Entries |
Document | Title | Date |
20080208380 | MANUFACTURING STATION WITH IMPROVED CONTROLLER - A manufacturing station comprises a tool which performs a manufacturing operation on a part, a controller programmed by a product line which controls the tool to determine that the operation is carried out, which receives information about the manufacturing operation and communicates information about the operation, and an interface between the tool and the controller, wherein the controller is configurable to one of a multiple of manufacturing operations which correspond to the product line of the controller. | 08-28-2008 |
20080228304 | Line Balance Control Method, Line Balance Control Apparatus, and Component Mounting Machine - To provide a line balance control method, a line balance control apparatus, and a component mounting machine, which do not require a higher-level device. A production line | 09-18-2008 |
20080243287 | Methods and Apparatuses for Monitoring Steam Turbine Valve Assemblies - The present application provides for apparatuses and methods for monitoring steam turbine valve assemblies. In one embodiment of the present application a method for monitoring valve assemblies is provided. First, the vibration characteristics of at least one valve assembly prior to operation may be measured. Next, the behavior of that valve assembly may be monitored during operation of the valve assembly, then compared to the vibration characteristics determined prior to operation. Comparing the valve assembly behavior monitored during operation to the valve assembly characteristics measured prior to operation may allow for estimating the stress levels experienced by the valve assembly during operation. | 10-02-2008 |
20080255695 | METHOD FOR MANAGING WIRELESS DEVICES USING LIFECYCLE ANALYSIS - An improved solution for managing wireless devices that uses lifecycle analysis is provided. In an embodiment of the invention, the method for managing wireless devices includes obtaining data regarding at least one new wireless device; automatically evaluating a feasibility of redeploying at least one of a plurality of pre-existing wireless devices, based on the data regarding the at least one new wireless device; and identifying a distribution for the at least one of the plurality of pre-existing wireless devices, based on the automatically evaluating. In another embodiment, the distribution may include cascading and/or retiring the pre-existing wireless device(s). | 10-16-2008 |
20080255696 | Software Factory Health Monitoring - A method, system, and computer-readable medium for maintaining a health of a software factory that creates custom software in a standardized manner is presented. In a preferred embodiment, the method includes the steps of: defining work packets to perform sub-functions of a custom software; tracking a transmission of the work packets to an assembly line in a software factory; monitoring any retrieval of software artifacts that are used to create the work packets; monitoring any on-going changes of work activities that are contained in the work packets; determining if execution of the work packets conforms to governance guidelines for the software factory; monitoring the software factory to ensure that the work packets comply with an architecture of the software factory; tracking quality metrics for an execution of the work packets in an assembly line in the software factory; and transmitting all tracked and monitored information described above to a dashboard. | 10-16-2008 |
20080294280 | PROCESSING CONDITION DETERMINING METHOD AND APPARATUS, DISPLAY METHOD AND APPARATUS, PROCESSING APPARATUS, MEASUREMENT APPARATUS AND EXPOSURE APPARATUS, SUBSTRATE PROCESSING SYSTEM, AND PROGRAM AND INFORMATION RECORDING MEDIUM - In a first process, a process A, an actually measured transfer position measured by a measurement/inspection instrument is indicated by a black circle. A targeted transfer position indicated by x in a process B is located at the same position as the black circle. Assuming that the weights in the subsequent processes are the same, a targeted transfer position X | 11-27-2008 |
20090024238 | Substrate Processing Apparatus - A substrate processing apparatus includes a display unit having an operation screen, a first control section that transmits a control instruction for processing a substrate and a second control section that performs control according to the control instruction from the first control section. The first control section has a screen file that stores screen data in which the first row is settable as item data for a data number, a data name or the like, a parameter file that stores parameter data corresponding to the item data at least, and a display control section that displays the monitor screen by executing the screen file and placing the screen data on the operation screen as a monitor screen and executing the parameter file, searching through the parameter file based on the data number and placing the parameter data corresponding to the item data. | 01-22-2009 |
20090069922 | PROCESSING SYSTEM AND METHOD - A method and computer program product for monitoring one or more processes occurring during a first portion of a multi-portion recipe being executed on a processing device to obtain data concerning at least of portion of the one or more processes. At least a portion of the data is stored. The availability of the at least a portion of the data is enabled to one or more processes occurring during a second portion of the multi-portion recipe. | 03-12-2009 |
20090112346 | Method and System for Adaptive Equipment Notifications - The present invention improves on existing Equipment Fault Detection and Classification (FDC) and Equipment Automation methods and systems. Its novelty is in a new method and system to provide adaptive notifications based on the basic capability to detect interruptions and out-of-process-spec conditions at automated manufacturing or processing equipment through the existing methods of prior art. The reality of adaptive notifications is very important in order to manage the complexity of automated production environments, such as in the semiconductor and chemical industries, power generation utilities, durable goods manufacturing and food processing industry. The method and system described in the present invention result in actionable equipment notifications, which is a key differentiator. Existing methods of prior art frequently generate large quantities of data requiring further analysis before an action can be determined, and thereby consuming valuable production time. | 04-30-2009 |
20090118855 | Control Method for a Substrate Processing Apparatus - A substrate processing apparatus is reduced in communication cost and alleviated of the restriction on control site when the maintenance worker staying distant monitors in real-time a status change thereof. | 05-07-2009 |
20090118856 | Status indication method and status indication system - Embodiments of the present invention provide a method and system for solving a location designation problem to give specific instructions to workers as to where the device that has completed processing is in the production site, and a setup starting time designation problem to give instructions to workers as to when the setup for operation after a test is completed is conducted. One embodiment includes a means for recognizing the processing progress statuses of the devices in the production site, means for indicating the processing progress statuses of the devices, means for predicting the processing completion times of the devices, and means for indicating when a preparation (setup operation) is started for a particular device. A worker receives the processing progress statuses of the respective devices of the respective units from the means for indicating the processing progress statuses of the devices, and records the time to carry in the works to be placed in the devices to the devices and start placement from the means for indicating when a setup operation is started for a particular device. | 05-07-2009 |
20090138116 | SYSTEM FOR RELIABLE COLLABORATIVE ASSEMBLY AND MAINTENANCE OF COMPLEX SYSTEMS - A system and method of tracking location and orientation of power tools utilized in the assembly and maintenance of complex systems is disclosed. The system can facilitate collaboration between maintenance and alert maintenance personnel to complete complex system activities. | 05-28-2009 |
20090143889 | Equipment operating status tracking system - An equipment operating status tracking system is provided, which may include a graphical user interface (GUI), a processor, and a computer-readable medium operatively coupled to the processor. The computer-readable medium may include a memory in which are stored instructions for receiving operating status data for at least one piece of equipment and automatically, initially categorizing any downtime in the operating status data as uncharacterized. The computer-readable medium may include instructions for displaying at least some of the operating status data, including the uncharacterized downtime, to a user authorized to characterize downtime. Further, the computer-readable medium may include instructions for receiving input from the authorized user to characterize the downtime by selecting from a plurality of characterization categories, each category being indicative of a different cause of downtime. In addition, the computer-readable medium may further include instructions for displaying the characterized downtime. | 06-04-2009 |
20090143890 | SUBSTRATE PROCESSING APPARATUS, PROGRAM, STORAGE MEDIUM AND CONDITIONING NECESSITY DETERMINING METHOD - A control unit of a substrate processing apparatus controls a process to be performed in a chamber. The process includes a step of performing a preceding first process; a step of performing a subsequent second process after performing the first process; a step of determining whether to perform an inter-process conditioning, for arranging the environment in the chamber, during a period between the end of the first process and the start of the second process, based on information on the first process and information on the second process; and a step of performing the inter-process conditioning prior to the second process when it is determined in the determining step that the inter-process conditioning is to be performed. | 06-04-2009 |
20090157213 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR MONITORING BATCH PRODUCT MANUFACTURING - A system and method for monitoring product through a batch manufacturing plant is provided. The system includes, a parallel flow mode when product flows concurrently from at least two units to a single unit; and a serial flow mode where product flows from one unit to another at a given time, wherein the batch manufacturing plant is modeled based on the parallel and serial flow modes. A lot association is built based on product flow and a parent/child record is created for lot association. The system also includes a data collection system that collects phase information for every unit and a procedure identifier is used to create a batch identifier, where a batch identifier is associated with each lot on each unit through which product is flowing to and/or from at a given time. | 06-18-2009 |
20090198365 | COMPUTER PROGRAM PRODUCT, APPARATUS AND SYSTEM FOR MANAGING A MANUAL ASSEMBLY SEQUENCE - A computer program product, apparatus and system are disclosed for managing a manual assembly sequence by electronically referencing unique identifiers associated with physical components to be assembled in the sequence. Certain embodiments facilitate management of an assembly of a consumer product. In one embodiment, RFID tags are used as unique identifiers. Such embodiments may use RFID tags to determine the presence of the components before each assembly step in the assembly sequence and to determine that the components are being assembled in sequence. Other embodiments determine whether the components are properly assembled after being assembled, that the distance between the components falls within a predetermined range, and/or that the components for an assembly steps is properly orientation with respect to other components. | 08-06-2009 |
20090204249 | Quality Assurance Method When Operating An Industrial Machine - There is described a method for operating an industrial machine, the latter being e.g. a processing machine, a production machine or a manipulation robot. At least part of the operation of said industrial machine is simulated with the aid of a simulation model and the simulated results and real-time data from the operation of the industrial machine are stored. The simulation can be carried out in the industrial machine and if this is the case a parametric representation of the simulation model can be at least partly produced using a unit for this purpose. To produce said parametric representation, a data-systems connection can be created between the industrial machine and the unit, by means of an Intranet and/or an Internet connection. In addition, the simulation can be carried out in an external simulation unit, the latter having a data-systems connection to the industrial machine by means of an Intranet and/or an Internet connection. | 08-13-2009 |
20090248188 | SMART MACHINE TOOL LUBRICATION SYSTEM - A smart machine tool lubrication system monitors the distance traveled by a motion component in a machine tool. A predetermined amount of lubricant is dispensed at a lubrication point of the motion component when the monitored distance exceeds a first threshold value. The smart machine tool lubrication system may further monitor the duration of time the motion component is in motion and dispense the predetermined amount of lubricant with the monitored duration of time exceeds a second threshold value. | 10-01-2009 |
20090292385 | AUTOMATED THROUGHPUT CONTROL SYSTEM AND METHOD OF OPERATING THE SAME - An automated throughput control system and method is provided. By gathering tool specific information of a plurality of process tools on entity level, appropriate throughput related performance characteristics may be calculated with high statistical significance during moderately short time intervals. Moreover, the performance characteristics obtained from tool information may be compared to reference data, for instance provided by dynamic simulation calculations, to identify high, as well as low, performing equipment on the basis of standard process control mechanisms. | 11-26-2009 |
20090299514 | FITTING ASSEMBLY EVALUATING APPARATUS AND METHODS - Methods and apparatus for evaluating characteristics of components of a mechanically attached connection are disclosed. Characteristics that may be evaluated include, but are not limited to, the position of a conduit gripping device on a conduit, an amount of axial compression or stroke of the conduit gripping device, and an amount of clamping force applied to the conduit gripping device as the conduit gripping device is axially compressed or stroked. | 12-03-2009 |
20090326699 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MONITORING COMPLETED MANUFACTURING OPERATIONS - An electronic torque wrench having a flexible head provides accurate torque measurements irrespective of the angular position of the head relative to a handle on which the force is applied. The head includes first and second portions connected by at least three pivotal links. One of the links is used to react against the entire torque applied to the handle, regardless of the pivotal position of the handle. An electronic strain gauge on the torque-reacting link provides a measurement of the torque applied to the fastener. | 12-31-2009 |
