Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.

Min-Young Heo

Sung-Joon Byun

Jong-Beom An

Hyung-Jin Yun

Byung-Kwen Park

Jung-Teak Lim

Disclosed is a system for moving substrates in and out of a manufacturing process. The present invention comprises an automatic transfer device for automatically transferring a cassette that stores substrates, a manual transfer device for transferring the cassette according to instructions of an operator, and a process apparatus for performing predetermined jobs on the substrate stored in the cassette, wherein the process apparatus comprises: a port on which the cassette is temporarily placed by the automatic transfer device or the manual transfer device; a loader which has a sensor to receive a communication start signal transferred from the automatic transfer device when the cassette is transferred by the automatic transfer device; and a job table on which actual jobs on the substrates, stored in the cassette, are performed, and wherein when the cassette is placed on the port, the process apparatus checks whether the communication start signal is received by the sensor, and when the signal is received, it is determined that the cassette has been transferred by the automatic transfer device, such that the process apparatus is set in an automatic transfer mode, and when the signal is not received, it is determined that the cassette has been transferred by the manual transfer device, and therefore, the process apparatus is set in a manual transfer mode. The present invention improves productivity and efficiency.

System and method for moving substrates in and out of a manufacturing process

Disclosed is an in-line apparatus system that comprises a plurality of sub-apparatuses, a host, a plurality of apparatus controllers, and a master controller. The sub-apparatuses perform predetermined jobs on the substrates. The host stores information on the substrate to be processed in the sub-apparatuses and information on jobs performed by the sub-apparatuses. The apparatus controllers respectively control substrate jobs in the sub-apparatuses according to the information on the substrates and jobs, and are interconnected through a network and share information on the substrates. The master controller, connected to the apparatus controllers, controls the apparatus controllers and receives job information of the sub-apparatuses from the apparatus controllers and transmits the job information to the host. The in-line apparatus system and its control method enable overall easy control and increase reliability.

System and method for controlling an in-line apparatus

Disclosed are a system for workpiece cutting and sorting automation, and a method for controlling the system. The system includes a cutting/sorting equipment for cutting a substrate having a plurality of cells into cut substrates, and sorting the cut substrates according to a predetermined mode; and a system controller for receiving a request for operation information on the cut substrates from the cutting/sorting equipment, and transmitting the operation information and operation commands to the cutting/sorting equipment. The method includes the steps of (a) determining an operating mode of the cut substrates; (b) sorting the cut substrates and supplying the sorted cut substrates to one of the plurality of cassettes according to the operating mode of the cut substrates determined in step (a); and (c) repeating steps (a) and (b) for a predetermined lot number of cut substrates.

Cutting and sorting automation system and method for manufacturing a liquid crystal device using the same

Disclosed is an automation system and a method for assembling a workpiece. The system includes a first stocker having a plurality of first substrates with a plurality of grades of defects, and a second stocker having a plurality of second substrates to be paired with one of the first substrates, and having a plurality of grades of defects. The second stocker receives the grade of the first substrate and selects the second substrate with a grade corresponding to the grade of the received first substrate. The workpiece is assembled by receiving one of the first substrates and determining the grade of the received first substrate. The grades of the second substrates in a cassette is surveyed and determined if there is a second substrate with the same grade as the received first substrate. One of the second substrates is selected if it is determined that there is a second substrate with a grade corresponding to that of the received first substrate. The selected second substrate is placed in a new cassette. The first substrate and the second substrate are simultaneously supplied to respective production lines. If it is determined that there are no second substrates with the same grade as the received first substrate, the first substrate is held on stand-by.

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Choongcheongnam-do, South Korea

Min-Young Heo