Movable Storage Rack for Semiconductor Material Handling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional overhead traveling crane (OHT) systems in semiconductor wafer factories are inflexible, costly to modify, and limited in application range, leading to inefficiencies and production disruptions due to their one-way design, high maintenance requirements, and inability to handle heavy or large material boxes.
Innovation Solution
A material transportation system featuring a movable storage rack and automatic transportation apparatus that can move freely along any route, equipped with an automatic lifting translation mechanism, sensors, and a controller to manage the movement of the rack, allowing for flexible positioning and simultaneous transportation of multiple material boxes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional OHT systems are used for material transportation, then the system is mature and standard-configured, but the system becomes inflexible and costly to modify when production lines need expansion or re-optimization
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides material transportation into two independent modules: movable storage racks that can be freely relocated, and fixed OHT systems that provide stable transportation routes. This segmentation allows the OHT system to remain mature and reliable while the movable racks provide the needed flexibility for reconfiguration.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces movable storage racks that can dynamically change their positions and transportation routes, contrasting with the static nature of traditional OHT systems. This dynamic component enables adaptability without requiring modification of the mature OHT infrastructure.
2Ease of operation
If traditional OHT systems with vertical lifting suspenders are used, then the system can transport material boxes, but the system requires strict position accuracy and does not allow optional position changes
Solution Approach 1:
The system separates the positioning function into two parts: the fixed OHT system maintains strict position accuracy for stable transportation, while the movable storage racks handle position flexibility and optional changes. This segmentation resolves the contradiction between position accuracy and position flexibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The movable storage rack acts as an intermediary between the fixed OHT system and the final destination. It absorbs the flexibility requirements, allowing the OHT system to operate with strict position accuracy without being constrained by the need for optional position changes.
3Reliability
If one-way transportation design is adopted in OHT systems, then collision accidents are prevented, but the system becomes difficult to design and expensive to modify
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the transportation function between movable racks that can navigate flexibly and fixed OHT systems that maintain simple one-way routes for collision prevention. This segmentation reduces overall design complexity while maintaining safety.
4Ease of manufacture
If traditional OHT systems are used, then the system is standard-configured, but the system has high maintenance requirements and cannot handle heavy or large material boxes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the advantages of both systems: the mature, standard-configured OHT system for stable transportation and the movable storage racks for handling heavy and large material boxes. This merging allows the system to maintain standard configuration benefits while expanding handling capabilities.
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention provides a material transportation system, a material transportation method and a material storage apparatus. The material storage apparatus is provided with a movable storage rack, wherein the movable storage rack is configured for carrying a plurality of material boxes and can be separated from the material storage apparatus; and an automatic transportation apparatus can move freely along any route in any direction, wherein the automatic transportation apparatus is configured for carrying the movable storage rack. Moreover, the movable storage rack is sent to be in front of the material storage apparatus or transported from the material storage apparatus to a target storage position. The present invention simultaneously transports a plurality of material boxes between the material storage apparatuses and between the material storage apparatus and the processing equipment.