Substrate Transfer Robot Hand Orientation for Misalignment Sensing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing substrate transfer systems face efficiency limitations due to the assumption that the hand orientation is always perpendicular to the virtual straight line connecting sensors, which restricts the flexibility of substrate transfer.
Innovation Solution
A control device and method for a substrate transfer robot that allows the hand orientation to be inclined relative to the line connecting sensors, enabling accurate misalignment detection and flexible transfer paths by using multiple sensor detections to calculate misalignment information.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If the hand orientation is constrained to be perpendicular to the straight line connecting sensors, then the misalignment detection can be simplified, but the flexibility of substrate transfer is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The hand orientation is changed from a fixed perpendicular constraint to a dynamic inclined orientation that can adapt to different transfer scenarios. The control device calculates the optimal hand orientation based on the detected misalignment and transfers the substrate accordingly, allowing the system to adapt to various substrate positions while maintaining accurate misalignment detection.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the hand orientation is inclined from perpendicular to the sensor line, then the substrate transfer flexibility is improved, but the misalignment detection complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system changes the orientation parameter of the hand from a fixed perpendicular angle to an inclined angle relative to the sensor line. By calculating the appropriate inclination angle based on misalignment detection, the system achieves flexible substrate transfer while managing detection complexity through mathematical computation rather than physical constraint changes.
3Measurement precision
If multiple sensor detections are used to calculate misalignment, then the measurement accuracy is improved, but the detection time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary detection using multiple sensors to identify substrate misalignment before the transfer operation. By detecting the misalignment early and calculating the correction needed, the system can then execute a single optimized transfer action, reducing the total time required compared to repeated detection and adjustment cycles.
Data Source
AI summary
A control device controls a substrate transfer robot including a hand, a joint, and a joint motor. The hand can hold a substrate. An axis of the joint is oriented in a vertical direction. The joint motor drives the joint. The control device controls the joint motor so that the hand transfers the substrate to make the substrate pass through a first sensor and a second sensor. The control is performed so that an orientation of the hand in a plan view when the substrate passes the two sensors is inclined from a direction perpendicular to a straight line connecting the two sensors. The control device generates positional misalignment information indicating positional misalignment of the substrate with respect to the hand, based on positions of the hand on at least three times that any of a plurality of sensors, including the two sensors, detected an outer edge of the substrate.