Inter-Floor Transport Layout for Parallel Wafer Carrier Handling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing inter-floor transport systems in semiconductor manufacturing plants are inefficient as they can only transport a single conveyed article at a time, leading to delays and reduced productivity when multiple articles need to be moved.
Innovation Solution
An inter-floor transport apparatus is designed to transport multiple conveyed articles between floors, featuring a first load unit, a second load unit, a driving unit, and a control unit, allowing for simultaneous transportation of multiple articles with variable speed adjustments based on article size or weight.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a single load unit is used to transport conveyed articles, then the device complexity is low, but the productivity is reduced due to transporting only one article at a time
Solution Approach 1:
The transport apparatus is divided into multiple independent load units (first load unit and second load unit) that can operate simultaneously. Each load unit has its own driving unit, allowing parallel transport of multiple conveyed articles, thereby increasing productivity while maintaining manageable complexity through modular design
Solution Approach 2:
The second load unit is disposed below the first load unit in a vertical arrangement, creating a nested configuration. This nesting approach allows multiple transport units to occupy overlapping spatial volumes, increasing transport capacity without proportionally increasing the footprint area of the device
2Productivity
If the transport apparatus moves at high speed, then the productivity is improved, but the reliability is reduced when transporting heavy or large articles
Solution Approach 1:
The driving unit is designed with variable speed capability that can be dynamically adjusted based on the characteristics of the conveyed articles. The control unit monitors article properties and automatically optimizes transport speed, allowing high-speed operation for light articles and reduced speed for heavy or large articles, thus maintaining both productivity and reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The operating parameters of the transport apparatus, particularly speed, are changed based on the weight and size of conveyed articles. The system transitions between different speed regimes to match article characteristics, ensuring reliable transport of heavy articles at lower speeds while maintaining high productivity through faster speeds for lighter articles
Data Source
AI summary
An inter-floor transport apparatus and a logistics transport system including the inter-floor transport apparatus are provided. The logistics transport system includes: a stage module installed in space where semiconductor devices are fabricated, the stage module including a plurality of stages, which are installed on different floors; a frame module installed to have a direction intersecting the plurality of stages as a length direction; and an inter-floor transport apparatus moving along the frame module and transporting conveyed articles to each of the stages, wherein the inter-floor transport apparatus includes a first load unit, which transports the conveyed articles, a second load unit, which is disposed below the first load unit and transports the conveyed articles, a driving unit, which moves the first and second load units, and a control unit, which controls an operation of the driving unit, and transports a plurality of conveyed articles at the same time.