20090326700 | Method for monitoring the physical state of a hot-rolled sheet or hot-rolled strip while controlling a plate rolling train for working a hot-rolled sheet or hot-rolled strip - A method of monitoring the physical state of a hot-rolled sheet or hot-rolled strip while controlling a plate rolling train for the reversing working a hot-rolled sheet or hot-rolled strip is disclosed. For the reversing rolling of the hot-rolled sheet or hot-rolled strip a rolling stand is provided. At a starting point, an initial state of the hot-rolled sheet or hot-rolled strip in a model is determined, from which state at least one physical state variable is derived. Further, a cyclical updating of the state during the working of the hot-rolled sheet by using the model of the hot-rolled sheet or hot-rolled strip and the plate rolling train is provided, wherein monitoring of the path of the hot-rolled sheet or hot-rolled strip and operating parameters influencing and/or reproducing the state are taken into account. | 12-31-2009 |
20090326701 | Method and device for adjusting gap dimensions and/or an offset between a vehicle hood and the remaining vehicle body - The invention relates to a method and a device ( | 12-31-2009 |
20100004774 | System For Real-Time Surveillance Of Production Facility And Environmental Conditions - A real-time surveillance system of the present invention comprises a plurality of machine surveillance controllers for surveying a specific production line, the operation real time data of the production lines are collected and are transmitted via a communication interface to a server for showing on a surveillance display, so that a remote manager can effectively manage the operation state of production lines in order to achieve the purposes of reducing labor and manufacturing costs, upgrading production efficiency and improving product quality. The machine surveillance controllers are serially connected to simplify the communication cable connection in the production lines in order to facilitate the maintenance of production facility. | 01-07-2010 |
20100017008 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR OFFLINE AND/OR ONLINE BATCH MONITORING USING DECOMPOSITION AND SIGNAL APPROXIMATION APPROACHES | 01-21-2010 |
20100023152 | Wireless manufacturing line control - This device is a wireless tool monitor assembly line interface. The current embodiment of this new tool monitor has the ability to communicate with multiple different tool types. Pneumatic, electric, click based torque tools, and strain gauge torque transducers can all be outfitted with a radio. Once outfitted with a radio, and programmed to communicate with a common protocol, all of these devices can communicate with the tool monitor. The device is especially useful with a plurality of wireless qualifiers for monitoring and controlling a plurality of wireless tools wherein the wireless qualifiers are configured to send wireless signals to the wireless interface: a plurality of wireless tools configured to send wireless signals to the wireless qualifiers; and a wireless self-contained internal power supply located in the transducer housing. | 01-28-2010 |
20100063609 | Multi-Spindle Phase Controlled Machining - A method of controlling a multiple spindle machine includes measuring the motor currents provided to a first spindle and a second spindle over a period of time, establishing an amount of time between impacts on a workpiece of a cutting tooth of the first spindle relative to a cutting tooth of the second spindle based on the measured motor currents of the first spindle and the second spindle, determining an angle to shift the second spindle relative to the first spindle, and increasing or decreasing the amount of time between impacts to obtain the determined shift angle for the second spindle. | 03-11-2010 |
20100063610 | METHOD OF PROCESS MODULES PERFORMANCE MATCHING - A method and system employing said method for analyzing process module performance in semiconductor manufacturing. The method and system include process modules as part of a process tool. A process initiated in the process module includes steps. Each step includes specified performance parameters. A detection device detects at least one predetermined measurement in the process module. A program and processor generate data about the process module and steps and generates data about the steps and the process module. The program provides statistical analysis of the steps and the environment of the process module using the generated data and the performance parameters. The program determines variations between the process step performance parameters and the generated data about the process steps. | 03-11-2010 |
20100063611 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR REAL TIME CLASSIFICATION AND PERFORMANCE MONITORING OF BATCH PROCESSES - Systems and methods ( | 03-11-2010 |
20100076584 | SAMPLING INSPECTION METHOD - A sampling inspection method is provided. The sampling inspection method is adapted for a multi-product production line including a plurality of tools. The sampling inspection method includes the steps of: providing a tool record, which records a sampling data of each of the tools; then checking each sampling data recorded in the tool record, and finding out at least one unsampled tool from the tools; then defining a plurality of product lots as being performed with process operations by at least one of the at least one unsampled tool; and determining at least one of the product lots for performing a sampling inspection. | 03-25-2010 |
20100094448 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR CONTROLLING SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING EQUIPMENT - A method for controlling semiconductor manufacturing equipment in a waiting mode, comprising:
| 04-15-2010 |
20100152877 | COMPONENT MOUNTING METHOD, COMPONENT MOUNTING APPARATUS, METHOD FOR DETERMINING MOUNTING CONDITIONS, AND APPARATUS AND PROGRAM FOR DETERMINING MOUNTING CONDITIONS - A component mounting method for mounting a component on a substrate is used by a component mounter including: a mounting head mounting the component on the substrate; and an inspection head inspecting a surface status of the substrate. The component mounting method includes: repeatedly mounting a component to be mounted on a predetermined substrate by the mounting head; determining whether or not the component to be mounted is a predetermined component; and when the determination is made that the component to be mounted is the predetermined component, performing at least one of (i) inspecting a mounting status of the predetermined component after mounting the predetermined component and (ii) inspecting a status of a mounting surface on which the predetermined component is to be mounted, before mounting the predetermined component. | 06-17-2010 |
20100161101 | RETRIEVING AND NAVIGATING THROUGH MANUFACTURING DATA FROM RELATIONAL AND TIME-SERIES SYSTEMS BY ABSTRACTING THE SOURCE SYSTEMS INTO A SET OF NAMED ENTITIES - A software agent is described that receives an information request to retrieve information based on a name defined by a configured manufacturing data model. The agent serves the request by relating data coming from one or multiple backend systems and adding contextual data (Metadata). A result set is prepared to correspond to the format and filtering criteria defined in the information request, and the agent produces a response in a normalized format. The response contains the requested data and metadata used for navigation and contextualization purposes. The response in the normalized format is transmitted by the agent synchronously or asynchronously based on criteria specified in the request. | 06-24-2010 |
20100161102 | Method of providing an identifiable powder amount and method of manufacturing an object - In a method of providing a material amount for a generative manufacturing method, a three-dimensional object ( | 06-24-2010 |
20100161103 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR ADVANCED PROCESS CONTROL IN AN ETCH SYSTEM BY GAS FLOW CONTROL ON THE BASIS OF CD MEASUREMENTS - By controlling the flow rate of one or more gaseous components of an etch ambient during the formation of metal lines and vias on the basis of feedback measurement data from critical dimensions, process variations may be reduced, thereby enhancing performance and reliability of the respective metallization structure. | 06-24-2010 |
20100168898 | CONTROL SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DISPLAY OF INJECTION MOLDING MACHINE - A control system for controlling the display of an injection molding machine (IMM) includes a human machine interface (HMI), a driver, a controller, a timer, and a time display module. The controller controls the driver to drive the IMM to do a plurality of operations. The time display module controls the HMI to display working times of operations that have been done, and the working time of an operation that is in process in the current work cycle. The timer records working time of each operation by starting to time at the beginning of each operation, and stopping timing at the end of each operation. | 07-01-2010 |
20100174394 | APPARATUS FOR THE REMOVAL OF BOTTLES OR CONTAINERS FROM A BOTTLE OR CONTAINER CLEANING ARRANGEMENT IN A BOTTLE OR CONTAINER FILLING PLANT - An apparatus for the removal of bottles or containers from a bottle or container cleaning arrangement in a bottle or container filling plant. The abstract of the disclosure is submitted herewith as required by 37 C.F.R. §1.72(b). As stated in 37 C.F.R. §1.72(b): A brief abstract of the technical disclosure in the specification must commence on a separate sheet, preferably following the claims, under the heading “Abstract of the Disclosure.” The purpose of the abstract is to enable the Patent and Trademark Office and the public generally to determine quickly from a cursory inspection the nature and gist of the technical disclosure. The abstract shall not be used for interpreting the scope of the claims. Therefore, any statements made relating to the abstract are not intended to limit the claims in any manner and should not be interpreted as limiting the claims in any manner. | 07-08-2010 |
20100222912 | Operating method for an evaluation device for a production machine - During the production of a product by means of a production machine, an evaluation device receives actual states of components of the production machine, detected by sensors at detection times, and/or operating states of a control device of the production machine at the defined detection times. The evaluation device compares the states of each detection time transmitted thereto with pre-defined state combinations and thus determines fulfilled state combinations. For each fulfilled state combination, the evaluation device selects relevant states from the states of the respective detection time transmitted thereto, and corresponding information and the respective detection time are stored with the relevant states such that they are available for other evaluations. | 09-02-2010 |
20100228372 | PER-STATION START TIME CONSTRAINT - A per-station start time scheduler identifies a station that is unavailable to perform a task over a time interval. The scheduler identifies a plurality of stations and a start time of a task. The scheduler monitors each of the plurality of stations using a station time constraint corresponding to the task. Upon detecting that a station is unavailable to perform a task over a time interval, the scheduler sends a notification specifying the station that is unavailable to perform the task. | 09-09-2010 |
20100228373 | VERSION CONTROL FOR OBJECTS IN A PROCESS PLANT CONFIGURATION SYSTEM - A version control system helps to keep track of versions of process plant items that may represent, or be capable of representing, entities in a process plant. The process plant items may comprise, for example, module objects which may be capable of specifically representing process entities of the process plant. These module objects may be created from module class objects which may be capable of generically representing process entities of the process plant. Version data is stored and associated with a module object. The version data may comprise data indicative of a version of a module class object that was used to create the module object. The version data may also comprise data indicative of a version of the module object. Configuration systems, version control systems, viewing systems, debugging systems, run-time monitoring systems, asset management systems, etc., may examine or permit viewing of the version control data associated with an item. | 09-09-2010 |
20100268366 | Diagnosis System - According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a diagnosis system for detecting a state of emergency during assembly of a fuselage ( | 10-21-2010 |
20100280645 | METHOD AND MEANS FOR MANUFACTURING PRODUCTS - Method for manufacturing one or more products, comprising operation of two or more processes which are or are suspected to be subject to mutual disturbance, wherein either a process which is or which is suspected to be subject to disturb one or more of the remaining process or processes, or a process which is or which is suspected to be subject to be disturbed by one or more of the remaining processes or processes, causes an interruption or modification of the operation of the relevant remaining process or processes during a state of such potential disturbance. | 11-04-2010 |
20100292825 | PROCESS CONTROL OF AN INDUSTRIAL PLANT | 11-18-2010 |
20100298963 | DEVICE AND METHOD FOR TRACKING THE MOVEMENT OF A TOOL OF A HANDLING UNIT - A description is given of a device ( | 11-25-2010 |
20100298964 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR NON-CONTACT SENSING OF TRANSPARENT ARTICLES - A laser-based displacement detector is used to detect cosmetic coatings applied to one surface of the transparent article and thereby determine which side is uppermost when loaded into the laser processing system. In particular, articles that are transparent to visible light and are particularly difficult to orient properly in laser processing systems are oriented using a laser-based displacement detector in conjunction with a partial coating on the article. | 11-25-2010 |
20100305739 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR CONTROLLING PHASING OF ADVANCING SUBSTRATES IN ABSORBENT ARTICLE CONVERTING LINES - The present disclosure relates to systems and processes for controlling the relative positions or phasing of advancing substrates and/or components in absorbent article converting lines. The systems and methods may utilize feedback from technologies, such as vision systems, sensors, remote input and output stations, and controllers with synchronized embedded clocks to accurately correlate component placement detections and placement control on an absorbent article converting process. The systems and methods may accurately apply the use of precision clock synchronization for both instrumentation and control system devices on a non-deterministic communications network. In turn, the clock synchronized control and instrumentation network may be used to control the substrate position. As such, the controller may be programmed to the relative positions of substrates and components along the converting line without having to account for undeterminable delays. | 12-02-2010 |
20100318212 | Method for Measuring Thermo-Optically Induced Material Phase-Change Response in a Multiple Layer Thin Film Structure Using Visible and Ultraviolet Spectroscopy - A method and device for facilitating measurement of thermo-optically induced material phase change response in a thin planar or a grating film stack is disclosed. The method may include using small-spot visible and ultraviolet spectra (ellipsometric or reflectance) for measuring a material phase change response. The device may include a measurement system platform, at least one electrical resistor, at least one external electric probe, and ohmic contact circuitry. | 12-16-2010 |
