Overhead Transport Mapping With LiDAR for Semiconductor Lines
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Solution Overview
Problem
In semiconductor manufacturing lines, existing systems lack real-time monitoring and mapping capabilities to prevent contamination, damage, and errors during material transport, particularly in overhead hoist transport devices used for automated material transport between semiconductor processes.
Innovation Solution
An autonomous driving device equipped with LiDAR sensors, 3D sensors, and a map generating module that creates a 3D map of the manufacturing line in real-time, allowing for accurate positioning and detection of errors or missing information, and enabling vehicles to travel autonomously along the line while correcting their paths based on this data.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If 2-dimensional maps are used to represent the manufacturing line, then the system complexity is reduced, but the measurement precision and positioning accuracy deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from 2-dimensional map representation to 3-dimensional map representation by integrating depth information from LiDAR sensors. This dimensional enhancement allows the system to capture the vertical structure and spatial relationships of manufacturing equipment more accurately, thereby improving positioning precision without significantly increasing system complexity.
2Reliability
If real-time 3-dimensional mapping is implemented, then the monitoring capability is improved, but the use of energy and computational resources increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary mapping actions by collecting 3-dimensional data from multiple vehicles during their travel along the manufacturing line. This preliminary data collection enables the system to build a comprehensive 3D map in advance, which can then be used for real-time monitoring and error correction without requiring continuous high-energy computational processing during operation.
3Measurement precision
If multiple vehicles are deployed to collect 3D modeling information, then the measurement precision is improved, but the device complexity and coordination requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
Each vehicle in the multi-vehicle system is equipped with identical LiDAR sensors and mapping capabilities, making them universal units that can independently perform 3D mapping functions. This multi-functionality allows the system to improve measurement precision through multiple data collection points while maintaining relatively simple individual vehicle designs, as each vehicle serves the same mapping purpose.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The autonomous driving device effectively prevents contamination and damage by providing real-time monitoring and accurate positioning of manufacturing equipment and materials, reducing errors and improving the efficiency of material transport in semiconductor manufacturing lines.
Implementation Method 1
a measurement module mounted on each of the plurality of vehicles and including a LiDAR sensor
Implementation Method 2
a measurement module mounted on each of the plurality of vehicles and including a LiDAR sensor and a 3-dimensional sensor
Data Source
AI summary
An autonomous driving device includes a plurality of vehicles configured to travel on the ceiling of a manufacturing line in which manufacturing equipment is arranged, a traveling rail arranged along the ceiling of the manufacturing line to provide a movement path for each of the plurality of vehicles, a measurement module mounted on each of the plurality of vehicles and including a LiDAR sensor and a 3-dimensional sensor, and a map generating module configured to receive information from the measurement module, wherein the map generating module is further configured to generate a 3-dimensional map that 3-dimensionally represents the manufacturing line.