is another perspective view showing an example configuration of the replacement mechanism shown in Figure 11.

[0072] The replacement mechanism 3 replaces the cutting blade 21 and the dress board 500, that is, it replaces consumables including the cutting blade 21. As shown in Figures 1, 11, and 12, the replacement mechanism 3 comprises a replacement device 30 for replacing the cutting blade 21 mounted on the cutting unit 20 and the dress board 500 held on the sub-chuck table 15, and a moving unit 31. In Embodiment 1, as shown in Figure 1, the replacement mechanism 3 is positioned next to the holding table 10 in the Y-axis direction at the loading / unloading position, and a table cover 60 is provided between it and the holding table 10.

[0073] The mobile unit 31 moves the replacement device 30 between a standby position shown in Figures 1 and 11, where the replacement device 30 is retracted from the cutting unit 20 and the holding surface 11 of the loading / unloading holding table 10, and a replacement position shown in Figure 12, where the replacement device 30 replaces the cutting blade 21 of the cutting unit 20 and the dress board 500 held by the sub-chuck table 15.

[0074] In Embodiment 1, the mobile unit 31 comprises a base portion 311 fixed to the device body 2, a lifting member 312, a first rotating arm 313, a second rotating arm 314, a lifting mechanism 315, a first rotating mechanism 316, a second rotating mechanism 317, and a third rotating mechanism 318. The base portion 311 is formed in a straight line parallel to the Z-axis direction and, in Embodiment 1, extends upward from the upper surface of the device body 2. The lifting member 312 is provided on the base portion 311 so as to be movable in the Z-axis direction.

[0075] The first rotating arm 313 and the second rotating arm 314 extend in a straight line. One end of the first rotating arm 313 is rotatably supported on the lifting member 312 around a first rotation axis 3191 parallel to the Z-axis direction. The other end of the first rotating arm 313 and one end of the second rotating arm 314 are rotatably supported from each other around a second rotation axis 3192 parallel to the Z-axis direction. The other end of the second rotating arm 314 rotatably supports the exchange device 30 around a third rotation axis 3193 parallel to the Z-axis direction.

[0076] The lifting mechanism 315 moves the lifting member 312 in the Z-axis direction relative to the base portion 311. The first rotation mechanism 316 rotates one end of the first rotation arm 313 around the first rotation axis 3191 relative to the lifting member 312. The second rotation mechanism 317 rotates the other end of the first rotation arm 313 and one end of the second rotation arm 314 relative to each other around the second rotation axis 3192. The third rotation mechanism 318 rotates the exchange device 30 around the third rotation axis 3193 relative to the other end of the second rotation arm 314.

[0077] The exchange device 30 comprises a device body 301, a rotating mechanism (not shown), and an exchange unit 32. The device body 301 is rotatably supported around a third rotation axis 3193 at the other end of the second rotating arm 314 of the mobile unit 31, and is rotated around the third rotation axis 3193 by the third rotating mechanism 318. The rotating mechanism rotates the exchange unit 32 around an axis 320 parallel to the horizontal direction relative to the device body 2.

[0078] The replacement unit 32 includes a rotating shaft (not shown) that is rotated around an axis 320 by a rotation mechanism, and a first holding part 33 (shown in Figure 12), a second holding part 34 (shown in Figure 12), a third holding part 35 (shown in Figure 11), and a fourth holding part 36 (shown in Figure 12) provided around the rotating shaft.

[0079] The holding parts 33, 34, 35, and 36 are arranged at equal intervals around the rotation axis. The holding parts 33, 34, 35, and 36 are formed in a disc shape with their axes perpendicular to the axis 320. In addition, the axes of adjacent holding parts 33, 34, 35, and 36 are perpendicular to each other. The holding parts 33, 34, 35, and 36 have holding surfaces 331, 341, 351, and 361 on the outer circumference of the axis 320 that attract and hold the cutting blade 21 and the dress board 500.

[0080] In Embodiment 1, each holding portion 33, 34, 35, 36 holds the surface 217 (shown in Figure 4) opposite to the back surface 215 of the support base 212 of the cutting blade 21 and the upper surface 503 (shown in Figure 3) of the dress board 500 by suction on the holding surfaces 331, 341, 351, 361. In Embodiment 1, each holding portion 33, 34, 35, 36 is provided with a mounting hole 325 in the center of the holding surface 331, 341, 351, 361 through which the other end 244 of the boss portion 241 of the mounting flange 24 can pass, and a suction holding groove 326 is provided on the outer circumference of the mounting hole 325 of the holding surface 331, 341, 351, 361, which is sucked from a vacuum suction source (not shown) to suck and hold the support base 212 of the cutting blade 21 and the dress board 500. Furthermore, in Embodiment 1, each holding portion 33, 34, 35, and 36 holds the surface 217 of the support base 212 of the cutting blade 21 by suction, but in the present invention, the method of fixing the cutting blade 21 to each holding portion 33, 34, 35, and 36 is not limited to this.