20100332010 | SEASONING PLASMA PROCESSING SYSTEMS - A system for facilitating seasoning a plasma processing chamber. The system includes a computer-readable medium storing a chamber seasoning program (or CS program). The CS program includes code for receiving a first plurality of values and a second plurality of values of a set of parameters related to operation of the plasma processing chamber. The CS program includes code for ascertaining, using the first plurality of values and the second plurality of values, whether current values of the parameters have stabilized. The CS program also includes code for determining, using the second plurality of values but not the first plurality of values, whether the current values of parameters have stabilized within a predetermined range. The system may also include circuit hardware for performing one or more tasks associated with the CS program. | 12-30-2010 |
20110022211 | COOKING METHODS AND A COOKING APPARATUS FOR USE WITH SAME - The present invention relates to a cooking control method performed by a cooking apparatus for a food item. The method comprises obtaining a unique identifier and cooking data for the food item, and checking for a record of the unique identifier in a memory of the cooking apparatus. If a record of the unique identifier is located in the memory, then the cooking apparatus will not cook the food item. Otherwise a cooking process based on the cooking data to cook the food item is performed. Accordingly, cooking data for a given instance of a food item can only be used once in order to activate a cooking process performed by the cooking apparatus. The present invention also features product recall as well as the ability to track food item sales via a cooking data communications system. | 01-27-2011 |
20110022212 | BOTTLENECK DEVICE EXTRACTING METHOD AND BOTTLENECK DEVICE EXTRACTING ASSISTANCE DEVICE - A method and system of specifying a device of root cause of impeding the productivity in consideration of even mutual influence among processes of production fluctuation with respect to the subject of specifying a device in which productive capacity is reduced due to a problem that the productive capacity of device is changed due to Production that one machine works for multiple process and a problem that the productive capacity of device is changed due to High product mix and low product volume production. A measure for changing productive capacity of devices intentionally and simulating influence to the whole production system, a measure for measuring mutual influence among processes of production fluctuation produced by the simulation and a measure for specifying a device of root cause of impeding the productivity on the basis of the measured result are provided. | 01-27-2011 |
20110022213 | DETECTING DEVICE AND DETECTING METHOD - A detecting device for preventing a substrate from being scratched by an apparatus and a detecting method using the same is provided. The device comprises a detecting substrate, a controlling module, a transmitting module and a monitoring module. The controlling module detects a position information of a contact point between the apparatus and the detecting substrate and transmits the position information to the transmitting module. The transmitting module transmits the position information received from the controlling module to the monitoring module. The monitoring module determines the coordinates of the contact point between the apparatus and the detecting substrate according to the position information. The detecting substrate can be employed to simulate the substrate used in the real manufacture process of the TFT-LCD so that the apparatus in each step can be detected before the real manufacture process is performed. Thus, the apparatus can be adjusted before the real manufacture process is performed, and therefore the substrate can be effectively prevented from being scratched by the apparatuses in the real manufacture process. | 01-27-2011 |
20110022214 | Method for Monitoring Operation Behaviour of a Component of an Industrial Plant - A method for monitoring operation behaviour of a component of an industrial plant is provided. Parameter identifiers of operation parameters of the industrial plant are read from an element of a control system of the plant. Some of these parameter identifiers are selected and the selected parameter identifiers are forwarded to an element of the control system. Further, a time of a specified operation of the component is defined and behaviour of the selected parameters of the component in the defined time is used as guide model for monitoring selected parameters of the component during component operation. | 01-27-2011 |
20110035041 | Systems and methods for feed control of rolled stock raw materials - System and method for controlling the feed of a raw material disposed on a roll into a continuous or semi-continuous production process are provided. According to the disclosure, a user-defined amount of remnant material that is desirably left on the core of a roll of material when the roll is to be considered is depleted is provided as a process input, and a system according to the disclosure repeatedly evaluates and relates the stop length of material that passes through a process when a production line is stopped, the remnant material amount, and the amount of material currently present on a roll at various times during unwinding of the roll during process operation. Use of a system and/or method as provided enables operators of processes using rolled stock as a raw material to achieve heretofore un-attainably small amounts of scrap generation due to remnant material left on the roll's core. | 02-10-2011 |
20110046770 | Apparatus for monitoring pharamceutical manufacturing processes - An apparatus for monitoring data generated by a device adapted for use in a pharmaceutical manufacturing environment are described and disclosed herein. The method creates a historic record of the pharmaceutical manufacturing process and provides it to an end user or a plurality of end users. Consequently, the methods provide a means to track the frequency of hazards associated with said device and thereby perform quality control on an integrated level whereby a pharmaceutical manufacturer can ensure data and product integrity and minimize cost. | 02-24-2011 |
20110066274 | MANUFACTURING SYSTEM PERFORMANCE ANALYSIS TOOL SOFTWARE ARCHITECTURE - A method for analyzing performance of a manufacturing system includes constructing a descriptive representation of the manufacturing system, selectively binding the descriptive representation to an analytical module using a software isolation layer, invoking the analytical module, and utilizing an output of the analytical module using an end-user application program configured to utilize the output. | 03-17-2011 |
20110077764 | COMPUTER PROGRAM PRODUCTS FOR PACKAGING APPARATUS WITH INTERCHANGEABLE HORNS - Computer program products are configured to allow dual operational modes of packaging systems to produce encased products using interchangeable first or second horns. | 03-31-2011 |
20110082580 | VACUUM PUMPING SYSTEMS - The present invention relates to a vacuum pumping system ( | 04-07-2011 |
20110106288 | SYSTEM FOR USE IN PERFORMANCE OF INJECTION MOLDING OPERATIONS - There is provided a system for use in performance of injection molding operations, wherein the system can include a plurality of injection molding assembly components. In one embodiment, the system can be operative so that various information respecting components of the system can be recorded within a component database. The component database can be a computer implemented database and in one embodiment can be utilized to output information that indicates past and/or present conditions prevailing within the system. | 05-05-2011 |
20110118863 | METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING A PLASMA PROCESSING SYSTEM - A method and apparatus for compensating a bias voltage at the wafer by measuring RF voltage signals in RF driven plasma including at least an electrostatic, chuck (ESC), a capacitive divider, a signal processing and signal conditioning network is disclosed. The bias compensation device includes a capacitive divider to detect the RF voltage at the ESC, a signal conditioning network for the purpose of filtering specific RF signals of interests, and a signal processing unit for computing the DC wafer potential from the filtered RF signals. | 05-19-2011 |
20110137446 | PLASMA PROCESSING SYSTEM CONTROL BASED ON RF VOLTAGE - A method for controlling a plasma processing system using wafer bias information derived from RF voltage information is proposed. The RF voltage is processed via an analog or digital methodology to obtain peak voltage information at least for each of the fundamental frequencies and the broadband frequency. The peak voltage information is then employed to derive the wafer bias information to serve as a feedback or control signal to hardware/software of the plasma processing system. | 06-09-2011 |
20110137447 | METHOD FOR OPERATING AN INDUSTRIAL SYSTEM - The present invention relates to a method for operating an industrial system, wherein the system comprises at least one line ( | 06-09-2011 |
20110144790 | Thermal Sensing for Material Processing Assemblies - Various embodiments of thermal sensing systems and methods for monitoring thermal conditions in such material processing assemblies are described. The thermal sensing systems include a sensor cable that incorporates or is coupled to one or more thermal sensors. The sensor cable is positioned in the assembly and the thermal sensors provide temperature measurements. In various embodiments, the sensor cable and thermal sensors may be optical or electrical devices. | 06-16-2011 |
20110144791 | ENERGY SAVINGS AND GLOBAL GAS EMISSIONS MONITORING - Methods and apparatus for enhanced control, monitoring and recording of incoming chemical and power use, and emissions of electronic device manufacturing systems are provided. In some embodiments, integrated sub-fab system systems may monitor the energy usage of the sub-fab equipment. The tool can enter many different depths of energy savings modes such as idle (shallow energy savings where production equipment can recover to normal production with no quality or throughput impact in seconds), sleep (deeper energy savings where production equipment can recover in minutes), or hibernate (where production equipment may require hours to recover not to have impact on quality, or throughput) for the system. In some embodiments, the system may monitor and display all gas emissions in a sub-fab as well as the Semi S23 method reporting of CO | 06-16-2011 |
20110160893 | APPLICATIONS OF SONAR-BASED VF/GVF METERING TO INDUSTRIAL PROCESSING - The present invention provides a new and unique processor module that features one or more modules configured to respond to one or more input signals containing information about a volumetric flow of a fluid having minerals and varying amounts of entrained gas flowing in a pipe and being processed in a processing stage of a mineral extraction processing system for extracting a mineral from ore, and also configured to provide one or more output signals containing information about operations of the processing stage of the mineral extraction processing system that is not substantially affected by the varying amounts of entrained gas in the fluid flowing in the pipe. The one or more output signals may be used to control the operations of the processing stage. The one or more input signals may be based at least partly on a speed of sound measurement, including a SONAR-based entrained gas measurement to determine the amount of entrained air in conjunction with a density measurement of the fluid flowing in the pipe. | 06-30-2011 |
20110166689 | CONCRETE MATERIAL DISPENSING SYSTEM - A control system for a concrete plant adds intelligent capabilities in the concrete plant that may enhance safety, localize control of the concrete plant, and assist with troubleshooting. The control system may also enhance accuracy for determining an amount of mixed concrete dispensed, or amounts of concrete ingredients to dispense, and may eliminate the need for equipment used to verify the amount of mixed concrete or concrete ingredients dispensed. | 07-07-2011 |
20110178626 | SUBSTRATE TRANSFER APPARATUS, SUBSTRATE TRANSFER MODULE, SUBSTRATE TRANSFER METHOD AND COMPUTER READABLE STORAGE MEDIUM - Disclosed is a substrate transfer apparatus including a transfer arm of a joint type having an arm portion rotatably connected with a holding portion for holding a substrate, the apparatus including: a heating unit for heating the arm portion; a temperature detection unit for detecting a temperature of the arm portion; and a control unit for heating the arm portion by the heating unit prior to a start of a transfer of the substrate, allowing the transfer of the substrate after a temperature detection value obtained by the temperature detection unit reaches a preset temperature range, and then controlling the heating unit so as to maintain the temperature detection value within the preset temperature range. | 07-21-2011 |
20110196528 | HISTORIANS EMBEDDED IN INDUSTRIAL UNITS - Systems and methods that provide a historian integrated as part of an industrial unit and/or product manufactured by the industrial process. A historian integrated as part of the industrial unit itself, can increase data resolution and supply immediate and real time data regarding the industrial unit's operation—while mitigating short comings of conventional PC historians. Moreover, a locator component can detect embedded historians that are distributed on the back plane of an industrial network, and integrated as part thereof. | 08-11-2011 |
20110202161 | SECURING A HAZARDOUS AREA IN THE REGIN SURROUNDING THE AUTOMATIC LOADING OF RRELS ON A REEL CHANGER - A hazardous area in the region surrounding a reel transport of a reel changer is secured. A contactless protective device is located at the access boundaries of the region. This protective device can be deactivated for feeding and/or removing a known object and comprises an evaluation unit. The protective device is configured as a light curtain that is comprised of a plurality of light beams that run in parallel to each other. The evaluation unit includes an assembly for detecting the sequence of the interruption of the light beams during the feeding and/or the removal of an object. Based on the detected sequence of interruption of the light beams, a known object, that is permitted to access the hazardous area, is detected. The protective device is deactivated in this situation. Securing the hazardous area further includes the provision of a second contactless protective device that is permanently active. | 08-18-2011 |
20110202162 | Substrate processing apparatus - A substrate processing apparatus includes a display unit having an operation screen, a first control section that transmits a control instruction for processing a substrate and a second control section that performs control according to the control instruction from the first control section. The first control section has a screen file that stores screen data in which the first row is settable as item data for a data number, a data name or the like, a parameter file that stores parameter data corresponding to the item data at least, and a display control section that displays the monitor screen by executing the screen file and placing the screen data on the operation screen as a monitor screen and executing the parameter file, searching through the parameter file based on the data number and placing the parameter data corresponding to the item data. | 08-18-2011 |
