Grinding Apparatus Inclination Control for Wafer Thickness

The patent replaces manual mechanical adjustment operations with an automated control system that includes a touch panel for inputting target shapes, a computing unit for calculating inclination angles, and a control unit for executing the adjustment. This substitution eliminates the need for repetitive manual grinding, polishing, and measurement cycles, thereby reducing adjustment time while maintaining wafer thickness uniformity.

The system uses digital copying of the desired wafer shape specifications through the touch panel interface. The target shape data is stored and processed by the computing unit, which calculates the corresponding chuck table inclination angle. This digital copying and processing approach replaces physical trial-and-adjustment methods, significantly reducing the time required to achieve the desired wafer thickness uniformity.

The control system is designed with multi-functionality to justify its complexity. The touch panel serves multiple purposes: inputting target shape specifications, displaying calculated inclination angles, and providing operational feedback. The computing unit performs multiple functions including data processing, angle calculation, and control signal generation. This universal design consolidates multiple functions into integrated components, making the system easier to operate despite the increased complexity.

The system incorporates self-service capabilities where the computing unit automatically calculates the optimal inclination angle based on the target shape input without requiring manual intervention. The control unit then automatically executes the adjustment based on these calculations. This self-service automation simplifies the operator's task to merely inputting the desired shape parameters, thereby improving ease of operation despite the underlying system complexity.