[0081] In the aforementioned configuration, the replacement mechanism 3, while the cutting device 1 is cutting, moves the moving unit 31 closer together one end of the first rotating arm 313 and the other end of the second rotating arm 314, and positions the replacement device 30 facing the base unit 311, thereby positioning the replacement device 30 in the standby position shown in Figures 1 and 11. When replacing the cutting blades 21 of each cutting unit 20, and when replacing the dress board 500 held on the sub-chuck table 15, the moving unit 31 moves the moving unit 31 further apart one end of the first rotating arm 313 and the other end of the second rotating arm 314, and positions the replacement device 30 facing the cutting unit 20, thereby positioning the replacement device 30 in the replacement position shown in Figure 12.

[0082] The control unit 100 controls each of the above-mentioned components of the cutting device 1 to cause the cutting device 1 to perform machining operations on the workpiece 200. In other words, the control unit 100 controls at least the cutting unit 20 and the exchange mechanism 3. The control unit 100 is a computer having an arithmetic 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. The arithmetic processing unit of the control unit 100 performs arithmetic processing according to the computer program stored in the storage device and outputs control signals for controlling the cutting device 1 to the above-mentioned components of the cutting device 1 via the input / output interface device.

[0083] The control unit 100 is connected to a display unit (not shown) which consists of a liquid crystal display device that displays the status of machining operations and images, and an input unit used by the operator to register machining content information. The input unit consists of at least one of the following: a touch panel provided on the display unit and an external input device such as a keyboard.

[0084] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 1, the control unit 100 includes an operation control unit 101, a storage unit 102, and a replacement part position storage unit 103. The operation control unit 101 controls each of the above-mentioned components of the cutting device 1 to cause the cutting device 1 to perform machining operations on the workpiece 200.

[0085] The memory unit 102 stores processing conditions and other information input from the input unit. Processing conditions include the type of cutting blade 21 and the type of dressing board 500. Specifically, the memory unit 102 stores the type of cutting blade 21 (corresponding to information) to be attached to the spindle 23 of the cutting unit 20 of the cutting device 1, and the type of dressing board 500 (corresponding to information) to be attached to the sub-chuck table 15.

[0086] The replacement part location storage unit 103 identifies and stores which storage section 420, 430 of the storage tray 400 the cutting blade 21 and dress board 500 to be attached to the cutting device 1 are stored in, based on the identification marks 216, 502 read by the reading unit 43. In Embodiment 1, the operation control unit 101 of the control unit 100 causes the lifting cylinder 44 of the storage chamber 40 to extend its rod 48 and fit it into the through hole 404 of the storage tray 400, lifting the storage tray 400 upwards, and acquires the image captured by the imaging camera 46 and the rotation angle of the lifting cylinder 44 from before the storage tray 400 was lifted by the rotation drive source 45.

[0087] The motion control unit 101 identifies the types of cutting blades 21 and dress boards 500 housed in each housing section 420, 430 from the acquired images and rotation angles, and stores the types of cutting blades 21 and dress boards 500 housed in each housing section 420, 430 in the replacement part position storage unit 103. In Embodiment 1, the positions of each housing section 420, 430 are determined by their relative positions to the aforementioned notches 403.

[0088] The operation control unit 101 performs calculations according to the computer program stored in the memory device, as described above. The functions of the storage unit 102 and the replacement part location storage unit 103 are realized by the memory device described above.

[0089] (Installation method) Next, the mounting method according to Embodiment 1 will be described. The mounting method according to Embodiment 1 is a method of attaching the cutting blade 21 and the dress board 500 to the spindle 23 and sub-chuck table 15 of the cutting unit 20 of the cutting device 1 described above. In Embodiment 1, the mounting method is a method of replacing the cutting blade 21 mounted on the spindle 23 of the cutting unit 20 of the cutting device 1, as well as replacing the dress board 500 held on the upper surface 16 of the sub-chuck table 15, and is also a machining operation of the cutting device 1 with the configuration described above.

[0090] Figure 13 is a flowchart showing the flow of the mounting method according to Embodiment 1. As shown in Figure 13, the mounting method according to Embodiment 1 comprises a storage step 1001, a replacement part positioning step 1002, a cutting step 1003, a positioning step 1006, a removal step 1007, and an installation step 1008.

