A system for supporting a workpiece is disclosed, wherein several heads with a suction cup define an engaging and supporting surface that is at least partially shaped like the workpiece. Each each head with suction cup is coupled by a bail joint with a first movable element of a vertical linear actuator and is couplable by a removable fitting with a fork carried by a second movable element that rotates around a rotation axis that is coaxial with the axis of the linear actuator. The second movable element carries an abutment, spaced from the center of the ball joint against which the suction cup head abuts and moved by the linear actuator to perform the adjustment of the orientation thereof around the ball joint.

A human-robot collaboration (HRC) workstation includes a robot having a robot controller and a robot arm comprising a plurality of joints and links connecting the joints. The joints are automatically adjusted by the controller to move or hold in space a tool or workpiece held by the robot arm by adjusting the joints. The (HRC) workstation further comprises a mounting device having a stationary base frame and a fixing device configured to hold in place a workpiece or a tool such that the workpiece and/or tool held on the mounting device may be assembled and/or machined in interaction with the robot arm. The mounting device includes a mechanical adjusting device and a triggering device controlled by the robot controller and the adjusting device is configured to automatically adjust the fixing device relative to the base frame from an operating position to a safety position when the triggering device is activated.

The invention relates to a vacuum chuck for clamping workpieces (19), in particular wafers, and a measuring device and a method for checking workpieces, in particular wafers, by means of X-ray fluorescent radiation.

Method and device for self-regulated flux transfer from a source of magnetic energy into one or more ferromagnetic work pieces, wherein a plurality of magnets, each having at least one N-S pole pair defining a magnetization axis, are disposed in a medium having a first relative permeability, the magnets being arranged in an array in which gaps of predetermined distance are maintained between neighboring magnets in the array and in which the magnetization axes of the magnets are oriented such that immediately neighboring magnets face one another with opposite polarities, such arrangement representing a magnetic tank circuit in which internal flux paths through the medium exist between neighboring magnets and magnetic flux access portals are defined between oppositely polarized pole pieces of such neighboring magnets, and wherein at least one working circuit is created which has a reluctance that is lower than that of the magnetic tank circuit by bringing one or more of the magnetic flux access portals into close vicinity to or contact with a surface of a ferromagnetic body having a second relative permeability that is higher than the first relative permeability, whereby a limit of effective flux transfer from the magnetic tank circuit into the working circuit will be reached when the work piece approaches magnetic saturation and the reluctance of the work circuit substantially equals the reluctance of the tank circuit.

A working chamber system for the surface treatment of workpieces comprises at least one tightly closable work chamber (101), a frame-like workpiece holder (10, 20, 30) which is displaceable on a guide rail between a mounting position outside the work chamber (101) and a working position in the work chamber (101), and a manipulator which, as seen in plan view, is arranged next to a group of parallel guide rails within the work chamber (101). At least one of the workpiece holders (10, 20, 30) has an external frame (11, 21, 31), via which it is guided in the guide rails, and an internal frame (12, 22, 32) which is surrounded by the external frame (11, 21, 31) in a transporting position and which is displaceable into a position outside the main plane of the external frame (11, 21, 31) in the mounting position and/or the working position.

A working chamber system for the surface treatment of workpieces comprises at least one tightly closable work chamber (101), a frame-like workpiece holder (10, 20, 30) which is displaceable on a guide rail between a mounting position outside the work chamber (101) and a working position in the work chamber (101), and a manipulator which, as seen in plan view, is arranged next to a group of parallel guide rails within the work chamber (101). At least one of the workpiece holders (10, 20, 30) has an external frame (11, 21, 31), via which it is guided in the guide rails, and an internal frame (12, 22, 32) which is surrounded by the external frame (11, 21, 31) in a transporting position and which is displaceable into a position outside the main plane of the external frame (11, 21, 31) in the mounting position and/or the working position.

An apparatus and method for uniformly holding a substrate without flexure or bending of the substrate, thereby enabling accurate shape measurements of the substrate such as wafer curvature, z-height values and other surface characteristics. Techniques include using a liquid as a supporting surface for a substrate thereby providing uniform support. Liquid used has a same specific gravity of a substrate being supported so that the substrate can float on the liquid without sinking. Uniform support of the substrate enables precision metrology.

A device (100) for capturing, centring, gripping and/or securing an object (140) is disclosed. The device comprises a hub (101) and a ring (102) which are concentric and arranged rotatably relative to each other. On the hub there is at least one first control point (111, 111′, 111″), and on the ring there is at least one second control point (112, 112′, 112″), which control points are arranged at different axial levels (151,152). At least one tensioning member (121,122,123) is arranged to interact with the at least one first control point and with the at least one second control point during the rotation, such that the at least one tensioning member is stretched across the air gap (130) in the device. The different axial levels for the at least one first control point and the at least one second control point mean that the at least one tensioning member can freely pass over the at least one first control point during the rotation and can be stretched across the air gap towards the object. Substantially any desired angle of rotation between the hub and the ring can be obtained in this way.

A device (100) for capturing, centring, gripping and/or securing an object (140) is disclosed. The device comprises a hub (101) and a ring (102) which are concentric and arranged rotatably relative to each other. On the hub there is at least one first control point (111, 111′, 111″), and on the ring there is at least one second control point (112, 112′, 112″), which control points are arranged at different axial levels (151,152). At least one tensioning member (121,122,123) is arranged to interact with the at least one first control point and with the at least one second control point during the rotation, such that the at least one tensioning member is stretched across the air gap (130) in the device. The different axial levels for the at least one first control point and the at least one second control point mean that the at least one tensioning member can freely pass over the at least one first control point during the rotation and can be stretched across the air gap towards the object. Substantially any desired angle of rotation between the hub and the ring can be obtained in this way.

A method and apparatus for applying a force to an assembly comprising a layup mandrel and a composite part. The apparatus comprises a first gripper and a second gripper. The second gripper is spaced apart from the first gripper so as to define a space between the first and second grippers, the space configured to receive the assembly. An actuation system is positioned between the first and second grippers adjacent the space, the actuation system configured to separate the layup mandrel from the composite part by applying force.