Scheduler Dynamic Rerouting for Substrate Processing Faults
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current schedulers for substrate processing apparatuses face challenges in maintaining high throughput during faults, such as rectifier failures, as they lack dynamic scheduling capabilities to reroute substrates and manage processing unit failures, leading to reduced production and potential defective substrates.
Innovation Solution
A scheduler that integrates a transferring simulation process to dynamically recalculate substrate schedules, allowing for rerouting of substrates and managing processing unit failures by switching between linear programming and simulation processes to ensure maximum throughput and minimize downtime.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a linear programming scheduler is used to achieve maximum throughput, then productivity is improved, but adaptability to faults and dynamic events deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The scheduler dynamically switches between linear programming mode (for normal operation to maximize throughput) and simulation-based scheduling mode (for fault conditions). This dynamic adaptability allows the system to optimize productivity under normal conditions while quickly responding to faults by retrieving substrates and rerouting processes, thus resolving the contradiction between maximum throughput and fault adaptability.
2Reliability
If substrates are retrieved into cassette during fault recovery, then reliability is improved, but loss of time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The scheduler performs preliminary actions by proactively retrieving substrates into the cassette before the fault fully impacts production, and by pre-planning alternative routing paths. When a fault is detected, the system has already initiated substrate retrieval and prepared alternative process routes, minimizing the actual downtime and reducing the loss of time while ensuring reliable fault recovery.
3Manufacturing precision
If processing is interrupted to prevent defective substrates, then manufacturing precision is improved, but productivity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The scheduler extracts or removes affected substrates from the faulty processing section and transfers them to the cassette or alternative sections. By taking out the problematic substrates and isolating the fault, the system prevents defective substrate production while minimizing interruptions to other processing lines, thus maintaining manufacturing precision with reduced impact on overall productivity.
4Adaptability or versatility
If a simulation process scheduler is used for flexible scheduling, then adaptability is improved, but productivity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The scheduler system performs multiple functions by integrating both linear programming capabilities (for optimal throughput during normal operation) and simulation-based scheduling capabilities (for flexible fault handling). This multi-functional design allows the system to achieve maximum productivity through linear programming while maintaining adaptability through simulation, thus resolving the contradiction between throughput and scheduling flexibility.
Data Source
AI summary
A scheduler generates not only normal substrate transferring schedules for substrates newly supplied to a substrate processing apparatus, but also substrate transferring schedules for keeping a high production quantity in the event of a failure. The scheduler is used in a substrate processing apparatus including a plurality of substrate processing sections for processing substrates, a transfer device for transferring the substrates, and a controller for controlling the substrate processing units to process the substrates and controlling the transfer device to transfer the substrates. The scheduler is incorporated in the controller for calculating a substrate transferring schedule and has a function to successively calculate substrate transferring schedules for substrates which are newly supplied to the substrate processing apparatus, and, in the event of a fault occurring in the substrate processing apparatus, to recalculate the substrate transferring schedules with an initial state represented by a state including the fault.