Substrate Conveyance Position Teaching With Stereo Image Calibration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional substrate conveyance apparatuses face challenges in automating the teaching of accurate positional information due to assembly errors and component wear, requiring manual intervention and complex configurations with dedicated teaching members, leading to inaccuracies and increased operational burdens.
Innovation Solution
A substrate conveyance apparatus equipped with a pair of imaging units on a movable table captures images of the substrate holding unit and its surroundings, calculating positional information through stereo imaging to automate the teaching process, correcting deviations using a correction coefficient, and storing accurate positional information for precise substrate placement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If manual operation is used to teach the actual target position, then teaching can be performed, but the operator burden increases and teaching errors may occur
Solution Approach 1:
The substrate conveyance apparatus performs teaching automatically using its own imaging units and control unit, without requiring external manual intervention. The system captures images, calculates positional deviations, and corrects teaching information autonomously, eliminating operator burden while maintaining high teaching accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual mechanical operation with an automated optical-mechanical system. Imaging units capture positional information, and the control unit processes this data to automatically determine and correct target positions, substituting human operators with an automated vision-based measurement and control system.
2Extent of automation
If dedicated teaching members are introduced to automate teaching, then automation is achieved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The imaging units and control unit serve dual purposes: they are used for both normal substrate conveyance operations and for teaching operations. The same hardware components perform multiple functions, eliminating the need for dedicated teaching members and reducing overall device complexity while achieving full automation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the teaching function with the existing substrate conveyance system components. The imaging units, originally用于substrate positioning, are also used for teaching; the control unit handles both operational control and teaching information processing, combining multiple functions into unified system components.
3Productivity
If target position is calculated in advance based on design drawings, then positioning can be performed, but positional deviation occurs due to assembly errors and component wear
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses imaging units to capture actual positions of substrates and placement units, compares these with calculated target positions, and feeds back the positional deviation information to the control unit. This feedback loop enables real-time correction of positioning errors caused by assembly deviations and component wear, maintaining high positioning accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary teaching operations before actual substrate processing. The system pre-determines corrected target positions by capturing images of placement units and calculating positional relationships in advance, storing this teaching information for use during subsequent high-speed substrate conveyance operations, ensuring accuracy without compromising productivity.
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
This approach simplifies the configuration by eliminating the need for dedicated teaching members and enhances teaching accuracy by correcting positional deviations, ensuring precise substrate positioning without manual intervention.
Implementation Method 1
a pair of imaging units disposed on the movable table at a predetermined interval in such a manner as to move with movement of the movable table but not with movement of the substrate holding unit, the pair of imaging units being configured to capture an image of a region including the substrate holding unit and a space in front of the substrate holding unit
Data Source
AI summary
An imaging unit captures an image of a hand unit at a reference position and an image of the hand unit at an advanced position where the hand unit has advanced from the reference position by an advanced amount. A position calculation unit calculates an estimated moving amount of the hand unit from each image. A correction coefficient calculation unit calculates a correction coefficient based on the advanced amount and the estimated moving amount. A calibration unit calculates a calibrated moving amount by calibrating a necessary moving amount calculated based on an image of a conveyance target object with the correction coefficient. Since the calibration unit calibrates a difference between the advanced amount and the estimated moving amount, the difference caused by the imaging unit and optical images can be eliminated in a configuration in which a position of a conveyance destination using optical images captured by the imaging unit.