20110218661 | METHOD FOR INDIVIDUAL TRACKING OF METALLIC HOLLOW BODIES - The invention relates to a method for the individual tracking of metallic hollow bodies, in particular hot-fabricated steel tubes, wherein following a final step of hot-work the individual tube is provided with a distinctive identification on the tube circumference, which is read in the feed region to the subsequent manufacturing or test stations automatically as a video image during transport and independently from the direction of transport. According to the invention, the labeling of the tube circumference is carried out in at least two segment-like sections, the tube circumference being divided, wherein the labeling is carried out in segments with a rotation of less than 360 DEG of the numbering unit and the segments comprise an axial offset relative to the longitudinal axis of the tube, which is greater than the width of the data matrix code. | 09-08-2011 |
20110224819 | METHOD FOR CONTROLLING CRITICAL DIMENSION IN SEMICONDUCTOR PRODUCTION PROCESS, AND SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING LINE SUPPORTING THE SAME - A critical dimension controlling method in a semiconductor production process includes determining whether a model is to undergo a discontinuous production process when a run is inserted in a semiconductor manufacturing line, applying an offset for said model or a common offset for a model group including said model according to the determination, executing a production process in dependence upon a process variation along with the offset for the model or the common offset for the model group, and measuring an actual critical dimension in the production process. The offset for the model is calculated based on a previously measured actual critical dimension, and the calculated offset for the model is applied to the calculation of the common offset for the model group. | 09-15-2011 |
20110251712 | SYSTEM FOR TRACKING SYSTEM PROPERTIES - The invention relates to a device for actively tracking specific data on systems or the components of a metallurgical system, characterized in that at least one readable and writable memory medium for the specific data is fixedly connected to each component, and the specific data are modifiable periodically and/or on the basis of input. In addition, the invention relates to a metallurgical system, in particular an integrated foundry or a mini-mill, comprising at least one device according to the invention. Finally, the invention relates to the use of at least one device according to the invention in an electric steel mill or a converter steel mill and/or in systems of secondary metallurgy and/or in casting plants, in particular continuous casting machines, and/or in molten steel transport units and/or in furnace systerms and/or in hot and cold rolling mills and/or in rolled stock treatment systems, in particular strip treatment systems. | 10-13-2011 |
20110270431 | WELL PRODUCTION SHUT DOWN - A system for controlling production shut down of an underwater fluid production well, the well having a sensor for producing an output signal indicative of the state of the well and a valve which is actuable to shut down production activity of the well, comprises means for receiving the output signal; and a processor for processing the received signal to determine if a shut down is required and outputting a shut down signal to the valve; wherein the receiving means and processor are located at the well. | 11-03-2011 |
20110282479 | SEWING MACHINE AND NON-TRANSITORY COMPUTER-READABLE MEDIUM STORING SEWING MACHINE CONTROL PROGRAM - A sewing machine includes a needle bar to a lower end of which a needle can be attached, a needle plate in which a needle hole is provided, an image capture device that generates, as captured image data, data that describe a captured image of a sewing object being positioned between the needle bar and the needle plate, a marker data generation device that generates, as marker data, data that describe a setting marker, the setting marker indicating a pattern position and a pattern angle, a composite image data generation device that generates, as composite image data, data that describe a composite image based on the captured image data and the marker data, and a display control device that, based on the composite image data, causes the composite image to be displayed on a screen. | 11-17-2011 |
20110301739 | CONTROL SYSTEM OF SUBSTRATE PROCESSING APPARATUS, COLLECTING UNIT, SUBSTRATE PROCESSING APPARATUS AND CONTROL METHOD OF THE SUBSTRATE PROCESSING APPARATUS - There is provided a control system of a substrate processing apparatus, comprising: a collecting unit for collecting data from each component that constitutes a substrate processing apparatus, the collecting unit further comprising at least: a buffer for temporarily storing collected data; and a sorting part for rearranging the collected data, based on time data attached to the collected data. | 12-08-2011 |
20110301740 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING A LENS, SUCH AS AN OPHTHALMIC LENS - A system and method for manufacturing an ophthalmic lens is described. In some examples, the system applies a back surface to a lens blank that includes an aspherical curve having two radii of curvature. In some examples, a back surface of a peripheral portion of the lens follows the curvature of a front surface of the lens in order to establish a rounded, non-sharp edge to a lens blank used during the manufacturing process of a prescription eyeglass lens. | 12-08-2011 |
20110313558 | METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR MONITORING A PARAMETER OF A MEASUREMENT DEVICE DURING POLISHING, DAMAGE TO A SPECIMEN DURING POLISHING, OR A CHARACTERISTIC OF A POLISHING PAD OR TOOL - Methods and systems for monitoring a parameter of a measurement device during polishing, damage to a specimen during polishing, a characteristic of a polishing pad, or a characteristic of a polishing tool are provided. One method includes scanning a specimen with a measurement device during polishing of a specimen to generate output signals at measurement spots on the specimen. The method also includes determining if the output signals are outside of a range of output signals. Output signals outside of the range may indicate that a parameter of the measurement device is out of control limits. In a different embodiment, output signals outside of the range may indicate damage to the specimen. Another method includes scanning a polishing pad with a measurement device to generate output signals at measurement spots on the polishing pad. The method also includes determining a characteristic of the polishing pad from the output signals. | 12-22-2011 |
20120010743 | STATISTICAL ANALYSIS METHOD AND SUBSTRATE PROCESS SYSTEM - A data analyzing method includes receiving monitor data from the substrate processing apparatus; producing representative value data based on the monitor data; associating apparatus condition information indicating a condition of the substrate processing apparatus at the time of production of the monitor data, with the representative value data; storing the representative value data and the apparatus condition information associated with the representative value data and in a database; retrieving the representative value data and the apparatus condition information associated with the representative value data from the database; comparing an exclusion parameter with the retrieved apparatus condition information, the exclusion parameter including information indicating whether the retrieved representative value data should be included in analysis processing targets; and determining whether the retrieved representative value data should be included in the analysis processing targets, based on the comparison result. | 01-12-2012 |
20120016508 | SEMICONDUCTOR FABRICATION APPARATUS AND TEMPERATURE ADJUSTMENT METHOD - A semiconductor fabrication apparatus includes a semiconductor wafer mounting table having a cavity therein; and a nozzle which jets a liquefied temperature adjustment medium having a temperature equal to or less than a targeted temperature to an inner wall of the cavity in order to adjust a temperature of the semiconductor wafer mounting table to the targeted temperature. The semiconductor fabrication apparatus further includes a pressure detecting unit for detecting an internal pressure of the cavity; and a vacuum pump which discharges gas within the cavity such that a pressure detected by the pressure detecting unit becomes equal to or more than a saturated vapor pressure related to the temperature of the temperature adjustment medium jetted from the nozzle and equal to or less than a saturated vapor pressure related to the targeted temperature. | 01-19-2012 |
20120022679 | ADVANCED PROCESS CONTROL OPTIMIZATION - A method for automatic process control (APC) performance monitoring may include, but is not limited to: computing one or more APC performance indicators for one or more production lots of semiconductor devices; and displaying a mapping of the one or more APC performance indicators to the one or more production lots of semiconductor devices. | 01-26-2012 |
20120029678 | INDUSTRIAL AUTOMATION INTERFACES INTEGRATED WITH ENTERPRISE MANUFACTURING INTELLIGENCE (EMI) SYSTEMS - A visualization system integrated with an enterprise manufacturing intelligence (EMI) system utilizing preconfigured EMI data models, workflow reports and process event notifications to optimize a manufacturing process. The visualization system and the EMI system exchange data and information providing both systems with a broader process view than either system has independently. The visualization system can specifically target information and action requests to different classes of manufacturing personnel such as operators and engineers. Additionally, the visualization system maintains an audit log of all production identities, raw material usage, and requested corrective actions. | 02-02-2012 |
20120065762 | Methods For Selecting Transportation Parameters For A Manufacturing Facility - Methods for selecting transportation parameters for transporting parts from at least one point of part supply to at least one point of part demand in a manufacturing facility include determining a physical relationship between the at least one point of part supply and the at least one point of part demand, selecting a transportation route type from a preselected group of transportation route types based at least in part on the physical relationship, selecting an automated guided carrier type from a preselected group of automated guided carrier types based at least in part on the transportation route type, determining a need for traffic control based at least in part on the transportation route type, and if it is determined traffic control is needed, selecting a traffic control type from a preselected group of traffic control types based at least in part on the transportation route type. | 03-15-2012 |
20120065763 | SUBSTRATE PROCESSING SYSTEM, SUBSTRATE PROCESSING APPARATUS AND DISPLAY METHOD OF SUBSTRATE PROCESSING APPARATUS - Provided are a substrate processing apparatus, a display method thereof, and a substrate processing system capable of detecting any change in the condition of each component of a substrate processing apparatus. In the substrate processing system including the substrate processing apparatus for processing a substrate and a group management apparatus connected thereto, the substrate processing apparatus is configured to acquire monitor data representing at least the condition of each component of the substrate processing apparatus, aggregate a plurality of the monitor data to generate package data including at least one of a maximum value, an average value, and a minimum value of the monitor data, and transmit the package data to the group management apparatus. The group management apparatus is configured to receive the package data from the substrate processing apparatus and readably store the same therein. | 03-15-2012 |
20120072001 | REMOTE MONITORING AND CONTROL OF A THREE-DIMENSIONAL OBJECT IN A FABRICATION APPARATUS - A three-dimensional object fabrication apparatus. A housing encloses a work area. An interface is provided in the housing permit a processor within the housing to receive digital data defining geometry for a three-dimensional object to be fabricated. A fabrication mechanism forms a portion of the object by addition of material substantially consistent with the digital data for a corresponding portion of the geometry received by the processor. A camera to images a portion of the fabrication process, e.g., molding or assembly. The images are transmitted via an interface over a wide area network to permit a user to monitor the process imaged. A user interface is provided to permit the user to send commands to the fabrication apparatus from various devices that access the wide area network. | 03-22-2012 |
20120095584 | METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE AND APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING SAME - A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device includes: irradiating a growth substrate with laser light to focus the laser light into a prescribed position inside a crystal for a semiconductor device or inside the growth substrate, the crystal for the semiconductor device being formed on a first major surface of the growth substrate; moving the laser light in a direction parallel to the first major surface; and peeling off a thin layer including the crystal for the semiconductor device from the growth substrate, a wavelength of the laser light being longer than an absorption end wavelength of the crystal for the semiconductor device or the growth substrate, the laser light being irradiated inside a crystal for the semiconductor device or inside the growth substrate. | 04-19-2012 |
20120101619 | MEASUREMENT METHOD AND MEASUREMENT SYSTEM USING THE SAME - Example embodiments relate to a measurement method of measuring lots with improved process efficiency. The measurement method may include calculating a measurement capability (indicating a degree to which members to be measured may be processed per unit time in a measurement device); allocating the measurement capability according to a processing device and a processing condition; and calculating a measurement ratio of the lots processed by the processing device and the processing condition. | 04-26-2012 |
20120109354 | TILTING-TYPE AUTOMATIC MOLTEN METAL POURING METHOD, TILTING CONTROL SYSTEM, AND STORAGE MEDIUM HAVING TILTING CONTROL PROGRAM STORED THEREIN - A method of automatically pouring molten metal from a ladle into a mold by tilting the ladle. In the method, the height of molten metal located above a molten metal outlet and the weight of molten metal flowing out of the ladle are estimated using an expanded Kalman filter on the basis of: the weight of the molten metal flowing out of the ladle, said weight being measured using a load cell; the voltage inputted to a servo motor; the angle of tilt of the ladle measured by a rotary encoder; and the position of the ladle in the lifting and lowering direction thereof. The sum of the weight of the molten metal flowing out of the ladle when the ladle is tilted rearward, said weight being estimated from the angle of tilt of the ladle and the height of the molten metal located above the molten metal outlet estimated by the expanded Kalman filter, and the weight of the molten metal flowing out of the ladle estimated by the expanded Kalman filter are estimated as the final weight of outflowing molten metal. The estimated final weight of outflowing molten metal is determined whether or not to be greater than or equal to a specific weight of outflow, and the operation of rearward tilting of the ladle is started on the basis of the result of the determination. | 05-03-2012 |
