Robot Hand Support Mechanism for Warped Substrate Handling
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Solution Overview
Problem
The challenge of handling substrates with significant warpage in a production line involving panel level packaging (PLP) is exacerbated by narrow slot pitches in FOUPs, leading to potential contact between the robot hand and the substrate during insertion, which can cause particle adhesion and require robust support to prevent warpage-related issues.
Innovation Solution
A robot hand with a support part that moves between forward and backward positions relative to the hand member, driven by a first driving part, to accommodate substrate warpage, and a holding unit with a base part and transmission mechanism to support the substrate, allowing for precise positioning and minimal contact during insertion and removal.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Length of moving object
If the robot hand is inserted into the FOUP with narrow slot pitch, then the substrate can be accessed for removal, but the robot hand may come into contact with the substrate at sites where the gap is narrow due to substrate warpage
Solution Approach 1:
The support part is designed to move between a retracted position (when the robot hand approaches the substrate) and a protruding position (when the robot hand is inserted into the FOUP). This dynamic adjustment allows the support part to adapt to substrate warpage, preventing contact between the robot hand and substrate while maintaining reliable substrate support during handling.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the robot hand supports the substrate with minimized contact area using support pins, then particle adhesion is suppressed, but the robot hand requires precise positioning to avoid contact with the substrate lower surface
Solution Approach 1:
The support part dynamically adjusts its position based on the robot hand's approach and insertion. When the robot hand approaches, the support part retracts to avoid contact; when inserted, it protrudes to provide stable substrate support. This dynamic positioning reduces the need for extremely high positioning precision while maintaining minimal contact area to suppress particle adhesion.
Solution Approach 2:
The support part is positioned in advance to protrude before the robot hand fully inserts into the FOUP. This preliminary action ensures that the substrate is already supported at the correct height, preventing any potential contact between the robot hand and substrate lower surface, thereby reducing the precision requirements for the final positioning.
3Reliability
If the support part protrudes by more than the warpage amount of the substrate, then the substrate can be reliably supported, but the robot hand structure becomes more complex to accommodate the moving support part
Solution Approach 1:
The support part is nested within the robot hand structure, allowing it to retract into and protrude from the hand body. This nesting arrangement enables the support part to move by more than the substrate warpage amount for reliable support while keeping the overall robot hand structure compact and not excessively complex.
Data Source
AI summary
A robot hand includes: a hand member holding a substrate; a support part disposed at the hand member and supporting a lower surface of the substrate; and a first driving part disposed at the hand member and driving the support part. The first driving part moves the support part between a forward position higher than an upper surface of the hand member and a backward position lower than the forward position. The forward position is set to a position that is away from the upper surface of the hand member by more than a maximum warpage amount expected for the substrate.