Wafer Transfer Robot Lift Layout for Thinner EFEM Integration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional horizontally articulated robots for transferring semiconductor wafers have a bulky design that limits flexibility in routing pipes and cables within the EFEM housing, as the arm's base end is positioned adjacent to the inside front surface, restricting space and interference prevention.
Innovation Solution
The industrial robot features a thinner main body portion with an elevating unit and mechanism, including a motor, ball screw, and pulley system, allowing the arm to be positioned closer to the side surface, enabling increased flexibility in routing pipes and cables by using a protruding portion for cable routing and a guide mechanism for smooth movement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a robot control system has high flexibility to adapt to various manufacturing industries and applications, then the system can serve multiple purposes, but the device complexity increases making the system hard to understand and operate
Solution Approach 1:
The control system is divided into multiple independent modules, each responsible for specific functions such as motion control, I/O processing, and communication. This modular architecture allows the system to maintain high flexibility while reducing overall complexity through clear separation of concerns.
Solution Approach 2:
A standardized communication interface and protocol are implemented across all modules, enabling them to work together seamlessly. This universal interface design allows different modules to be combined in various configurations to suit different manufacturing applications without increasing operational complexity.
2Device complexity
If the robot control system integrates multiple functions in one unit, then the number of devices is reduced, but the heat generation increases causing instability
Solution Approach 1:
The control system is segmented into multiple independent modules that can be physically distributed. Each module generates less heat individually, and the separation allows for better thermal management through distributed cooling and reduced heat concentration in any single location.
Solution Approach 2:
The system transitions from a single integrated unit to a distributed modular architecture, adding the dimension of spatial distribution. This allows heat to be dispersed across multiple locations rather than concentrated in one unit, improving thermal management while maintaining functional integration through standardized communication interfaces.
3Productivity
If the control system uses a standardized communication method among modules, then communication efficiency improves, but the adaptability to specialized protocols decreases
Solution Approach 1:
A standardized communication interface acts as an intermediary layer between modules. This intermediate protocol enables efficient communication while providing translation or adaptation capabilities to interface with specialized protocols when needed, thus maintaining both efficiency and adaptability.
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 configuration allows the main body portion to be made thinner, enhancing cable routing flexibility even when the arm is adjacent to the EFEM housing side surface, reducing interference and improving operational efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
an elevating mechanism for raising/lowering the elevating unit; the elevating mechanism is provided with a motor, a ball screw, a first pulley secured to an output shaft of the motor
Implementation Method 2
a ball screw, a first pulley secured to an output shaft of the motor, a second pulley secured to a screw shaft of the ball screw
Data Source
Figure 1(A)~1(B)
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
This application is to provide an industrial robot in which a main body portion, to which the base end side of an arm is rotatably joined, can be made thin. For instance, this industrial robot is equipped with hands, on which objects-to-be-transferred are to be mounted, an arm, with which the hand is rotatably joined to the front end side thereof, and a main body portion 7, with which the base end side of the arm is rotatably joined; the main body portion 7 is provided with an elevating unit 20, to which the base end side of the arm is rotatably joined on the top surface side thereof, a housing 21, which holds the elevating unit 20 to be raised/lowered and in which at least part of the bottom end of the elevating unit 20 is housed, and an elevating mechanism 22 for raising/lowering the elevating unit 20. The elevating mechanism 22 is housed in the housing 21 such that it aligns with the elevating unit when viewed in the top-bottom direction.