Industrial Robot Teaching Using Optical Sensors for Narrow Space Positioning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional industrial robots face challenges in automatically teaching the position of a semiconductor wafer for placement in a narrow space around the installation unit due to the need for the wafer grasping section to move radially and detect positions from various directions.
Innovation Solution
An industrial robot equipped with a hand that linearly moves horizontally, featuring a lifting mechanism for vertical movement and a transfer mechanism for horizontal movement, along with first and second sensors with specific optical axis orientations, allows for the detection of the installation unit's position without requiring perpendicular movement, enabling automatic teaching even in narrow spaces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the wafer grasping section moves radially from various directions to detect the small disc part position, then the position detection precision is improved, but the device complexity and space requirement increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the radial movement requirement from the detection process. Instead of moving the wafer grasping section radially from various directions to detect the small disc part, the invention uses a transmission sensor fixed at the wafer placement position to detect the position of the small disc part directly, eliminating the need for radial movement and multiple detection directions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical detection method (moving the wafer grasping section radially to detect positions) with an optical detection system. The transmission sensor uses light emission and reception to detect the position of the small disc part, substituting mechanical movement with optical measurement, thereby simplifying the device and reducing space requirements.
2Measurement precision
If the wafer grasping section moves from various directions to detect the small disc part, then the measurement accuracy is improved, but the space around the wafer placement position must be large
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the requirement for radial movement from various directions. The transmission sensor is fixed at the wafer placement position and detects the small disc part directly, eliminating the need for the wafer grasping section to move from various directions, thereby reducing the required space around the wafer placement position.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces mechanical movement-based detection with optical detection. The transmission sensor uses light to detect the position of the small disc part without requiring physical movement of the wafer grasping section, enabling accurate measurement in a compact space around the wafer placement position.
3Manufacturing precision
If multiple detection operations are performed from various directions, then the position teaching accuracy is improved, but the operation time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary detection of the small disc part position using the transmission sensor before the actual wafer placement. By detecting the position of the small disc part in advance and calculating the wafer placement position based on this detection, the system achieves accurate position teaching without requiring multiple sequential detection operations from various directions, thereby reducing operation time.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces multiple mechanical detection operations with a single optical detection operation. The transmission sensor detects the position of the small disc part in one operation, and the control unit calculates the wafer placement position based on this single detection result, significantly reducing the time required compared to performing multiple detection operations from various directions.
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
Enables the automatic teaching of the transfer object's position on the installation unit in narrow spaces by utilizing sensor detection results to calculate the installation unit's position, simplifying the robot's configuration and enhancing its teaching capabilities.
Implementation Method 1
a transmission sensor including a light emitting part and a light receiving part is placed at a top end of the wafer grasping section
Implementation Method 2
the first sensor detects a position of either the installation unit or a teaching jig to be installed on the installation unit in a vertical direction
Implementation Method 3
the second sensor detects a position of either the installation unit or the teaching jig in the first direction
Data Source
AI summary
A teaching method for an industrial robot may include, while the hand is lifted up and down by the lifting mechanism, detecting, with the first sensor, a position of either the installation unit or a teaching jig to be installed on the installation unit in a vertical direction; while the hand is transferred in the first direction by the transfer mechanism, detecting, with the first sensor, a position of either the installation unit or the teaching jig in the first direction; while the hand is transferred in the first direction by the transfer mechanism, detecting, with the second sensor, a position of either the installation unit or the teaching jig in the first direction; and calculating a position of either the installation unit or the teaching jig in the second direction, in order to teach a position of the transfer object to be installed on the installation unit.