Semiconductor Tool Interlock Control for Safe Unit Adjustment
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Solution Overview
Problem
In semiconductor manufacturing apparatuses, the allocation of operation rights to terminal devices for multiple units leads to inefficiencies and safety risks, such as collisions and worker injuries, due to simultaneous operations across different units.
Innovation Solution
A control system with an interlock function that prevents two terminal devices from simultaneously operating the same unit, allowing exclusive operation rights to be granted based on specific conditions, ensuring safe and efficient operational adjustments by permitting access or exclusive operation rights only when no other terminal device has acquired these rights.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If operation rights for multiple units are allocated to one terminal device, then operational adjustment can be performed, but work efficiency cannot be sufficiently increased and safety risks arise from simultaneous operations
Solution Approach 1:
The operation rights are segmented into two distinct types: exclusive operation rights for adjustment target units and access operation rights for access target units. This segmentation allows different terminal devices to have different levels of access - one device can exclusively adjust a unit while another can access it for transport operations, thereby improving work efficiency while maintaining safety through the interlock function that prevents conflicting simultaneous operations
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically manages operation rights by granting exclusive operation rights temporarily to a terminal device when adjustment work is needed, then transitioning to access operation rights when adjustment is complete. This dynamic right management allows flexible allocation of operational authority based on real-time needs, improving both safety and efficiency
2Productivity
If operation rights for processing unit and transport unit are allocated to two terminal devices, then work efficiency increases, but safety risks such as collision and worker injury cannot be eliminated
Solution Approach 1:
The controller serves as an intermediary between terminal devices and units, mediating all operation rights through centralized management. The controller's interlock function monitors and coordinates operations across all units, preventing conflicting simultaneous operations by one terminal device adjusting a unit while another transports a substrate to it, thereby eliminating collision risks while maintaining high work efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback mechanisms where the controller continuously monitors the status of all units and terminal devices, and dynamically adjusts operation rights based on real-time conditions. When a terminal device has exclusive operation rights for adjustment, the system feedback prevents other devices from initiating conflicting transport operations, thus preventing collisions while allowing efficient parallel operations
Data Source
AI summary
A control system which can efficiently perform an operational adjustment work and can safely adjust a unit is disclosed. The control system 20 includes a controller 10 and a plurality of terminal devices connectable to the controller 10. The controller 10 includes a storage device 110 storing a processing program, and a processor 120 for performing operations and calculations based on the processing program. The processing program including instructions to give an access operation right, which permits access by an adjustment target unit to an access target unit, to a target terminal device which is one of the terminal devices in response to a request for the access operation right, transmitted from the target terminal device to the controller 10, on the condition that an exclusive operation right for the access target unit has not been given to any of the terminal devices.