Substrate Working Tables Interference Detection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional substrate working devices with multiple tables face challenges in accurately determining whether the tables will interfere with each other due to thermal expansion and assembly errors, leading to potential collisions during operation.

Innovation Solution

The implementation of a control system that uses table recognition marks and cameras to acquire accurate position coordinates of the substrate working tables, calculating an interference reference distance to determine if interference will occur, and adjusting movements to avoid collisions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If substrate working tables are made movable to enable parallel work and substrate discharge, then productivity is improved, but the risk of mutual interference between tables increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveparallel work capabilityVSAvoidinterference risk

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system continuously monitors the actual positions of substrate working tables using recognition marks and cameras, feeds this position information back to the control device, and dynamically adjusts operations to prevent interference while maintaining parallel productivity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The control device calculates interference reference distances and determines potential interference conditions in advance before actual interference occurs, allowing preventive adjustment of table positions or operations

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Ease of manufacture

If threaded shafts are used to drive substrate working tables, then ease of manufacture is improved, but measurement precision deteriorates due to thermal expansion and assembly errors

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedrive mechanism simplicityVSAvoidtable position accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The system replaces reliance on mechanical positioning accuracy with optical measurement using recognition marks and cameras, eliminating the need for high-precision mechanical encoders while maintaining accurate position detection

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

Recognition marks serve as optical copies or references of the actual table positions, allowing precise position measurement independent of the mechanical drive system's inherent inaccuracies

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

Data Source

PatentEP2790475B1Substrate working device

Publication Date: 2018.05.30 YAMAHA MOTOR CO LTD

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AI summary

A substrate working device includes: a base; a first substrate working table and a second substrate working table movably supported on the base; an indicator provided to one of a base side member, which is formed of the base or a member fixed to the base, and the first and second substrate working tables; an imaging unit provided on the other one, which isdifferent from the one, of the base side member and the first and second substrate working tables in order to image the indicator; and a control unit that, by causing the imaging unit to image the indicator and based on image data thereof, acquires position information related to each of the substrate working tables and that moreover determines whether or not the respective substrate working tables interfere with each other at the time of movement of each substrate working table based on the position information.