[0091] (Full step) Figure 14 is a plan view of a storage tray in which cutting blades and dress boards are stored in the storage section during the storage step of the mounting method shown in Figure 13. Figure 15 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the main part of the storage tray shown in Figure 14. Storage step 1001 is a step in which multiple cutting blades 21 and dress boards 500 are stored in a storage tray 400, which has multiple storage sections 420, 430 formed therein for storing cutting blades 21 and dress boards 500.

[0092] In Embodiment 1, in the storage step 1001, as shown in Figures 14 and 15, an operator or the like randomly places each type of cutting blade 21 and dress board 500 into the storage sections 420 and 430 of the storage tray 400. In Embodiment 1, in the storage step 1001, the identification marks 216 and 502 are placed facing the bottom surface of the storage sections 420 and 430, and the cutting blade 21 and dress board 500 are placed into each storage section 420 and 430.

[0093] Furthermore, in Embodiment 1, in the storage step 1001, as shown in Figure 14, multiple cutting blades 21 and dress boards 500 are stored in at least one storage section 420, 430 without storing cutting blades 21 and dress boards 500. The storage sections 420, 430 without storing cutting blades 21 and dress boards 500 will be hereinafter referred to as unstorage sections 420-1 and 430-1. In Embodiment 1, two unstorage sections 420-1 and one unstorage section 430-1 are provided, and the cutting blades 21 and dress boards 500 are stored in the remaining storage sections 420, 430.

[0094] Furthermore, in Embodiment 1, in the storage step 1001, the operator registers the machining conditions in the storage unit 102 of the control unit 100. The machining conditions include the type of cutting blade 21 mounted on the spindle 23 of each cutting unit 20 and the type of dressing board 500 held on the sub-chuck table 15.

[0095] Furthermore, in Embodiment 1, in the storage step 1001, the operator places the storage tray 400, which contains the cutting blades 21 and dress boards 500 in the storage sections 420 and 430, into the storage chamber 40 in the orientation described above, and also places the workpiece 200 before cutting into the cassette 51 in the orientation described above, and places the cassette 51 on the upper surface of the storage chamber 40. Furthermore, in Embodiment 1, in the storage step 1001, the operator mounts the cutting blades 21 of the type specified by the processing conditions onto the spindles 23 of each cutting unit 20, and places the dress boards 500 of the type specified by the processing conditions on the upper surface 16 of the sub-chuck table 15.

[0096] Subsequently, in Embodiment 1, during the storage step 1001, the operation control unit 101 of the cutting device 1 starts the machining operation when it receives a machining operation start instruction from the operator, and proceeds to the replacement part position identification step 1002.

[0097] (Step to locate replacement part) Figure 16 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a partial cross-section of the replacement part location identification step of the mounting method shown in Figure 13. The replacement part location identification step 1002 is a step in which the reading unit 43 reads the identification marks 216, 502 of the multiple cutting blades 21 and dress boards 500 housed in the storage tray 400, and identifies which storage section 420, 430 of the storage tray 400 the cutting blades 21 and dress boards 500 to be mounted on the spindle 23 and sub-chuck table 15 of the cutting unit 20 of the cutting device 1 are housed in.

[0098] In Embodiment 1, during the replacement part location identification step 1002, the operation control unit 101 of the control unit 100 of the cutting device 1 extends the rod 48 of the lifting cylinder 44 of the storage chamber 40, as shown in Figure 16, and fits the upper end of the rod 48 into the through hole 404 to lift the storage tray 400 housed in the storage chamber 40. In Embodiment 1, during the replacement part location identification step 1002, the operation control unit 101 of the control unit 100 of the cutting device 1 rotates the lifting cylinder 44, i.e., the storage tray 400, with the rotation drive source 45, while the imaging camera 46 captures images of the identification marks 216, 502 of the cutting blades 21 and dress boards 500 housed in each storage section 420, 430.

[0099] In Embodiment 1, in the replacement part location identification step 1002, the operation control unit 101 of the control unit 100 of the cutting device 1 identifies the types of cutting blades 21 and dress boards 500 housed in each housing section 420, 430 from the image acquired by the imaging camera 46 and the rotation angle of the lifting cylinder 44, and stores the types of cutting blades 21 and dress boards 500 housed in each housing section 420, 430 in the replacement part location storage unit 103. Also in Embodiment 1, in the replacement part location identification step 1002, the operation control unit 101 of the control unit 100 of the cutting device 1 identifies the unhoused housing sections 420-1, 430-1 from the image acquired by the imaging camera 46 and the rotation angle of the lifting cylinder 44, and stores the positions of the unhoused housing sections 420-1, 430-1 in the replacement part location storage unit 103. In Embodiment 1, during the replacement part positioning step 1002, the operation control unit 101 of the control unit 100 of the cutting device 1 positions the storage tray 400 in the storage chamber 40 in the aforementioned orientation, retracts the rod 48 of the lifting cylinder 44 to support the storage tray 400 on the support shelf 42 of the storage chamber 40, and proceeds to the cutting step 1003.

