An apparatus for controlling driving of a transport vehicle in a goods transport system includes a processing unit providing information on a movement path of the transport vehicle, a motion controller generating a drive signal including front- and rear-wheel torque signals for driving front and rear wheels, respectively, of the transport vehicle, a front-wheel torque controller controlling rotation torque of the front wheel on the basis of the front-wheel torque signal, and a rear-wheel torque controller controlling rotation torque of the rear wheel on the basis of the rear-wheel torque signal. The motion controller includes a position controller generating a positional signal determining a position of the transport vehicle, a speed controller generating a speed signal determining a speed of the transport vehicle, and a torque distributor generating the front- and rear-wheel torque signals.

A traveling vehicle system includes a traveling path including a branching portion, a traveling vehicle to travel on the traveling path, and a controller. A specific area through which the traveling vehicle is allowed to pass on one of the traveling paths from an upstream side to a downstream side of the branching portion is in a portion within a blocking area including the branching portion. The controller is configured or programmed to transmit a passage permission for the blocking area to the traveling vehicle that issued the passage request for the blocking area if no other traveling vehicle is present in the blocking area, and to transmit a passage permission for the specific area SA to the traveling vehicle that issued the passage request for the specific area if no other traveling vehicle is present in the specific area. The traveling vehicle enters the blocking area or the specific area for which a passage permission has been acquired.

A substrate processing apparatus is provided. The substrate processing apparatus comprise: a first chamber including a sidewall providing an opening, the first chamber further including a movable part movable upward and downward within the first chamber; a substrate support disposed within the first chamber; a second chamber disposed within the first chamber and defining, together with the substrate support, a processing space in which a substrate mounted on the substrate support is processed, the second chamber being separable from the first chamber and transportable between an inner space of the first chamber and the outside of the first chamber via the opening; a clamp releasably fixing the second chamber to the movable part extending above the second chamber; a release mechanism configured to release the fixing of the second chamber by the clamp; and a lift mechanism configured to move the movable part upward and downward.

A wafer inspection system is provided. The wafer inspection system includes: a transfer region in which a transfer device is arranged; an inspection region in which test heads for inspecting a substrate are arranged; and a maintenance region in which the test heads are maintained. The inspection region is located between the transfer region and the maintenance region, a plurality of inspection rooms accommodating the test heads are adjacent to each other in the inspection region, and the test heads are configured to be unloaded from the inspection region to the maintenance region.

Embodiments herein relate to a transport system and a substrate processing and transfer (SPT) system. The SPT system includes a transport system that connects two processing tools. The transport system includes a vacuum tunnel that is configured to transport substrates between the processing tools. The vacuum tunnel includes a substrate transport carriage to move the substrate through the vacuum tunnel. The SPT system has a variety of configurations that allow the user to add or remove processing chambers, depending on the process chambers required for a desired substrate processing procedure.

A travel path of an article transport facility provided with a plurality of article transport vehicles that travel along the travel path and transport articles, and a control device that controls operation of the article transport vehicles includes a path set in an inspection area for causing a target transport vehicle designated as an inspection target from among the plurality of article transport vehicles to travel along. The target transport vehicle includes a sensor that detects behavior of the target transport vehicle during travel. The control device controls the plurality of article transport vehicles such that only the one target transport vehicle is present in the inspection area, and causes the target transport vehicle to travel in the inspection area in an inspection travel pattern prescribed in advance.

A ceiling conveyance vehicle includes a traveling wheel to roll on a track including a first track and a second track and a main body below the track and coupled to the traveling wheel. The ceiling conveyance vehicle includes a direction changer to change between a first state in which the traveling wheel rolls on the first track and a second state in which the traveling wheel rolls on the second track, with an orientation of the main body with respect to the track maintained, an article holder capable of holding an article, a hoisting-and-lowering driver to hoist and lower the article holder, a lateral slider to slidingly move the hoisting-and-lowering driver in a horizontal, linear direction, and a first rotational driver to rotationally drive the lateral slider around a first perpendicular axis with respect to the main body.

A system for a semiconductor fabrication facility (FAB) and operation method thereof are provided. The system includes an orientation tool and a transporting tool configured to transport at least one customized part. The orientation tool includes a port configured to receive the workpiece, a sensor configured to detect an orientation of the workpiece received in the port and a rotation mechanism configured to turn the workpiece received in the port.

A storing system includes: a traveling rail including a plurality of first rails extending in a first direction and a plurality of second rails extending in a second direction, the first rails and the second rails being disposed in a grid pattern on the same horizontal plane to form lengthwise and crosswise a plurality of opening areas each of which is surrounded by a pair of the first rails and a pair of the second rails; a vehicle including a traveling unit and a transfer unit; and a storage unit on which a FOUP is to be placed. The storage unit includes a plurality of rack units adjacent to each other. Each of the rack units includes a placement member on which the FOUP is to be placed, is provided such that the placement member is positioned directly below the corresponding opening area, and is detachable from the traveling rail.

A cargo transporting vehicle configured to travel along a path of a work site is provided. The cargo transporting vehicle includes: a traveling unit configured to travel on the path; a plate configured to load a cargo thereon; a loading unit including at least an articulated arm structure in which a width and an extendable length are adjusted according to dimensions of the cargo, the articulated arm structure being configured to load and unload the cargo onto and from the plate; and a plate lifting unit configured to raise or lower the plate.