Asynchronous conveyor networks serving as inter-process transport mechanisms eliminate transport capacity constraints of vehicle-based systems in integrated circuit (IC) manufacturing environments. Demand variability may be buffered without the use of off-line-storage such as stockers. The variability in wait times for transport service is also eliminated. Overall factory cycle times are thus reduced while manufacturing capacity is simultaneously increased. An autonomous conveyor network automated materials handling system combines clean frictionless conveyor principles with a unique network layout to fulfill the logistics requirements of IC manufacturing environments. Mechanical conveyor-to-tool interfaces, also referred to as equipment delivery interfaces (EDi's), bridge the conveyor network to individual tools. An operating software module integrates the functionality of the conveyor network and EDi's. The result is a full capability factory logistics system.

A conveyance system for conveying a workpiece to each of a plurality of processing apparatuses includes a conveyance passage disposed in a space directly above one processing apparatus of the plurality of processing apparatuses, an automated conveying vehicle for traveling on the conveyance passage, the automated conveying vehicle including a workpiece storage member having a housing space for housing a workpiece therein, a traveling member having a storage space for storing the workpiece storage member therein, a traveling mechanism mounted on the traveling member, a lifting and lowering mechanism disposed in the traveling member for lifting and lowering the workpiece storage member while suspending the workpiece storage member from above, and a receiver for receiving control signals.

Disclosed is a device fabrication system comprising a wafer input loadlock, a wafer output loadlock, one or more wafer processing regions, and one or more walking beams for transporting one or more wafers from the wafer input loadlock through the wafer processing regions, and onto the wafer output loadlock. Also disclosed are methods for transporting one or more wafers through the device fabrication system described herein.

In an embodiment a system includes: a wafer store comprising a wafer configured for processing by a semiconductor processing tool; a cart configured to transport the wafer from the wafer store along a predetermined path; a robotic arm, the robotic arm configured to: read wafer data from the wafer store, transport the wafer from the wafer store to the cart, send the wafer data to the cart, wherein the cart is configured to transport the wafer to a location in response to the wafer data.

An article transport vehicle that travels along a traveling path is provided with an obstacle sensor that detects an obstacle that exists in a detection area, and a control unit that controls the traveling speed of the article transport vehicle based on detection information of the obstacle sensor. A non-detection area where detection of the obstacle by the obstacle sensor is not performed is set within the detectable area of the obstacle sensor, and a situation in which the non-detection area exists on a detection line that joins a part of the detection area and the obstacle sensor is defined as a specific situation. The control unit, in the specific situation, and a situation where an undetectable area in which it is not possible to detect the obstacle exists in the detection area because a shield exists in the non-detection area, reduces the speed of the article transport vehicle to a second traveling speed slower than the first traveling speed.

A system and method relating to determining, by a processing device, a first number of parts waiting to be processed in a subsequent step by a plurality of machines housed in a plurality of buildings interconnected by rails, determining a second number of parts that the plurality of machines housed in the plurality of buildings is capable of processing in the subsequent step of the manufacture process over a determined period of time, calculating a capability occupancy ratio based on the first number and the second number for each one of the plurality of buildings, determining a target building of the plurality of buildings based on the capability occupancy ratio, and causing to dispatch the part to the target building via the rails.

A conveyor system for moving a plurality of targets is provided. The conveyor system includes at least one input group to input the target, at least one output group to output the target, and at least one bridge group to connect the input group with the output group. Each of the input group, the output group, and the bridge group includes a plurality of nodes having a size corresponding to a size of one target. The conveyor system further includes a control unit to align the target moving on the conveyor system.

A transport vehicle system includes: a plurality of transport vehicles that transport articles; a main track, and a plurality of branch tracks branching off from the main track at different positions of the main track; and a controller that, with each of the branch tracks and a part of the main track taken as a reciprocation traveling track, causes each of the plurality of transport vehicles to reciprocate in the reciprocation traveling track and transport an article, and when a transport vehicle is placed on any of the reciprocation traveling tracks, the controller causes a transport vehicle that is reciprocating on a reciprocation traveling track in front of the reciprocation traveling track of placement destination in the extending direction, to retreat to the branch track in the reciprocation traveling track and thereafter causes passage of the transport vehicle to be placed through the main track in the reciprocation traveling track.

Disclosed is a device fabrication system comprising a wafer input loadlock, a wafer output loadlock, one or more wafer processing regions, and one or more walking beams for transporting one or more wafers from the wafer input loadlock through the wafer processing regions, and onto the wafer output loadlock. Also disclosed are methods for transporting one or more wafers through the device fabrication system described herein.

A substrate transfer method performed in a substrate processing apparatus including a transfer mechanism group configured to transfer a substrate into a carrier via a module group and an exposure apparatus is provided. The transfer mechanism group includes a first transfer mechanism configured to transfer the substrate in an order of the pre-stage module, the exposure apparatus, and a first post-stage module, and a second transfer mechanism configured to transfer the substrate in an order of the first post-stage module, a heating module, a developing module, and a second post-stage module, a post-stage transfer mechanism. The substrate transfer method includes comparing an exposure apparatus cycle time with a section transfer time required to transfer the substrate from a transfer section by the second transfer mechanism to a transfer section by the post-stage transfer mechanism; and setting the section transfer time based on a result of the comparing.