[0100] (Cutting step) The cutting step 1003 is a step in which the workpiece 200 is cut with the cutting blade 21 of the cutting unit 20. In Embodiment 1, in the cutting step 1003, the operation control unit 101 of the control unit 100 of the cutting device 1 drives a vacuum suction source to fix the cutting blade 21 to the mounting flange 24 attached to the spindle 23 of each cutting unit 20, and rotates the spindle 23, i.e., the cutting blade 21, at a rotational speed determined by the machining conditions while supplying cutting fluid.

[0101] Furthermore, in Embodiment 1, during the cutting step 1003, the operation control unit 101 of the control unit 100 of the cutting device 1 positions the table cover 60 in standby position, positions the exchange device 30 of the exchange mechanism 3 in standby position, and holds the dress board 500 by suction to the upper surface 16 of the sub-chuck table 15. In Embodiment 1, during the cutting step 1003, the operation control unit 101 of the control unit 100 of the cutting device 1 transports the workpiece 200 from the cassette 51 to the holding table 10 at the loading / unloading position using the transport unit 80, holds the back side 204 side by suction to the holding surface 11 of the holding table 10 via the adhesive tape 210, and clamps the annular frame 211 to the clamping part 12.

[0102] In Embodiment 1, in cutting step 1003, the operation control unit 101 of the control unit 100 of the cutting device 1 moves the holding table 10 toward the machining position using the X-axis movement unit, and has the imaging unit photograph the workpiece 200, and performs alignment based on the image obtained by the imaging unit. In Embodiment 1, in cutting step 1003, the operation control unit 101 of the control unit 100 of the cutting device 1 moves the workpiece 200 and the cutting unit 20 relative to each other along the division line 202, and cuts into each division line 202 with the cutting blade 21 to divide the workpiece 200 into individual devices 203.

[0103] In Embodiment 1, in cutting step 1003, the operation control unit 101 of the control unit 100 of the cutting device 1 has the workpiece 200, which has been divided into individual devices 203, cleaned by the cleaning unit 70, and then placed into a cassette 51 by the transport unit 80. In Embodiment 1, after the cutting of one workpiece 200 is completed, the operation control unit 101 of the control unit 100 of the cutting device 1 determines whether the cutting of the workpieces 200 in the cassette 51 has been completed (step 1004).

[0104] If the operation control unit 101 of the control unit 100 of the cutting device 1 determines that the cutting of the workpiece 200 in the cassette 51 is not yet complete (step 1004: No), it determines whether it is time to replace the cutting blades 21 mounted on each cutting unit 20 and the dress boards 500 held on the sub-chuck table 15 (step 1005).

[0105] The replacement timing refers to the timing for replacing the cutting blade 21 of each cutting unit 20 and the dressing board 500 held on the sub-chuck table 15. The replacement timing for the cutting blade 21 is, for example, every time a predetermined number of workpieces 200 are cut or every time the cutting blade 21 is worn by a predetermined amount, and is determined for each cutting blade 21 and registered in the storage unit 102 of the control unit 100 as part of the processing conditions. The replacement timing for the dressing board 500 is, for example, every time it is dressed a predetermined number of times, and is registered in the storage unit 102 of the control unit 100 as part of the processing conditions. Furthermore, the replacement timing of the present invention may be in the middle of processing a single workpiece 200, or it may be the timing for replacing workpieces 200 when processing multiple workpieces 200 consecutively.

[0106] If the operation control unit 101 of the control unit 100 of the cutting device 1 determines that it is not time to replace the blades (step 1005: No), the process returns to the cutting step 1003 and the workpiece 200 is cut. If the operation control unit 101 of the control unit 100 of the cutting device 1 determines that it is time to replace the blades (step 1005: Yes), the process proceeds to the positioning step 1006. The following describes how to replace the cutting blades 21 mounted on the spindles 23 of both of the pair of cutting units 20, but in this invention, the cutting blade 21 mounted on the spindle 23 of either one of the cutting units 20 may be replaced.

[0107] (Positioning step) The positioning step 1006 is the step of positioning the storage tray 400, which houses the multiple cutting blades 21 and dress board 500, to the consumable replacement position. In Embodiment 1, the consumable replacement position is a position on the table cover 60 positioned at the table protection position, but in the present invention, it may also be a position on the mounting wall 87 of the pair of centering guides 82.

