Modular Process Tool with External Body for Cleanroom Maintenance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cleanroom designs face challenges in tool installation and maintenance due to dense tool placement, which increases costs and complicates access to components for replacement or maintenance, especially as tool sizes grow and cleanroom volumes expand.
Innovation Solution
The design allows for reversibly removable processing tool components, where a portion of the tool is placed inside the clean space and the body remains on the periphery, facilitating easy access and replacement with modular components and advanced sealing mechanisms to maintain cleanliness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If tools are densely placed in cleanrooms to increase productivity, then productivity improves, but the cost of building and maintaining cleanspace increases
Solution Approach 1:
The tool is divided into two separate parts: a processing component that resides within the cleanroom and a body that remains outside. This segmentation allows the tool to maintain high productivity through dense placement while reducing the volume of cleanspace required, thereby lowering construction and maintenance costs.
Solution Approach 2:
The body of the tool is extracted from the cleanroom environment and positioned on the periphery. Only the essential processing portion remains inside the cleanroom, minimizing the cleanspace volume while preserving full tool functionality. This extraction resolves the contradiction by reducing cleanspace requirements without sacrificing productivity.
2Productivity
If tools are densely placed in cleanrooms to increase productivity, then productivity improves, but access to components for maintenance becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the tool into an internal processing component and an external body, maintenance personnel can easily access the body and associated components from outside the cleanroom. This segmentation maintains dense tool placement for high productivity while providing excellent access for maintenance activities.
Solution Approach 2:
The body is taken out of the cleanroom environment and positioned externally, making it readily accessible for maintenance without requiring entry into the cleanroom or disruption of the clean environment. This extraction directly addresses the accessibility problem while preserving productivity through continued dense placement.
3Productivity
If new tools are installed in an operating cleanroom to increase productivity, then productivity improves, but installation becomes disruptive to job flow
Solution Approach 1:
The body is extracted and positioned outside the cleanroom, allowing installation, removal, and maintenance activities to occur externally without disrupting the cleanroom environment or job flow. Only the compact processing component occupies space within the cleanroom, minimizing interference with operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The tool configuration extends into a second dimension by placing the body outside the cleanroom boundary. This dimensional arrangement allows installation and maintenance to occur in the external space without interfering with the internal cleanroom operations, thus maintaining productivity without disruption.
4Productivity
If old tools are removed from cleanrooms to maintain productivity, then productivity is maintained, but removal becomes increasingly difficult and disruptive
Solution Approach 1:
The body is extracted and positioned externally, making removal straightforward and non-disruptive. Since the bulk of the tool resides outside the cleanroom, removal activities do not interfere with the clean environment or ongoing job flow, allowing easy tool replacement while maintaining productivity.
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention provides various aspects of support for a processing tool in a fabrication facility capable of routine placement and replacement of processing tools and component assemblies of the tools. Support aspects include a support structure for component assemblies and a quick disconnect flange which facilitates connecting and disconnect of electrical, liquid and gas utilities to a tool component placed in the processing tool.