An automated material handling system (AMHS) and a method of operating the AMHS are disclosed. In one aspect, the AMHS includes a network of rails and a vehicle configured to hold a sample carrier that stores one or more samples, wherein the vehicle is configured to move within the FAB via the network of rails. The AMHS also includes a turn table connected to the network of rails and configured to rotate about an axis substantially perpendicular to a surface of the turn table. The AMHS further includes a hash rail connected to and overlapping the turn table. The hash rail is configured to rotate about the axis with the turn table.

A transport system includes a plurality of transport vehicles and a controller. The transport vehicle includes a travel unit and transfer unit. The controller performs a blocking control to prohibit transport vehicles other than the transport vehicle from entering a blocking zone corresponding to the area occupied by the transport vehicle when transferring an article in a plan view. To transfer an article from/to a placement table, the transport vehicle travels along the route to the placement table in a first direction. An area of the blocking zone when the transport vehicle accesses to the placement table in the first direction is equal to or less than an area of the blocking zone identified when the transport vehicle accesses to the placement table in the second direction different from the first direction.

A method for operating a conveying system is provided. An overhead hoist transport (OHT) vehicle is provided, wherein the OHT vehicle includes a gripping member configured to grip and hold a carrier, and a receiver configured to receive a signal. The signal is transmitted to the receiver of the OHT vehicle. The OHT vehicle is moved toward the carrier, and the carrier is gripped by the gripping member of the OHT vehicle. A lifting force is determined based on a weight of a carrier, a number of workpieces in the carrier, or a vertical distance between the OHT vehicle and the carrier, and the lifting force is applied to the carrier.

An overhead transport vehicle system stores a large number of articles and includes an inclined rail and overhead transport vehicles each including a traveler to travel on the inclined rail, a holder to hold an article, an elevator to raise and lower the holder, a horizontality guide to keep the elevator horizontal or substantially horizontal at the inclined rail, and a controller. Supports are horizontally provided at a same or substantially same height, and the overhead transport vehicles located on the inclined rail are able to transfer the article between them. The overhead transport vehicles transfer the article between the supports and the controller controls the elevator to raise and lower the holder by a raising and lowering amount according to a height distance between the inclined rail and an individual support.

A system for maintaining a device in a semiconductor manufacturing environment that includes a controller configured to determine a distance travelled by the device within the semiconductor manufacturing environment, where the device has a feature that selectively engages a carrier configured to carry a semiconductor wafer such that the device moves the semiconductor wafer to different processing stations within the semiconductor manufacturing environment. The system also includes an inspection component configured to inspect the device responsive to the distance travelled by the device exceeding a distance threshold, a repair component configured to repair the device responsive to a repair indication from at least one of the controller or the inspection component, and a cleaning component configured to clean the device responsive to a clean indication from at least one of the controller or the inspection component.

A portable robotic semiconductor pod loader may detect, with at least one sensor, receipt of a semiconductor pod on a load port of the portable robotic semiconductor pod loader. The at least one sensor is supported by the load port. The portable robotic semiconductor pod loader may cause a robot, of the portable robotic semiconductor pod loader, to align with the semiconductor pod provided on the load port. The portable robotic semiconductor pod loader may cause the robot to attach to the semiconductor pod, and may cause the robot to provide the semiconductor pod from the load port to a staging area of a semiconductor processing tool.

A storage system includes an overhead stocker having a first overhead track, a rack including a plurality of storages arranged vertically, and a crane that travels along the first overhead track and delivers and receives an article to and from the storages; and an overhead transport vehicle system having a second overhead track provided below a lower end of the overhead stocker, and an overhead transport vehicle that travels along the second overhead track and delivers and receives an article to and from a predetermined transfer destination, wherein the first overhead track has an elevating track capable of supporting and lowering the crane that is stopped traveling at a portion deviated from the second overhead track in planar view.

A system and an operating method for automated wafer carrier handling are provided. The system includes a storage rack including a standby position and a storage position separated from each other, a first and second moving mechanism, and a controller operatively coupled to the first and second moving mechanism to control operations of the first and second moving mechanism. The storage position is for buffering a wafer carrier awaiting transfer to a load port. The first moving mechanism is movably coupled to the storage rack and provides at least one degree of freedom of movement to transfer the wafer carrier from the storage position to the standby position. The second moving mechanism is disposed over the storage rack, operatively coupled the storage rack to the load port, and provides at least one degree of freedom of movement to transfer the wafer carrier from the standby position to the load port.

A mobile stocker described herein is configured to be easily installed and relocated to various locations in a semiconductor fabrication facility. The mobile stocker is capable of being programmed with, and/or autonomously learning, the layout of a semiconductor fabrication facility, and automatically relocating to a new location based on the layout using a navigation system. Accordingly, the mobile stocker is capable of being flexibly relocated in the semiconductor fabrication facility to dynamically support changes in demand and production capacity. Moreover, the capability to quickly assign a location identifier to the mobile stocker and to automatically interface with transport systems in the semiconductor fabrication facility reduces downtime of the mobile stocker, which increases productivity in the semiconductor fabrication facility.

A rail-guided trolley system includes a main body that, along rails at least partially in a grid pattern, holds and transports a transportation container on a lower side of the rails, traveling wheels at each of four corners of the main body and that travel on the rails, a controller that controls pivot drivers that change orientations of the traveling wheels, and auxiliary wheels each located at least in either front or rear in a traveling direction of the traveling wheel.