[0108] In Embodiment 1, in positioning step 1006, the operation control unit 101 of the control unit 100 of the cutting device 1 stops the rotation of the cutting blades 21 of each cutting unit 20 and stops the supply of cutting fluid. In Embodiment 1, in positioning step 1006, the operation control unit 101 of the control unit 100 of the cutting device 1 positions the holding table 10 at the loading / unloading position and the table cover 60 at the table protection position. In Embodiment 1, in positioning step 1006, the operation control unit 101 of the control unit 100 of the cutting device 1 causes the transport unit 80 to transport the storage tray 400 from inside the storage chamber 40 to the holding table 10 at the loading / unloading position and place it on the table cover 60 at the table protection position.

[0109] In Embodiment 1, in positioning step 1006, the operation control unit 101 of the control unit 100 of the cutting device 1 refers to the information stored in the replacement part position storage unit 103 to identify the blade storage unit 420 that houses the type of cutting blade 21 (hereinafter referred to as a replacement cutting blade, and indicated by reference numeral 21-1 in Figure 17, etc.) to be attached to one of the cutting units 20 of the storage tray 400 (hereinafter referred to as reference numeral 20-1 in Figure 17, etc.), and also identifies the blade storage unit 420 that houses the type of cutting blade 21 (hereinafter referred to as a replacement cutting blade, and indicated by reference numeral 21-2 in Figure 17, etc.) to be attached to the other cutting unit 20 of the storage tray 400 (hereinafter referred to as reference numeral 20-2 in Figure 17, etc.). In Embodiment 1, during the positioning step 1006, the operation control unit 101 of the control unit 100 of the cutting device 1 controls the movement unit 31 of the replacement mechanism 3, etc., to suction-hold the replacement cutting blade 21-1, which is housed in the specified blade housing section 420 of the housing tray 400, to the holding surface 331 of the first holding section 33, and suction-hold the replacement cutting blade 21-2, which is housed in the specified blade housing section 420 of the housing tray 400, to the holding surface 341 of the second holding section 34 of the replacement mechanism 3, and proceed to the removal step 1007.

[0110] (Removal step and installation step) Figure 17 schematically shows the state in which the replacement device, which holds the replacement cutting blade in the first and second holding parts of the replacement mechanism, is positioned between the cutting units during the removal step of the mounting method shown in Figure 13. Figure 18 schematically shows the state in which the replacement device of the replacement mechanism has removed the used cutting blade from one of the cutting units during the removal step of the mounting method shown in Figure 13. Figure 19 schematically shows the state in which the replacement device of the replacement mechanism has attached the replacement cutting blade to one of the cutting units during the mounting step of the mounting method shown in Figure 13. Figure 20 schematically shows the state in which the replacement device of the replacement mechanism has removed the used cutting blade from the other cutting unit during the second removal step of the mounting method shown in Figure 13. Figure 21 schematically shows the state in which the replacement device of the replacement mechanism has attached the replacement cutting blade to the other cutting unit during the mounting step of the mounting method shown in Figure 13. Figure 22 schematically shows the state in which the replacement device of the replacement mechanism has finished replacing the cutting blade during the installation step of the installation method shown in Figure 13.

[0111] The removal step 1007 is the step of removing the used cutting blade 21 from the cutting device 1 using the replacement device 30 of the replacement mechanism 3 after performing the positioning step 1006 and before performing the installation step 1008, and storing the used cutting blade 21 in the unstorage section 420-1 of the storage tray 400. The installation step 1008 is the step of attaching the replacement cutting blades 21-1 and 21-2 to the cutting units 20-1 and 20-2 of the cutting device 1 using the replacement device 30 of the replacement mechanism 3, based on the position identified in the replacement part position identification step 1002, after performing the positioning step 1006.

[0112] In Embodiment 1, in the removal step 1007, the operation control unit 101 of the control unit 100 of the cutting device 1 releases the fixing of both cutting blades 21 of the pair of cutting units 20-1 and 20-2 by stopping the vacuum suction source, etc. In Embodiment 1, in the removal step 1007, the operation control unit 101 of the control unit 100 of the cutting device 1 controls the movement unit 31 of the exchange mechanism 3 to position the exchange device 30, which holds the cutting blade 21-1 in the first holding part 33 and the cutting blade 21-2 in the second holding part 34, as shown in Figure 17.

[0113] In Embodiment 1, during the removal step 1007, the operation control unit 101 of the control unit 100 of the cutting device 1 controls the movement unit 31 of the exchange mechanism 3, etc., to suction-hold the used cutting blade 21 (hereinafter referred to as reference numeral 21-3) mounted on the cutting unit 20-1 to the holding surface 361 of the fourth holding part 36 of the exchange device 30, as shown in Figure 18. In Embodiment 1, during the removal step 1007, the operation control unit 101 of the control unit 100 of the cutting device 1 controls the movement unit 31 of the exchange mechanism 3, etc., to house the used cutting blade 21-3 that has been suction-held to the holding surface 361 of the fourth holding part 36 into the unstorage storage part 420-1, stop the suction-holding of the cutting blade 21-3 on the holding surface 361 of the fourth holding part 36, and proceed to the installation step 1008.