20120109355 | SUBSTRATE PROCESSING SYSTEM - Embodiments of the present invention provide an apparatus and method for processing substrates in a processing system that has an increased system throughput, improved system uptime, and improved device yield performance, while maintaining a repeatable and accurate substrate processing. The system may include multiple processing nests laterally positionable by use of a planar motor via multiple planar movers controlled by a system controller. A substrate supported by each processing nest may be angularly positionable by a rotary actuator. The system may be used in screen printing, ink jet printing, thermal processing, device testing, and material removal processes, among others. | 05-03-2012 |
20120130525 | ADAPTIVE AND AUTOMATIC DETERMINATION OF SYSTEM PARAMETERS - A MIMO optimizer is used to identify tunable process parameters for processing equipment. | 05-24-2012 |
20120150331 | Systems and Methods for Controlling Phasing of Advancing Substrates in Absorbent Article Converting Lines - The present disclosure relates to systems and processes for controlling the relative positions or phasing of advancing substrates and/or components in absorbent article converting lines. The systems and methods may utilize feedback from technologies, such as vision systems, sensors, remote input and output stations, and controllers with synchronized embedded clocks to accurately correlate component placement detections and placement control on an absorbent article converting process. The systems and methods may accurately apply the use of precision clock synchronization for both instrumentation and control system devices on a non-deterministic communications network. In turn, the clock synchronized control and instrumentation network may be used to control the substrate position. As such, the controller may be programmed to the relative positions of substrates and components along the converting line without having to account for undeterminable delays. | 06-14-2012 |
20120150332 | Systems and Methods for Controlling Registration of Advancing Substrates in Absorbent Article Converting Lines - The present disclosure relates to systems and processes for controlling the registration of advancing substrates in absorbent article converting lines. The systems and methods may utilize feedback from technologies, such as vision systems, sensors, remote input and output stations, and controllers with synchronized embedded clocks to accurately correlate registration feature detections and substrate speed control on an absorbent article converting process. The systems and methods may accurately apply the use of precision clock synchronization for both instrumentation and control system devices on a non-deterministic communications network. In turn, the clock synchronized control and instrumentation network may be used to control the substrate speed. As such, the controller may be programmed to track registration features on substrates and components along the converting line without having to account for undeterminable delays. | 06-14-2012 |
20120158168 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DETERMINING WHETHER AN ULTRASONIC HORN IS ALIGNED WITH AN ANVIL - A system and a method for determining whether an ultrasonic horn is aligned with an anvil of an ultrasonic welding system are provided. The first and second accelerometer sensors generate first and second signals indicative of first and second accelerations of first and second positions on a bracket coupled to the anvil when the ultrasonic horn is vibrating and contacting the anvil. The system further includes a microprocessor that receives the first and second signals. The microprocessor determines a difference between an amplitude of the first signal at a first time and an amplitude of the second signal at the first time. The microprocessor stores a first identifier value in a memory device indicating that the ultrasonic horn is aligned with the anvil if the difference between the amplitude of the first signal and the amplitude of the second signal is less than or equal to a threshold value. | 06-21-2012 |
20120197426 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR GENERATING INDICES TO QUANTIFY OPERATING TRANSITION PERFORMANCE OF A CONTINUOUS PROCESS - A system and method for generating indices to quantify operating transition performance of a continuous process, such as a sheet forming process, includes a computer system that is configured to generate a normalized overall transition performance index. The overall transition performance index is formed from a plurality of individual parameter indices associated with specific production components or portions of the process line. As such, the individual parameter indices allow a user of the system to readily identify the particular portion of the continuous process line that is performing below desired levels. In addition, because the overall transition performance index is normalized, it enables comparison of the operating transition performance of multiple process lines. | 08-02-2012 |
20120203369 | MANUFACTURING EXECUTION SYSTEM (MES) INCLUDING A WAFER SAMPLING ENGINE (WSE) FOR A SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING PROCESS - A method of sampling semiconductor wafers includes passing a lot of semiconductor wafers into a semiconductor processing tool, processing a first portion of the lot in one process chamber of the semiconductor processing tool and a second portion of the lot in another process chamber of the semiconductor processing tool to produce processed semiconductor wafers, and initiating a wafer sampling engine to select at least one of the processed semiconductor wafers for sampling. The wafer sampling engine computes a long term process capability index for the processing tool and a short term process performance index for at least one of the processing tool and process chamber, identifies at least one desired sampling measurement type, selects the at least one of the processed semiconductor wafers for sampling, and collects the desired measurement types from the at least one of the processed semiconductor wafers selected for sampling. | 08-09-2012 |
20120203370 | MANUFACTURING METHOD AND MANUFACTURING SYSTEM FOR PRODUCT - Manufacturing condition data stored in a storage unit of a saving device is transmitted to a control device placed in an area different from an area where the saving device is placed. The transmitted manufacturing condition data is stored in a storage unit of the control device. A manufacturing device is controlled based on the manufacturing condition data stored in the storage unit to manufacture a product. Process data for the manufacturing condition data is transmitted and stored in the storage unit. After the step of manufacturing the product, the manufacturing condition data is erased from the storage unit. The process data is transmitted to the saving device. The transmitted process data is stored in the storage unit. After the process data is transmitted to the saving device, the process data is erased from the storage unit. | 08-09-2012 |
20120215338 | SUBSTRATE CARTRIDGE, SUBSTRATE-PROCESSING APPARATUS, SUBSTRATE-PROCESSING SYSTEM, SUBSTRATE-PROCESSING METHOD, CONTROL APPARATUS, AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING DISPLAY ELEMENT - A substrate cartridge includes a cartridge main body that houses a substrate and an information-maintaining section that is housed in the cartridge main body and maintains information that includes at least specification information of specification values of the substrate housed in the cartridge main body. | 08-23-2012 |
20120221137 | MACHINE TOOL COMPRISING A DEVICE FOR COLLISION MONITORING - A numerically controlled machine tool for machining a workpiece is provided. The machine tool includes a work spindle, at least one feed axis, and a device for collision monitoring on said machine tool, wherein the device for collision monitoring includes a collision sensor mounted on a machine part of the machine tool, collision detection means for detecting a collision of machine parts of the machine tool when a measuring value detected by the collision sensor exceeds a collision limit value, and signal output means for outputting a stop signal for stopping the at least one work spindle and the at least one feed axis, of the machine tool when the collision detection means detects a collision. The machine tool includes a unit for determining the collision limit value on the machine tool. | 08-30-2012 |
20120221138 | METAL ORGANIC CHEMICAL VAPOR DEPOSITION DEVICE AND TEMPERATURE CONTROL METHOD THEREFOR - The present invention provides a metal organic chemical vapor deposition device and a temperature control method therefor. The device comprises: a chamber; a susceptor which is installed inside the chamber to allow rotation therein, wherein at least one substrate is settled thereon; a plurality of heaters which heat the susceptor, wherein the temperature is independently controlled; a gas sprayer which is positioned in the upper part of the susceptor, and sprays gases of group III and V toward the susceptor; a plurality of temperature detection sensors which are positioned in the upper part of the susceptor, and measure the temperature of heating regions heated by each heater; and a controller which retains temperature setting values necessary for the heating regions, and controls the temperature of the heating regions by comparing sensing temperature values detected by each temperature detection sensor with the setting values necessary for the heating regions. According to the present invention, the metal organic chemical vapor deposition device and the temperature control method therefor can uniformly apply necessary temperature ramping to the entire substrates during process by effectively adjusting the temperature conditions essential for every epitaxial process in the metal organic chemical vapor deposition device, which carries out the process by changing the temperature up to 1200° C. from room temperature. Therefore, the invention improves process efficiency and deposition uniformity. | 08-30-2012 |
20120226374 | MACHINE TOOL CONTROL METHOD AND MACHINE TOOL CONTROL DEVICE - Natural vibrations of a workpiece to be obtained before and after machining of the workpiece are first input (Step S | 09-06-2012 |
20120245724 | PASSIVE RESONATOR, A SYSTEM INCORPORATING THE PASSIVE RESONATOR FOR REAL-TIME INTRA-PROCESS MONITORING AND CONTROL AND AN ASSOCIATED METHOD - Disclosed is a resonator made up of three sections (i.e., first, second and third sections) of a semiconductor layer. The second section has an end abutting the first section, a middle portion (i.e., an inductor portion) coiled around the first section and another end abutting the third section. The first and third sections exhibit a higher capacitance to the wafer substrate than the second section. Also disclosed are a process control system and method that incorporate one or more of these resonators. Specifically, during processing by a processing tool, wireless interrogation unit(s) detect the frequency response of resonator(s) in response to an applied stimulus. The detected frequency response is measured and used as the basis for making real-time adjustments to input settings on the processing tool (e.g., as the basis for making real-time adjustments to the temperature setting(s) of an anneal chamber). | 09-27-2012 |
20120271446 | NUMERICAL CONTROLLER - When performing the processing while changing the position and the posture of the tool relative to the work, if the speed of the tool tip point relative to the work is regularly controlled while greatly changing the tool posture, the speed of each driving shaft of the machine is increased, whereby the interference may be generated. In order to solve the problem, in the numerical controller which obtains the position of each driving shaft of the machine performing the determination of the feeding speed, the interpolation and the coordinate conversion according to the relative instruction path and the instruction speed of the tool tip point relative to the work instructed to the processing program, when determining the feeding speed, the reference point is provided on the tool or the table, the translation speed of the reference point viewed from the mechanical coordinate system is set to the observation target speed, the reference feeding speed is obtained so that the observation target speed is a predetermined reference speed, and the smaller of the reference feeding speed and the instruction feeding speed is set to the feeding speed. | 10-25-2012 |
20120290117 | VIBRATION COMPENSATION DURING TRIM AND FORM AND MARKING - A method for forming indicia on a semiconductor device package, such as laser marked or ink stamp marked indicia. The method can be performed on an apparatus, such as a production apparatus, which forms the indicia as well as performs semiconductor device trim and form operations. An embodiment of the present teachings ensures that the indicia marking process at a laser marking station does not occur simultaneously with the device trim and form operations at a trim and form station. Trim and form operations, particularly using a ram press, can impose vibrations on the laser marking station. Ensuring that laser marking does not occur simultaneously with trim and form operations removes the negative effects of vibration on the laser marking station. | 11-15-2012 |
20120310402 | CONTROL APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING A PRINTED-PRODUCT PROCESSING SYSTEM - For controlling a printed product processing system ( | 12-06-2012 |
20120323354 | Systems and Methods for Making Panels from Sheet Material Using Adaptive Control - A system for forming a building panel of a desired shape includes a shaping machine comprising multiple rollers, wherein the shaping machine is configured to provide a desired shape to a building panel, and wherein the building panel is made from sheet material. A drive system moves the building panel longitudinally along the shaping machine, and a power source provides power to the drive system. As the building panel is moved along the shaping machine, a load sensor detects a load placed on the power source, and an optional speed sensor detects a speed of the building panel. A control system controls the drive system in response to a signal from the load sensor so as to control the load on the power source as the building panel moves along the shaping machine. | 12-20-2012 |
20130053998 | AIR SEPARATION PLANT CONTROL - A method of controlling an air separation plant and a control system to optimize production of an argon product produced by the plant. A computer program is continually executed that has models of each column of the plant, a condenser reboiler and an argon reflux condenser. The models contain stage models of each stage of separation within each of the columns that when assembled are able to calculate current values of controlled variables in response to input variables applied to the models. The controlled variables serve as an input to a controller that controls manipulated variables comprising flow rates of an air feed stream to the air separation plant, a product oxygen stream removed from the lower pressure column and the crude argon feed stream such that the controlled variables are within a targeted range selected to optimize the production of the argon product. | 02-28-2013 |
20130073071 | LASER CUTTING - Laser cutting systems and methods are described herein. One or more systems include a laser generating component, an optical component, a fixture for holding a support with a part positioned on the support, and a control mechanism for adjusting at least one of the laser generating component, the optical component, and the fixture such that a ratio of a laser energy applied to the part and a part material thickness is maintained within a predetermined acceptable range at each point along a cut path to cut through the part while maintaining the integrity of the support. Other systems and methods are disclosed herein. | 03-21-2013 |
