Vat Holding Ag

Frantisek Balon

Adrian Eschenmoser

Andreas Hofer

Michael Zickar

Alejandro Marzinotto

Method for monitoring a state of a pin lifter device (), wherein the pin lifter device () is designed for moving and positioning a substrate in a process atmosphere region (P). The pin lifter device () has a coupling () and a drive unit () having an electric motor, which is designed and interacts with the coupling () in such a way that the coupling () is adjustable from a lowered normal position into an individual active position and back. The method for monitoring includes progressively receiving a present item of motor current information with respect to a motor current applied to the electric motor, comparing the present motor current information to an item of target current information, and deriving an item of state information based on the comparison.

Method for monitoring, determining the position of, and positioning a pin-lifting system

Vacuum adjustment device for an active element movable in a process atmosphere region, having a coupling, a drive unit having an electric motor, which cooperates with the coupling in such a way that the coupling can be adjusted from a normal position into an active position and back. The device has a mechanical interface for connecting the vacuum adjustment device to a process volume providing a process atmosphere, a dynamic separating device for separating the process atmosphere from an outer atmosphere region and a control and processing unit at least electrically connected to the drive unit and designed to control the electric motor. The control and processing unit is designed to derive motor state information based on the extent of a motor operating parameter, and has a pressure determination functionality designed in such a way that a load difference is derived by comparing the motor state information with a known motor target state, and a pressure difference between the outer atmosphere region and the process atmosphere region is derived on the basis of the load difference.

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Sevelen, Switzerland

Frantisek Balon