[0114] In Embodiment 1, during the mounting step 1008, the operation control unit 101 of the control unit 100 of the cutting device 1 controls the movement unit 31 of the exchange mechanism 3, etc., to mount the replacement cutting blade 21-1, which is held by suction on the holding surface 331 of the first holding part 33 of the exchange device 30, onto the spindle 23 of one of the cutting units 20-1, as shown in Figure 19. In Embodiment 1, during the mounting step 1008, the operation control unit 101 of the control unit 100 of the cutting device 1 drives the vacuum absorption source of one of the cutting units 20-1 to fix the cutting blade 21-1 to the spindle 23 of the cutting unit 20-1, and stops the suction holding of the cutting blade 21-1 by the holding surface 331 of the first holding part 33.

[0115] Subsequently, in Embodiment 1, the operation control unit 101 of the control unit 100 of the cutting device 1 determines whether or not the replacement of the cutting blades 21-1 and 21-2 has been completed (step 1009). In Embodiment 1, after the initial mounting step 1008, the replacement of the cutting blade 21-1 of one cutting unit 20-1 has been completed, but the replacement of the cutting blade 21-2 of the other cutting unit 20-2 has not been completed.

[0116] In Embodiment 1, if the operation control unit 101 of the control unit 100 of the cutting device 1 determines that the replacement of the cutting blades 21-1 and 21-2 has not been completed (step 1009: No), the process returns to the removal step 1007.

[0117] In Embodiment 1, during the second removal step 1007, the operation control unit 101 of the control unit 100 of the cutting device 1 controls the movement unit 31 of the replacement mechanism 3 to suction-hold the used cutting blade 21 (hereinafter referred to as reference numeral 21-4) mounted on the cutting unit 20-2 to the holding surface 351 of the third holding part 35 of the replacement device 30, as shown in Figure 20. In Embodiment 1, during the second removal step 1007, the operation control unit 101 of the control unit 100 of the cutting device 1 controls the movement unit 31 of the replacement mechanism 3, etc. to house the used cutting blade 21-4, which is suction-holding to the holding surface 331 of the third holding part 35, into the unstorage storage part 420-1, stop the suction-holding of the cutting blade 21-4 on the holding surface 331 of the third holding part 35, and proceed to the mounting step 1008 again.

[0118] In Embodiment 1, during the second mounting step 1008, the operation control unit 101 of the control unit 100 of the cutting device 1 controls the movement unit 31 of the exchange mechanism 3, etc., to mount the replacement cutting blade 21-2, which is held by suction on the holding surface 341 of the second holding part 34 of the exchange device 30, onto the spindle 23 of the other cutting unit 20-2, as shown in Figure 21. In Embodiment 1, during the second mounting step 1008, the operation control unit 101 of the control unit 100 of the cutting device 1 drives the vacuum absorption source of the other cutting unit 20-2 to fix the cutting blade 21-2 to the spindle 23 of the cutting unit 20-2, and stops the suction holding of the cutting blade 21-2 by the holding surface 341 of the second holding part 34.

[0119] Thus, in the mounting method according to Embodiment 1, the operation control unit 101 of the control unit 100 refers to the information stored in the replacement part position storage unit 103 to identify the blade storage unit 420 that houses the type of replacement cutting blades 21-1 and 21-2 to be attached to the cutting units 20-1 and 20-2 of the storage tray 400, and holds the replacement cutting blades 21-1 and 21-2 by suction in the holding parts 33 and 34 of the replacement device 30 of the replacement mechanism 3, and attaches them to the cutting units 20-1 and 20-2 with the replacement device 30 in the mounting step 1008. For this purpose, the mounting step 1008 involves attaching the replacement cutting blades 21-1 and 21-2 to the cutting device 1 from the storage tray 400 using the replacement device 30, based on the position identified in the replacement part position identification step 1002. In other words, in the mounting method according to Embodiment 1, the cutting device 1 is attached to the cutting device 1 by the replacement mechanism 3 at the position stored in the replacement part position storage unit 103.

[0120] Subsequently, in Embodiment 1, the operation control unit 101 of the control unit 100 of the cutting device 1 determines whether the replacement of the cutting blades 21-1 and 21-2 has been completed (step 1009). If it determines that the replacement has been completed (step 1009: Yes), as shown in Figure 22, the process returns to cutting step 1003. Also, in Embodiment 1, after the cutting of the workpiece 200 is completed, if the operation control unit 101 of the control unit 100 of the cutting device 1 determines that the cutting of the workpiece 200 in the cassette 51 has been completed (step 1004: Yes), the processing operation, i.e., the mounting method, is terminated.