20130096710 | TRACKING SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR SOLAR CELL MANUFACTURING - A system and method of manufacturing solar panels whereby parameters about how each cell, each array and each panel are recorded in a database or electronic memory. The cells, arrays and panels are also provided an identification, such as a bar code, to allow for subsequent retrieval of the parameters. The electronic memory is arranged so that different cells, arrays and panels that share the same parameters can be identified. | 04-18-2013 |
20130116813 | OPERATING AND MONITORING APPARATUS AND METHOD - An operating and monitoring apparatus for monitoring an operating condition of a plant through a monitoring screen of the present disclosure. The apparatus includes a storage unit which stores a plurality of display screens to be displayed on the monitoring screen; a receipt unit which receives an operation of selecting one display screen among the display screens stored in the storage unit; and a display unit which displays the display screen, selected through the receipt unit, on the monitoring screen. The display screens stored in the storage unit includes, for example, five to nine display elements, and the display elements are, for example, graphs or patterns associated with numerical values based on data acquired from the plant. | 05-09-2013 |
20130138236 | TRAJECTORY CONTROL DEVICE - A trajectory control device controlling a trajectory of a movable portion includes a servo-system response-trajectory calculation unit that computes a servo-system response trajectory based on a position command of each movable axis, a shape-feature determination unit that outputs a shape feature amount including information of a position of a boundary point in a path shape and a running direction near the boundary point based on a determination from the position command whether the shape of the commanded path is straight or curved line, a position-vector correction unit that corrects a position vector based on the position command, the servo-system response trajectory and the shape feature amount, and outputs a corrected position command, and servo control units that control a motor of each movable axis by outputting a motor drive torque so that a position of each movable axis follows the corrected position command. | 05-30-2013 |
20130144419 | INTEGRATED CIRCUIT MANUFACTURING TOOL CONDITION MONITORING SYSTEM AND METHOD - A system and method for monitoring a process tool of an integrated circuit manufacturing system are disclosed. An exemplary method includes defining zones of an integrated circuit manufacturing process tool; grouping parameters of the integrated circuit manufacturing process tool based on the defined zones; and evaluating a condition of the integrated circuit manufacturing process tool based on the grouped parameters. | 06-06-2013 |
20130144420 | Systems For Controlling Surface Profiles Of Wafers Sliced In A Wire Saw - Systems are disclosed for controlling the surface profiles of wafers cut in a wire saw machine. The systems and methods described herein are generally operable to alter the nanotopology of wafers sliced from an ingot by controlling the shape of the wafers. The shape of the wafers is altered by changing the temperature and/or flow rate of a temperature-controlling fluid circulated in fluid communication with bearings supporting wire guides of the saw. Different feedback systems can be used to determine the temperature of the fluid necessary to generate wafers having the desired shape and/or nanotopology. | 06-06-2013 |
20130144421 | Systems For Controlling Temperature Of Bearings In A Wire Saw - Systems and are disclosed for controlling the temperature of bearings in a wire saw machine. The systems described herein are generally operable to alter the nanotopology of wafers sliced from an ingot by controlling the shape of the wafers. The shape of the wafers is altered by controlling the temperature of bearings in the wire saw by changing the temperature and/or flow rate of a temperature-controlling fluid circulated in fluid communication with bearings supporting wire guides of the saw. Different feedback systems can be used to determine the temperature of the fluid necessary to generate wafers having the desired shape and/or nanotopology. | 06-06-2013 |
20130178970 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR PROVIDING MONITORING CHARACTERISTICS IN AN SOA BASED INDUSTRIAL ENVIRONMENT - The invention relates to a method and system for providing monitoring characteristics in an industrial environment on the basis of a service oriented architecture (SOA), for the purpose of allowing monitoring of changes in state of a process and/or of production equipment of an industrial plant. The changes in state are obtained by analyzing feature-based monitoring characteristics provided as a service by components of the industrial plant to be monitored as monitoring components. Service orchestrators generate new model-based monitoring characteristics using physical or logical rules of a process model. The model-based monitoring characteristics are provided as a service and can be provided by means of a service-oriented network for arbitrary linking in a control system comprising a service orchestrator. | 07-11-2013 |
20130211570 | BUILD UP EDGE MONITORING METHOD - A build up edge monitoring method is provided for performing online real-time detection and suppression of abnormal build up edges of cutters occurred in a CNC manufacturing process. Signal variation analysis and fast Fourier transform are used for analyzing signals and establishing an algorithm of diagnosing build up edges to improve the efficiency and reliability of the cutting abnormality diagnostics. A vibration acceleration signal is captured and filtered to a frequency exceeding 1.1 times of a blade passing frequency, and an occurrence of accumulated chips is determined according to a sudden increase of the vibration acceleration and whether the main vibration frequency of the current vibration signal determined by a fast Fourier transform analysis matches with the frequency of the build up edge characteristic, and a shutdown instruction is issued to a CNC controller to shut down a cutting machine. | 08-15-2013 |
20130218316 | ENDPOINT DETECTOR FOR A SEMICONDUCTOR PROCESSING STATION AND ASSOCIATED METHODS - A semiconductor processing apparatus includes a semiconductor processing station for a semiconductor wafer, and an endpoint detector associated with the semiconductor processing station. The endpoint detector includes a non-contact probe configured to probe the semiconductor wafer, an optical transmitter configured to transmit an optical signal to the non-contact probe, and an optical receiver configured to receive a reflected optical signal from the non-contact probe. The controller controls the semiconductor processing station based on the reflected optical signal. | 08-22-2013 |
20130226327 | NOVEL CLOSED LOOP CONTROL FOR RELIABILITY - The present disclosure relates to semiconductor tool monitoring system having multiple sensors configured to concurrently and independently monitor processing conditions of a semiconductor manufacturing tool. In some embodiments, the disclosed tool monitoring system comprises a first sensor system configured to monitor one or more processing conditions of a semiconductor manufacturing tool and to generate a first monitoring response based thereupon. A redundant, second sensor system is configured to concurrently monitor the one or more processing conditions of the manufacturing tool and to generate a second monitoring response based thereupon. A comparison element is configured to compare the first and second monitoring responses, and if the responses deviate from one another (e.g., have a deviation greater than a threshold value) to generate a warning signal. By comparing the first and second monitoring responses, errors in the sensor systems can be detected in real time, thereby preventing yield loss. | 08-29-2013 |
20130226328 | SYSTEM FOR MAINTAINING UNIFIED ACCESS TO SCADA AND MANUFACTURING EXECUTION SYSTEM (MES) INFORMATION - A system is disclosed that simplifies configuring an MES entity corresponding to a SCADA system object representing plant equipment. The system includes an equipment model builder (EMB) that receives a set of configured UCO information for a modeled piece of plant equipment in a SCADA system. The EMB extracts relevant MES information from the utilization capability object and invokes an application interface on an MES database to create a corresponding entity (e.g., a database element). Another aspect of the disclosed system and methods involves the enhancement of a SCADA system object, through a new MES facet, to support acquiring and reporting equipment status received via the SCADA system to a corresponding MES entity. A raw reason code configuration interface is provided by UCO configurator computer software executed on a computer. Each raw reason code is associated with a prioritized logical expression defining circumstances under which the reason code becomes true. | 08-29-2013 |
20130245806 | AUTOMATED HYBRID METROLOGY FOR SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE FABRICATION - Methods and systems are provided for fabricating and measuring features of a semiconductor device structure. An exemplary method of fabricating a semiconductor device structure involves fabricating a feature of the semiconductor device structure on a wafer of semiconductor material, determining a hybrid recipe for measuring the feature, configuring a plurality of metrology tools to implement the hybrid recipe; and obtaining a hybrid measurement of the feature in accordance with the hybrid recipe. | 09-19-2013 |
20130268105 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MANAGING HEAT ENERGY IN A METAL CASTING PLANT - A method for managing heat energy in a metal casting plant includes executing a local control optimization model to control mass of solid metal charges to each modular melting furnace. The local control optimization model is configured to achieve a commanded total mass of molten material and coincidentally minimize waste heat for each of the modular melting furnaces. The method for managing heat energy in the metal casting plant further includes executing a system control optimization model to manage operation of a heat energy recovery system. The system control optimization model is configured to manage the operation of the heat energy recovery system including transferring the waste heat from the modular melting furnaces to a plurality of heat demand centers while minimizing total loss of the waste heat in the metal casting plant. | 10-10-2013 |
20130282158 | Device and Method for Filtering Supply Network Failures Out of an Electrode Signal in a Metallurgical Electric Remelting Process - The invention relates to a method and device ( | 10-24-2013 |
20130325158 | PROCESS MONITORING SYSTEM, APPARATUS AND METHOD - A process monitoring system includes: a plurality of field devices configured to measure state quantities in an industrial process implemented in a plant; a trend calculation unit configured to determine the variation trend of the state quantities based on time-sequence data output from each of the plurality of field devices and classify each of the variation trends of the state quantities into one of a pre-established plurality of statuses; a state change judgment unit configured to judge the existence or non-existence of a pre-indicator of a change in the plant state, in accordance with the existence or non-existence of a change in at least one of the statuses classified by the trend calculation unit; and a notification unit configured to notify of judgment results of the state change judgment unit. | 12-05-2013 |
20130338810 | MANUFACTURING CONTROL APPARATUS, MANUFACTURING CONTROL SYSTEM, AND MANUFACTURING CONTROL PROGRAM OF ELECTRONIC DEVICE - A manufacturing control apparatus of an electronic device is configured to implement processing to generate a first model function relating to a relationship between a characteristic of a component included in the electronic device. The apparatus is configured to implement processing to determine a first manufacturing condition value to obtain the characteristic of the component based on the first model function. The apparatus is configured to implement processing to calculate a squared prediction error of a measured value of the characteristic of the component. The apparatus is configured to implement processing to determine a second manufacturing condition value of the next electronic device according to the calculated squared prediction error. | 12-19-2013 |
20130345846 | METHOD FOR CONTROLLING A MANUFACTURING EXECUTION SYSTEM (MES) - A method controls a manufacturing execution system (MES) in which one or more parameters of a predetermined manufacturing process executed in a production chain may deviate from a predetermined range. The method includes storing in a controller module of the MES predetermined ranges associated with parameters to be controlled and detecting parameter values in the manufacturing process and a deviation thereof outside a predetermined range. The controller is programmed to prosecute the manufacturing process in the chain if no deviation is detected or to prosecute the manufacturing process in a secondary chain, if the deviation is detected. The controller is programmed to instantiate a deviation object for each parameter to be controlled, the deviation object containing a state machine implementing the prosecution in the secondary chain. A transition state in the state machine being triggered from signatures of persons involved in controlling the deviations. | 12-26-2013 |
20130345847 | ARRANGEMENT FOR PLASMA PROCESSING SYSTEM CONTROL BASED ON RF VOLTAGE - An arrangement for controlling a plasma processing system is provided. The arrangement includes an RF sensing mechanism for obtaining an RF voltage signal. The arrangement also includes a high impedance arrangement coupled to the RF sensing mechanism to facilitate acquisition of the signal while reducing perturbation of RF power driving a plasma in the plasma processing system. The arrangement further includes a signal processing arrangement configured for receiving the signal, processing the signal in a digital domain to obtain peak voltage information for a fundamental frequency and a broadband frequency of the signal, deriving wafer bias information from the peak voltage information, and applying signal to a transfer function to obtain a transfer function output. The arrangement moreover includes an ESC power supply subsystem configured to receive the transfer function output as a feedback signal to control the plasma processing system. | 12-26-2013 |
20140067108 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR DYNAMIC CONTROL OF TASK ASSIGNMENTS IN A FABRICATION PROCESS - Systems and methods for the dynamic control of task assignments in a fabrication process that employs a plurality of machines to fabricate a manufactured component. These systems and methods may include executing a plurality of task assignments with an available portion of the plurality of machines, monitoring a process variable that defines the available portion of the plurality of machines, and adjusting the plurality of task assignments to create a plurality of adjusted task assignments based upon the monitoring. The plurality of task assignments may include a plurality of tasks that are to be completed during fabrication of the manufactured component, and the executing may include initiating a respective task assignment of the plurality of task assignments with each machine in the available portion of the plurality of machines, thereby fabricating at least a portion of the manufactured component. | 03-06-2014 |
