Substrate Transfer Apparatus Misalignment Compensation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current substrate transfer apparatus calibration methods require moving the robot in both vertical and horizontal directions, which is time-consuming and prone to large errors due to sensor distortions, making accurate misalignment compensation challenging.
Innovation Solution
A method that calculates calibration values using equations of a circle and a line while moving the substrate transfer apparatus in one direction, determining the center of the circle based on sensor coordinates to compensate for misalignment, reducing the need for dual-direction movement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If mapping is performed while moving the robot in both vertical and horizontal directions, then calibration can be completed, but calibration time increases significantly and errors increase due to sensor distortions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the essential calibration requirement from the complex two-directional mapping process. By analyzing the robot's movement and sensor characteristics, it identifies that movement in only one direction (vertical or horizontal) is sufficient to obtain the necessary calibration data, eliminating the need for time-consuming two-directional mapping while maintaining calibration accuracy
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of performing complete two-directional mapping, the patent applies partial action by conducting calibration mapping in only one direction. This partial mapping approach provides sufficient calibration data to compensate for sensor distortions and achieve accurate substrate positioning without the full time investment required for comprehensive two-directional calibration
2Reliability
If mapping is performed while moving the robot in both vertical and horizontal directions, then calibration can be completed, but measurement errors increase due to sensor distortions in different environments
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and addresses the root cause of measurement errors by identifying sensor distortion as the primary issue. It develops compensation algorithms that specifically target and correct for these distortions, separating the calibration process into manageable components that can be corrected individually rather than attempting to account for all possible error sources simultaneously
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies parameter changes by introducing calibration values that adjust the sensor measurements. These calibration parameters are calculated based on the relationship between the robot's actual movement and sensor readings, and are used to transform distorted measurements into accurate positioning data, effectively changing the measurement parameters to compensate for environmental distortions
Data Source
AI summary
A substrate misalignment compensation method includes obtaining first coordinates for an amount of movement of a substrate transfer apparatus and second coordinates measured by a plurality of sensors installed on the substrate transfer apparatus while moving the substrate transfer apparatus in one direction, calculating a calibration value of the substrate transfer apparatus by using an equation of a circle for the first coordinates and an equation of a line for the second coordinates, and calculating the center of a circle for a substrate based on the calibration value of the substrate transfer apparatus and compensating for misalignment of the substrate by using the center of the circle.