[0121] In Embodiment 1, the removal step 1007 and the installation step 1008 were performed on one cutting unit 20-1, and then on the other cutting unit 20-2. However, in the present invention, the removal step 1007 and the installation step 1008 may be performed sequentially on both of the pair of cutting units 20-1 and 20-2. Furthermore, while Embodiment 1 describes an example of replacing the cutting blades 21-1 and 21-2 of cutting units 20-1 and 20-2, the installation method of the present invention may also be performed in the same manner as in Embodiment 1, by sequentially performing the removal step 1007 and the installation step 1008 to replace the dress board 500 held on the sub-chuck table 15. In addition, in the present invention, instead of the dress board 500, a rectangular plate-shaped silicon piece made of silicon may be replaced as a consumable item.

[0122] As described above, the mounting method and cutting apparatus 1 according to Embodiment 1 reads the identification marks 216 and 502 of the cutting blades 21 and dress boards 500 randomly stored in the storage tray 400 using the reading unit 43, and identifies the types of cutting blades 21 and dress boards 500 stored in each storage section 420 and 430 in the replacement part location identification step 1002. For this reason, the mounting method and cutting apparatus 1 according to Embodiment 1 does not require the registration of the types of cutting blades 21 and dress boards 500 stored in each storage section 420 and 430 of the storage tray 400 before processing.

[0123] As a result, the mounting method and cutting device 1 according to Embodiment 1 have the effect of reducing the effort required for work before processing.

[0124] Furthermore, the cutting apparatus 1 according to Embodiment 1 includes a reading unit 43 that includes a rotational drive source 45 that rotates the storage tray 400, and an imaging camera 46 that rotates with respect to the rotational drive source 45. Therefore, the imaging camera 46 can be made smaller than a line sensor with a length equivalent to the total length of the storage tray 400 that images the storage tray 400 during transport from the storage chamber 40. As a result, the cutting apparatus 1 according to Embodiment 1 can be made smaller overall than when the storage tray 400 is imaged by a line sensor during transport from the storage chamber 40.

[0125] Furthermore, since the cutting apparatus 1 according to Embodiment 1 includes a rotational drive source 45 that rotates the storage tray 400 via the reading unit 43, and an imaging camera 46 that rotates via the rotational drive source 45, the reading unit 43 can be installed inside the storage chamber 40, further miniaturization of the entire apparatus is possible.

[0126] Furthermore, when reading the identification marks 216,502 during transport of the storage tray 400, reading errors may occur due to external light or shadows. However, the cutting device 1 according to Embodiment 1 reads the identification marks 216,502 inside the storage chamber 40, thus reducing the possibility of reading errors.

[0127] [Variation] The mounting method according to a modified example of Embodiment 1 will be described based on the drawings. Figure 23 is a flowchart showing the flow of the mounting method according to a modified example of Embodiment 1. Note that in Figure 23, the same reference numerals are used for the same parts as in Embodiment 1, and their descriptions are omitted. The mounting method according to the modified example is the same as in Embodiment 1, except that, as shown in Figure 23, the operation control unit 101 of the cutting device 1 determines that it is time for replacement (step 1005: Yes) and performs the replacement part positioning step 1002 without performing the replacement part positioning step 1002 immediately after the storage step 1001, and after performing the replacement part positioning step 1002, the positioning step 1006, removal step 1007, and mounting step 1008 are performed.

[0128] In the modified mounting method, the identification marks 216 and 502 of the cutting blades 21 and dress boards 500 randomly stored in the storage tray 400 are read by the reading unit 43, and the types of cutting blades 21 and dress boards 500 stored in each storage section 420 and 430 are identified in the replacement part location identification step 1002. Therefore, similar to Embodiment 1, it is not necessary to register the types of cutting blades 21 and dress boards 500 stored in each storage section 420 and 430 of the storage tray 400 before processing, which has the effect of reducing the effort required for work before processing.

[0129] It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments and modifications. That is, it can be implemented with various modifications without departing from the core of the present invention. For example, in the present invention, at least one storage tray 400 may be housed in a cassette 51, and a reading unit 43 may be installed inside the cassette 51. In addition, in the present invention, in addition to an operator or the like directly housing the storage tray 400 in the storage chamber 40, multiple storage trays 400 may be housed in a cassette 51, and a transport arm 81 may pull them out from the cassette 51 and carry them into the storage chamber 4 through the opening on the spinner table 71 side, and the replacement part location identification step 1002 may be performed. In this case, it is desirable to register in advance in the device which level in the cassette 51 the storage tray 400 is housed in.

