Robot Arm Trajectory Planning for Collision-Safe Substrate Transfer

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional robot arm trajectory control systems in manufacturing environments are inefficient, leading to increased time, energy consumption, processing overhead, and bandwidth usage, which can result in substrate damage and equipment damage due to collision risks and low yield.

Innovation Solution

A method that identifies a sequence of robot configurations and generates motion planning data including velocity and acceleration data to optimize the trajectory of a robot arm, avoiding collisions by using nonlinear optimization and shortest path planning, thereby minimizing distance and time while actuating the robot arm based on this data.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If conventional robot arm trajectory control systems are used, then the robot arm can transfer substrates, but the system experiences increased time consumption, energy consumption, and processing overhead

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesubstrate transfer efficiencyVSAvoidtrajectory execution time

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system pre-calculates the entire trajectory including all configuration sequences, velocity profiles, and acceleration data before the robot arm begins movement. This preliminary computation of the complete motion plan eliminates real-time calculation delays during execution, directly reducing trajectory execution time while maintaining efficient substrate transfer

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The trajectory control system dynamically optimizes velocity and acceleration parameters for each portion of the trajectory based on pre-calculated motion planning data. This dynamic adjustment of motion parameters allows the robot arm to execute movements more efficiently, reducing overall execution time while ensuring safe and accurate substrate transfer

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Reliability

If conventional trajectory control is used, then substrate transfer is performed, but collision risks increase leading to substrate damage and equipment damage

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesubstrate transfer safetyVSAvoidcollision damage risk

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary collision risk assessment and trajectory validation before the robot arm executes movement. By pre-calculating safe trajectories and verifying collision-free paths in advance, the system eliminates collision risks during actual substrate transfer, protecting both substrates and equipment from damage

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The trajectory control system incorporates feedback mechanisms that monitor robot arm position and trajectory adherence in real-time during execution. This feedback ensures the robot arm follows the pre-calculated safe trajectory precisely, detecting and correcting any deviations that could lead to collisions, thereby maintaining high reliability and preventing substrate or equipment damage

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

3Productivity

If conventional motion control systems are used, then robot arm movement is controlled, but energy consumption and processing overhead increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesubstrate processing efficiencyVSAvoidrobot arm energy consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The system pre-calculates energy-optimized velocity and acceleration profiles for each trajectory portion before execution. By determining the most energy-efficient motion parameters in advance based on the pre-computed trajectory, the robot arm minimizes energy consumption during substrate transfer while maintaining high processing efficiency

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The trajectory control system dynamically adjusts velocity and acceleration parameters during robot arm movement based on pre-calculated optimization data. By changing these motion parameters according to the optimized profile, the system reduces energy consumption while maintaining productive substrate transfer rates

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

4Manufacturing precision

If complex trajectory calculations are performed in real-time, then accurate robot arm control is achieved, but processing overhead and bandwidth usage increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetrajectory accuracyVSAvoidprocessing overhead

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs all complex trajectory calculations, configuration sequencing, and motion planning in advance before robot arm execution. By completing these computationally intensive tasks preliminarily and storing the results as execution instructions, the system achieves high trajectory accuracy during movement without incurring real-time processing overhead or bandwidth consumption

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS20240075617A1Robot arm trajectory control

Publication Date: 2024.03.07 APPLIED MATERIALS INC

AI summary

A method includes identifying a sequence of robot configurations associated with processing a plurality of substrates. The method further includes generating motion planning data comprising corresponding velocity data and corresponding acceleration data for each portion of a trajectory associated with the processing of the plurality of substrates. The method further includes causing a robot arm to be actuated based on the motion planning data.