20140081442 | PRODUCT QUALITY IMPROVEMENT FEEDBACK METHOD - A product quality improvement feedback method is provided. The method includes the following steps. Provide a first checklist, a second checklist, and a third checklist in a design period, a trial production period, and a mass production period respectively. Execute a failure mode and effects analysis to the first checklist, the second checklist, and the third checklist so as to obtain a risk priority number respectively. When the first risk priority number is greater than a specific value, feedback each result of the failure mode and effects analyses to the first checklist, the second checklist, the third checklist, a design list, a trial production list or a mass production list. | 03-20-2014 |
20140121804 | CALIBRATION SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR AUTOMATIC HANDLING EQUIPMENT - A calibration system for the automatic handling equipment includes automatic handling equipment, transmission modules installed on the automatic handling equipment that generates light rays, a reception module that receives the light rays generated b the transmission module, and a calibration module coupled with the transmission modules and the reception module. The calibration module is used to calibrate the automatic handling equipment via computation of deviations between coordinates of the light rays that the light rays projects on the reception module and preset coordinates. | 05-01-2014 |
20140135968 | METHOD OF MAINTAINING A SEMICONDUCTOR PRODUCTION LINE - In one example embodiment, a method of maintaining a semiconductor manufacturing line includes setting up a recipe for controlling an implementation of a unit process based on which at least one semiconductor device is manufactured by a manufacturing facility. The method further includes collecting reference data of the manufacturing facility being controlled according to the reference recipe and obtaining a statistical model of the reference data and a health index of the statistical model, the health index being a limit beyond which an output of the semiconductor manufacturing line decreases. The method further includes controlling the implementation of the unit process and obtaining monitoring data during the implementation of the unit process using the statistical mode. The method further includes renewing the statistical model based on the monitoring data. | 05-15-2014 |
20140142738 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR DETERMINING A STATUS OF AT LEAST ONE MACHINE AND COMPUTER READABLE STORAGE MEDIUM STORING THE METHOD - A method for determining a status of at least one machine includes the following steps: a processing unit is utilized to receive and record spindle load values of the spindle in a period of time to generate a spindle load record of the spindle, and to determine if a preset condition is matched according to the spindle load record. When the preset condition is matched, the processing unit is utilized to determine a present category corresponding to the spindle load record of the spindle, and to obtain parameter-to-be-collected information corresponding to the present category. The processing unit is utilized to obtain at least one value of at least one collected parameter of the at least one machine according to the parameter-to-be-collected information corresponding to the present category, and to determine a status of the at least one machine according to the obtained value of the at least one collected parameter. | 05-22-2014 |
20140163712 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR AUTONOMOUS IDENTIFICATION OF PARTICLE CONTAMINATION DUE TO ISOLATED PROCESS EVENTS AND SYSTEMATIC TRENDS - A system and method for autonomously tracing a cause of particle contamination during semiconductor manufacture is provided. A contamination analysis system analyzes tool process logs together with particle contamination data for multiple process runs to determine a relationship between systematic particle contamination levels and one or more tool parameters. This relationship is used to predict expected contamination levels associated with regular usage of the tool, and to identify which tool parameters have the largest impact on expected levels of particle contamination. The contamination analysis system also identifies process logs showing unexpected deviant particle contamination levels that exceed expected contamination levels, and traces the cause of the deviant particle contamination to particular process log parameter events. | 06-12-2014 |
20140163713 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR MANAGING A PLURALITY OF COMPLEX ASSETS - A system and method for managing a system of a plurality of complex assets are provided. The system includes a processor-based asset management and analytics tool wherein the processor is communicatively coupled to a memory and the tool includes a plurality of asset analytics engines each associated with a complex asset of a plant and each communicatively coupled to a source of data relating to the complex asset, a plant analytics engine communicatively coupled to each of the plurality of asset analytics engines and configured to receive an output generated by at least some of the plurality of asset analytics engines, the plant analytics engine configured to generate an operational state of the plant based on the received output, and an output module configured to transmit the received state to a user. | 06-12-2014 |
20140172143 | CONTROL APPARATUS AND CONTROL METHOD FOR ROBOT ARM, ROBOT, CONTROL PROGRAM FOR ROBOT ARM, AND INTEGRATED ELECTRONIC CIRCUIT - In a control apparatus for a robot arm, the feedback rule generating section generates a feedback rule in accordance with relationship between a time point of generation of a stimulus and variation in behavior after elapse of a reaction time in taught data as detected by the information variation point detecting section and the behavior variation point detecting section. The motion generating section generates a motion of the robot arm based on motion information, an information variation point, a behavior variation point, and the feedback rule. The controller controls the motion of the robot arm. | 06-19-2014 |
20140257545 | PREDICTIVE ANALYTICS IN DETERMINING KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS - Disclosed are a system, computer readable medium and method for predicting key performance indicators. The method includes receiving one or more data pairs, the one or more data pairs indicating a performance parameter and reason indicator associated with the performance parameter, deriving a formulaic relationship, utilizing a regression formula, between the reason indicator and the performance parameter, predicting at least one key performance indicator (KPI), utilizing a regression formula, for each of the one or more data pairs, associating a cost with each of the one or more data pairs, and varying a parameter based on the KPI and the associated cost. | 09-11-2014 |
20140257546 | PROCESSING DEVICE GROUP CONTROLLER, MANUFACTURING PROCESS SYSTEM, PROCESSING DEVICE GROUP CONTROL METHOD, MANUFACTURING OPTIMIZATION SYSTEM, MANUFACTURING OPTIMIZATION DEVICE, AND MANUFACTURING OPTIMIZATION METHOD - A processing device group controller includes: a storage unit which stores an operation schedule including information of maintenance time for a plurality of processing devices for processing workpieces, with respective equipment associated with the plurality of processing devices, and a transfer plan including information of timings at which the workpieces are carried in and out of the plurality of processing devices; a detecting unit which performs a step of comparing the transfer plan and the operation schedule of each processing device, a step of specifying the last process before maintenance for each processing device, and a step of detecting the end timing of the specified process; and an instruction unit which instructs each processing device to be switched to an idle state at the end timing along with the associated equipment. | 09-11-2014 |
20140277672 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR THE REMOTE MONITORING, VIEWING AND CONTROL OF A SEMICONDUCTOR PROCESS TOOL - A precision pump system having a motor driver for accurately and repeatedly delivering process fluid, (e.g., photo chemicals) using a pumping fluid with minimal process fluid loss to a fabrication process and whereby the motor driver can be easily and quickly replaced without interrupting the fluid flow path. This is accomplished with the use of a process fluid reservoir and a pumping fluid reservoir that are associated with the pump, either integrated with the pump or closely adjacent. In addition, this precision pump system can be remotely monitored, viewed and controlled over the Internet. In addition, trapped process fluid within a downstream filtering block can be recirculated to the process fluid reservoir when trapped gas in the filter is removed. Furthermore, a nitrogen gas source is connected to the process fluid reservoir via a valve in case a need to insert a gas is required. | 09-18-2014 |
20140309761 | Process For Monitoring At Least One Machine Tool - A device, system, method, business method, and process of monitoring at least one machine tool including: determining a target signal of a component of the machine tool when performing a work step on the basis of at least one pre-definable or predefined reference number; detecting a current signal of the component of the machine tool when performing the work step; detecting a deviation of the target signal from the current signal; and generating a deviation signal. The deviation signal includes a piece of information about the component, the machine tool, and/or the deviation. The device, system, method, business method, and process of monitoring at least one machine tool further includes transferring the deviation signal as a new data set to an externally accessible storage unit that is separate or separable from the machine tool. | 10-16-2014 |
20140324208 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MONITORING WAFER HANDLING AND A WAFER HANDLING MACHINE - Systems, machines, and methods for monitoring wafer handling are disclosed herein. A system for monitoring wafer handling includes a sensor and a controller. The sensor is capable of being secured to an assembled wafer handling machine. The controller is in electronic communication with the sensor and includes control logic. The control logic is configured to store a reference output of the sensor when the wafer handling machine is aligned and is configured to generate an indication signal when a difference between the reference output and a current output of the sensor exceeds a threshold. | 10-30-2014 |
20140350708 | WORK PROCESS MANAGEMENT SYSTEM, WORK PROCESS MANAGEMENT TERMINAL DEVICE, COMPUTER PROGRAM, AND WORK PROCESS MANAGEMENT METHOD - An imaging device and a first terminal device are provided for plural work areas. Image data sets, capturing time data sets, and imaging unit identifiers transmitted by the imaging device are associated with each other in an image database. A control unit of a second terminal device displays progress display area of each work process performed for producing a product in a layout on a display, and displays progress in each progress display area in accordance with contents of a progress database. Also, the control unit of the second terminal device specifies a progress display area on the display corresponding to a data set from an input unit, specifies image data sets corresponding to the specified progress display area by referring to contents of the progress database and a correspondence database, reads the specified image data sets from the image database, and displays images represented by the image data sets. | 11-27-2014 |
20150018996 | DEVICE SETTING APPARATUS, RECORDING MEDIUM RECORDING DEVICE SETTING PROGRAM, INFORMATION TRANSFER SYSTEM, AND INFORMATION TRANSFER METHOD - A device setting apparatus is configured to communicate with a field device, and to acquire information from the field device and to set information with respect to the field device. The device setting apparatus includes a generator configured to generate an information code using at least one of acquired information acquired from the field device, work history information indicating a work history for the field device, reference destination information stored in reference destination information table and indicating a reference destination for support information supporting a work of field device, and license information (a two-dimensional code generator, a sound code generator). | 01-15-2015 |
20150018997 | ANTENNA INSPECTION SYSTEM, ANTENNA INSPECTION APPARATUS AND ANTENNA INSPECTION METHOD - A POL-axis driving unit, an EL-axis driving unit, a Cross-EL-axis driving unit and an AZ-axis driving unit of an antenna apparatus drive respective axis drive motors controlled by a control unit of a control apparatus, such that the antenna performs an origin detection operation for each axis. The camera control unit controls a camera so as to capture an image of the antenna at each timing before and after the origin detection for each axis. An image acquisition unit of an antenna inspection acquires image data that indicates the image of the antenna captured by the camera and makes storage unit store the image data. A comparing diagnosis unit compares image data before the origin detection for each axis with image data after the origin detection, and diagnoses whether the antenna is in a normal state. | 01-15-2015 |
20150025668 | COMPUTATIONAL PROCESS CONTROL - The present invention provides a number of innovations in the area of computational process control (CPC). CPC offers unique diagnostic capability during chip manufacturing cycle by analyzing temporal drift of a lithography apparatus/ process, and provides a solution towards achieving performance stability of the lithography apparatus/process. Embodiments of the present invention enable optimized process windows and higher yields by keeping performance of a lithography apparatus and/or parameters of a lithography process substantially close to a pre-defined baseline condition. This is done by comparing the measured temporal drift to a baseline performance using a lithography process simulation model. Once in manufacturing, CPC optimizes a scanner for specific patterns or reticles by leveraging wafer metrology techniques and feedback loop, and monitors and controls, among other things, overlay and/or CD uniformity (CDU) performance over time to continuously maintain the system close to the baseline condition. | 01-22-2015 |
20150039116 | SUBSTRATE PROCESSING SYSTEM, MANAGEMENT DEVICE, AND DISPLAY METHOD - A substrate processing system includes a substrate processing apparatus configured to process a substrate, and a management device configured to display specified information transmitted from the substrate processing apparatus on a display unit. The substrate processing apparatus includes a processing environment measuring unit configured to measure information on a substrate processing environment according to time and a trouble information notifying unit configured to notify information on a trouble of the substrate processing apparatus. The management device includes a storage unit configured to store measurement information measured by the processing environment measuring unit and notification information notified by the trouble information notifying unit. The display unit is configured to display the measurement information and the notification information which are stored in the storage unit and correlated with each other. | 02-05-2015 |