[0130] Furthermore, in this invention, the identification marks 216,502 may be affixed to the surface 217 side of the support base 212 of the cutting blade 21 or to the upper surface 503 of the dress board 500, or the items may be stored in the storage tray 400 so that the identification marks 216,502 are exposed. If the items are stored in the storage tray 400 so that the identification marks 216,502 are exposed, it is desirable to install an imaging camera 46 above the storage shelf in the storage chamber 40 to read the identification marks 216,502. In addition, in this invention, instead of storing both replacement consumables and used consumables in the same storage tray 400, a storage tray 400 dedicated to replacement consumables and a storage tray 400 dedicated to used consumables may be prepared, and used consumables after replacement may be stored in the storage tray 400 for used consumables. [Explanation of symbols]

[0131] 1 Cutting equipment 3 Exchange mechanism 10 Retention Table 20, 20-1, 20-2 Cutting Unit 21 Cutting blades (consumables) 21-1, 21-2 Replacement cutting blades (consumable parts to be installed) 21-3, 21-4 Used cutting blades (used consumables) 23 spindles 40 Confinement Rooms 43 Reading Unit 46 imaging cameras 50 Cassette Mounting Platforms 51 cassettes 100 Control Unit (Controller) 102 Storage section 103 Replacement item position memory section 200 Workpiece 216 Identification Mark 400 storage trays 410 Transparent plate (transparent component) 420 Blade housing (housing section) 430 Board storage section (storage section) 500 Dress Boards (Consumables) 502 Identification Mark 1001 Containment Step 1002 Replacement part location identification step 1006 Positioning step 1007 Removal Step 1008 Installation Steps

Claims

1. A cutting unit having a holding table for holding a workpiece, a spindle on which a cutting blade is mounted for cutting the workpiece held by the holding table, a replacement mechanism for replacing consumables including the cutting blade, a controller that controls at least the cutting unit and the replacement mechanism, a reading unit that reads identification marks on consumables stored in a storage tray capable of holding multiple consumables, a height-adjustable cassette stand on which a cassette for storing the workpiece is placed, and a mechanism located below the cassette that moves up and down together with the cassette stand to read multiple consumables The controller comprises a storage chamber that houses a storage tray capable of accommodating consumables, and includes a storage unit that stores information on consumables to be attached to a cutting device, and a replacement part location storage unit that identifies and stores which storage section of the storage tray the consumables to be attached to the cutting device are housed in based on the identification mark read by the reading unit, and the replacement mechanism attaches the consumables at the location stored in the replacement part location storage unit to the cutting device, and the reading unit attaches the consumables to the cutting device using a cutting device disposed in the storage chamber, Consumables have an identification mark. A storage step in which multiple consumables are stored in a storage tray having multiple storage compartments for storing consumables, A replacement part location step involves reading the identification marks of multiple consumables stored in the storage tray with a reading unit and identifying which storage section of the storage tray contains the consumable to be installed in the cutting device, A positioning step involves positioning the storage tray containing multiple consumables at the consumables replacement position, An installation method comprising: performing the positioning step, and then using the replacement mechanism to attach the consumable to be attached to the cutting device from the storage tray to the cutting device based on the position identified in the replacement part positioning step.

2. In this storage step, multiple consumables are placed in the storage tray without any consumables being placed in at least one storage section. The mounting method according to claim 1, further comprising a removal step of removing used consumables from the cutting device using the replacement mechanism after performing the positioning step and before performing the mounting step, and storing them in the storage section of the storage tray that does not contain consumables.

3. A cutting apparatus comprising: a holding table for holding a workpiece; a cutting unit having a spindle on which a cutting blade for cutting the workpiece held by the holding table is mounted; a replacement mechanism for replacing consumables including the cutting blade; and a controller for controlling at least the cutting unit and the replacement mechanism, It comprises a reading unit that reads the identification marks of consumables stored in a storage tray capable of holding multiple consumables, The controller includes a storage unit that stores information on consumables to be attached to the cutting device, Includes a replacement part location storage unit that identifies and stores which storage section of the storage tray contains the consumable to be attached to the cutting device based on the identification mark read by the reading unit, The replacement mechanism attaches the consumable at the position stored in the replacement position memory unit to the cutting device, A height-adjustable cassette mounting platform on which a cassette for containing workpieces is placed, It comprises a storage chamber located below the cassette that moves up and down together with the cassette mounting base and houses a storage tray capable of accommodating multiple consumables, The reading unit is a cutting device installed within the containment chamber.

4. The consumables are placed in the storage tray such that the identification mark is in contact with the storage tray. The storage tray has a transparent material in the area corresponding to the identification mark of the stored consumables. The cutting apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the reading unit has an imaging camera that images the identification mark through the storage tray.

Images