20150057783 | Manufacturing and Asset Maintenance - Processes, a methodology and software are provided for improving manufacturing and asset maintenance in machine intensive environments such as manufacturing, processing, assembly plants and military. In particular, for improving assets reliability, performance and maintenance. A process includes developing an asset plan to improve machinery reliability, performance and maintenance and a business plan to measure revenues, profits and market share gained through the activities generated by said asset plan implemented in a short amount of time. A method for dividing a manufacturing system into elements to simplify, for identifying and prioritizing sources of stress and for solving and managing said solutions. A method for forming matrices of interacting elements for solving or reducing said sources of stress in a short amount of time. A software for calculating ROI and for providing business information as well as the condition of the assets. | 02-26-2015 |
20150066185 | FAIL-OVER SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR A SEMICONDUCTOR EQUIPMENT SERVER - A fail-over system and method relates to a fail-over technology of an equipment server managing a semiconductor fabrication equipment server. The fail-over system includes a semiconductor fabrication equipment group including a plurality of semiconductor fabrication equipment and configured to perform semiconductor fabrication processes; an equipment server group including a plurality of equipment servers and configured to control an operation of the semiconductor fabrication equipment group; and a management server configured to detect an error or a faulty operation in at least one equipment server in the equipment server group by communicating with the equipment server group, and execute a fail-over policy for a faulty equipment server in which the faulty operation is detected, wherein executing the fail-over policy includes allocating at least one application running in the faulty equipment server to at least one normal equipment server in which no faulty operation is detected in the equipment server group. | 03-05-2015 |
20150066186 | SYSTEM FOR MONITORING LOOMS IN WEAVING MILL - A loom monitoring system includes loom computers and a host computer connected to the loom computers through a network. Each loom computer acquires a temporary IP address from a DHCP server when a fixed IP address is not set for the loom computer and requests the host computer to transmit a fixed IP address using the temporary IP address. The host computer assigns a fixed IP address to the loom computer that transmitted the assignment request signal and correlates the fixed IP address with a loom layout map. The loom computers each transmit an acquisition completion signal to the host computer using the fixed IP address in a designated order based on the loom layout map. The host computer correlates the fixed IP address of each loom computer with the loom layout map in accordance with the designated order. | 03-05-2015 |
20150088294 | ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR LIQUID CRYSTAL MANUFACTURING APPARATUS - The present invention provides an environmental monitoring system and method for a liquid crystal manufacturing apparatus. The monitoring system comprises an environmental information acquiring equipment, a server, and the liquid crystal manufacturing apparatus. The environmental information acquiring equipment moves along a predetermined track inside the liquid crystal manufacturing apparatus. The environmental information acquiring equipment acquires inner environmental information of the liquid crystal manufacturing apparatus during its movement and transmits the environmental information to the server. The server generates a monitoring report and provides it to detecting personnel. The present invention can solve the problems of high cost, low efficiency, and unable to accurately measure inner environmental information of the liquid crystal manufacturing apparatus in conventional skills. | 03-26-2015 |
20150105893 | HUMAN-MACHINE INTERFACE (HMI) SYSTEM HAVING ELEMENTS WITH ALARM BORDER ANIMATION - A system manages human machine interface (HMI) applications for industrial control and automation. Software instructions stored on a tangible, non-transitory media and executable by a processor receive data indicative of a manufacturing/process control system being monitored and display a user interface indicative of a status of the manufacturing/process control system being monitored wherein the status is based on the received data. | 04-16-2015 |
20150112469 | Autonomous wireless field monitor - A method for retrieving process, operation or maintenance relevant data of a process plant by way of a field monitor, wherein multiple wireless field device networks are present in the process plant. Data from the field devices from different field device networks are gathered by way of the field monitor. Plant information from the field devices belonging to different field device networks are displayed on a display of the field monitor to a user regardless of the respective field device network they belong to. | 04-23-2015 |
20150301514 | ON-PRODUCT DERIVATION AND ADJUSTMENT OF EXPOSURE PARAMETERS IN A DIRECTED SELF-ASSEMBLY PROCESS - Methods and metrology tool modules embodying the methods are provided. Methods comprise measuring characteristics of intermediate features such as guiding lines in a directed self-assembly (DSA) process, deriving exposure parameters from the measured characteristics; and adjusting production parameters for producing consecutive target features according to the derived exposure parameters. The methods and modules enhance the accuracy of the DSA-produced structures and related measurements. | 10-22-2015 |
20150301515 | Method, Device and Computer Program for Monitoring an Industrial Control System - A method is for monitoring an industrial control system. The method comprises collecting data from one or more sources external to the industrial control system; collecting data from one or more internal sources on the industrial control system; aggregating data collected from said internal sources or from said external sources; correlating said collected data by analyzing and interpreting said collected data in view of previously collected data so as to monitor the security of the industrial control system. An apparatus is for performing the method. | 10-22-2015 |
20150301521 | SYSTEMS, METHODS, DEVICES AND COMPUTER READABLE MEDIUM FOR REAL AND NEAR-REAL TIME SENSOR DATA CAPTURE AND ANALYSIS - The present disclosure relates to an integrated sensor system for monitoring, capturing, processing and analyzing data for delicate and fragile articles in real or near-real time movement within production, packaging and distribution systems. The system comprises a sensor platform that contains multiple on-board sensors detecting numerous force, environmental and movement variables; a handheld data receiver application in communication with said sensor module for issuing commands and processing captured data; and a web server application that is configured to receive information from one or more handheld data receiver applications and perform operations. | 10-22-2015 |
20160010445 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR PROVIDING END-TO-END MONITORING AND/OR CONTROL OF REMOTE OIL AND GAS PRODUCTION ASSETS | 01-14-2016 |
20160033952 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR TESTING A DISTRIBUTED CONTROL SYSTEM OF AN INDUSTRIAL PLANT - A system for testing a distributed control system of an industrial plant is provided. The distributed control system includes at least two industrial control devices and at least one data communication device. The system includes at least one engineering computer that includes an engineering data storage unit for storing engineering data of at least one part of the distributed control system, and at least one human machine interface for manipulating the engineering data. The system also includes at least one remote data processing server connected to the at least one engineering computer via a remote data connection and including an emulating virtual machine on which a soft emulator is installed for emulating one of the at least two industrial control devices and the at least one data communication device. | 02-04-2016 |
20160041548 | VIRTUAL METROLOGY SYSTEM AND METHOD - A virtual metrology system and a method therefor are provided herein. In the system, a set of process data is gathered and clustered according to a plurality of predetermined patterns. The clustered set of process data is calculated according to the corresponding pattern, so as to obtain a comparison result. If the obtained result meets a desired output, a corresponding step is performed based on the result. In one case, the corresponding step is a normal sampling step if the clustered set of process data meets the corresponding pattern. If the clustered set of process data does not meet the corresponding pattern, an alarm is generated thereby, and the corresponding equipment may be shut down. In another case, the corresponding step is a maintenance, repair, and overhaul step if the clustered set of process data meets the corresponding pattern. | 02-11-2016 |
20160062335 | MACHINE TOOL HAVING FUNCTION OF SAFETY CONTROLLING PERIPHERAL DEVICES - A machine tool includes two independent sequence programs that monitor status of safety signals and first and second CPUs that respectively activate the sequence programs. By a configuration in which the second CPU executes monitoring processing at different execution cycles predetermined for the sequence programs, CPU loads in monitoring of status of safety signals are reduced. | 03-03-2016 |
20160085228 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR COLLECTING VIA A MES SYSTEM TIME-STAMPS OF WORKING-STATUSES - A method and a system collect via a MES, time-stamps of working-statuses of machines and operators, called also actors, for a calculation of a time-dependant component of OLE and OEE indicators in a manufacturing task. The method includes providing a token for assigning to an actor the responsibility of data provision, and defining two meta-statuses for a machine in a task, called operating and booked meta-status respectively. Each meta-status groups a set of machine statuses. A machine is defined to be in an operating meta-status when the machine is in a status engaged in the task and it is able to know and notify its own status. A machine is defined to be in a booked meta-status when the machine is in a status engaged in the task and it is unable to notify its own status. | 03-24-2016 |
20160098032 | INFORMATION PROCESSING APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR CALCULATING INSPECTION RANGES - An information processing apparatus includes a processor and a memory. The memory stores three-dimensional data describing a real device including an object, a source of an acting factor that acts on the object and causes a detectable change at the object, and a detector that detects the change in a specified detection range. The processor produces a virtual device that represents the real device in a virtual space, based on the three-dimensional data in the memory. With this virtual device, the processor simulates the change caused by the acting factor, and calculates a region of the object in which the simulated change satisfies a specified condition. | 04-07-2016 |
20160098824 | THREE DIMENSIONAL PRINTING INSPECTION APPARATUS AND METHOD - A three-dimensional printing apparatus and method for inspecting an article during fabrication of the article. The material depositing device deposits layers of material to form a three-dimensional article. The build device receives the material deposited by the material depositing device. The inspection device is positioned proximate the build device and captures images of each respective layer of the article as the article is formed. The controller compares the images of each respective layer to a digital template to determine if the article is properly constructed. The article is inspected during the manufacture of the article with no need for destructive inspection. | 04-07-2016 |
20160116892 | METHOD AND SYSTEM OF CAUSE ANALYSIS AND CORRECTION FOR MANUFACTURING DATA - A method and a system of cause analysis and correction for manufacturing data comprises: based on an plurality of historic manufacturing data, establishing abnormal classification rules and normal classification rules; comparing a current manufacturing data to the abnormal classification rules to identify a matching abnormal rule with the manufacturing data and an abnormal class thereof; comparing the current manufacturing data to the normal classification rules to determine a correcting rule and determine one or more correcting values of at least one of a plurality of manufacturing parameters; extracting abnormal features from the historic manufacturing data having the same condition as that of the manufacturing data, and extracting normal features from the historic manufacturing data matching the correcting rule; and based on the abnormal and the normal features, evaluating the cause contribution of the plurality of manufacturing parameters corresponding to the manufacturing data. | 04-28-2016 |
20160139571 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR MANAGINGING CHANGES TO MANUFACTURING PROCESSES - Systems and methods are disclosed for managing changes to manufacturing processes. According to certain embodiments, a first change is received for a first routing having a first effective date. A first change master associated with the first effective date is selected, and the first change is assigned to the first change master. A second change for the first routing is also received. The first change master is selected based on the first effective date, and the second change is applied to the first routing using the first change master. | 05-19-2016 |
20160154395 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR EQUIPMENT MONITORING USING A GROUP CANDIDATE BASELINE AND PROBABILISTIC MODEL | 06-02-2016 |
20160154402 | PRODUCTION PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT DEVICE AND PRODUCTION PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT METHOD THEREOF | 06-02-2016 |
20160179080 | Processing System and Method | 06-23-2016 |
20160187873 | PRECURSOR SUPPLIES, MATERIAL PROCESSING SYSTEMS WITH WHICH PRECURSOR SUPPLIES ARE CONFIGURED TO BE USED AND ASSOCIATED METHODS - In various aspects and embodiments, the present disclosure relates to the manner in which precursor materials are provided to processing equipment and, more specifically, to the manner in which precursor materials of organic polymers are delivered to systems for forming and, in some embodiments, depositing the organic polymers. In one aspect, the disclosure relates to precursor supplies, which comprise vehicles, such as binders, supports and cartridges, for delivering a precursor material to a material processing system, such as a deposition system or other processing equipment. In another aspect, the disclosure relates to material processing systems with which the precursor supplies are configured to be used. Methods for preparing precursor supplies, using precursor supplies, providing process control, and recycling precursor supplies are also disclosed. | 06-30-2016 |
20160378093 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR AUTOMATICALLY SEQUENCING HOLE DRILLING OPERATIONS SUPPORTING ONE-UP ASSEMBLY - A method, a device, and a computer-readable storage medium is provided for performing the method for automating an assembling sequence operation for a workpiece using an one-up assembly process that uses adjacent hole clamping. The method can include obtaining an adjacency list from points for the workpiece to be assembled; controlling an assembly machine for assembling the workpiece using a sequence of assembly operations based on the adjacency list; identifying potential errors in the sequence of assembly operations; determining a revised sequence of assembly operations based on the potential errors that are identified; and controlling the assembly machine based on the revised sequence of assembly operations. | 12-29-2016 |
20190146447 | METHOD FOR MAINTAINING AT LEAST ONE FIELD DEVICE OF PROCESS AUTOMATION TECHNOLOGY | 05-16-2019 |