Various embodiments are directed to operator workstations that improve efficiency of handling operations at an object handling environment. In one aspect, an operator workstation for handling a plurality of objects is provided. The operator workstation includes a workbench platform having a configurable number of sub-platforms upon which objects can be disposed. The operator workstation further includes a plurality of sensors configured to collect sensor data for detection of object presences and object states of objects disposed upon the workbench platform. The operator workstation further includes a plurality of equipment configured to control movement of objects disposed upon the workbench platform. In various embodiments, different subsets of the sensors and equipment are configured for network communication via different network services provided by a wireless network. For instance, network communication may be provided to different sensors and equipment via different network slices of a 5.sup.th generation new radio (5G) cellular network.

Systems and methods of optimizing wafer transport and metrology measurements in a fab are provided. Methods comprise deriving and updating dynamic sampling plans that provide wafer-specific measurement sites and conditions, deriving optimized wafer measurement paths for metrology measurements of the wafers that correspond to the dynamic sampling plan, managing FOUP (Front Opening Unified Pod) transport through the fab, transporting wafers to measurement tools while providing the dynamic sampling plans and the wafer measurement paths to the respective measurement tools before or as the FOUPs with the respective wafers are transported thereto, and carrying out metrology and/or inspection measurements of the respective wafers by the respective measurement tools according to the derived wafer measurement paths. Quantum computing resources may be used to solve the corresponding specific optimization problems, to reduce the required time, improve the calculated solutions and improve the fab yield and accuracy of the produced wafers.

Systems and methods for optimizing factory scheduling, layout or both which represent active factory elements (human and machine) as computational objects and simulate factory operation to optimize a solution. This enables the efficient assembly of customized products, accommodates variable demand, and mitigates unplanned events (floor blockages, machines/IMRs/workcell/workers downtime, variable quantity, location, and destination of supply parts).

Systems and methods for optimizing factory scheduling, layout or both which represent active factory elements (human and machine) as computational objects and simulate factory operation to optimize a solution. This enables the efficient assembly of customized products, accommodates variable demand, and mitigates unplanned events (floor blockages, machines/IMRs/workcell/workers downtime, variable quantity, location, and destination of supply parts).

Systems and methods for optimizing factory scheduling, layout or both which represent active factory elements (human and machine) as computational objects and simulate factory operation to optimize a solution. This enables the efficient assembly of customized products, accommodates variable demand, and mitigates unplanned events (floor blockages, machines/IMRs/workcell/workers downtime, variable quantity, location, and destination of supply parts).

In an electromagnetic transport system, a transport route is divided into transport sections, each including at least one transport segment. A section control unit is assigned to each transport section, and a segment controller is assigned to each transport segment. A logistics unit, specifies a destination of the transport units to the section control units via the logistics network. Section control units are connected to the segment controllers of associated transport segments via a segment network and are designed to; determine a track section for the associated transport section from the destination, determine target values using the track section and to transmit the target values to the segment controllers via the segment network. Segment controllers supply current to drive coils using target values and occurring actual values to generate a magnetic field which interacts with drive magnets of the transport units to move the transport units.

Systems and methods of optimizing wafer transport and metrology measurements in a fab are provided. Methods comprise deriving and updating dynamic sampling plans that provide wafer-specific measurement sites and conditions, deriving optimized wafer measurement paths for metrology measurements of the wafers that correspond to the dynamic sampling plan, managing FOUP (Front Opening Unified Pod) transport through the fab, transporting wafers to measurement tools while providing the dynamic sampling plans and the wafer measurement paths to the respective measurement tools before or as the FOUPs with the respective wafers are transported thereto, and carrying out metrology and/or inspection measurements of the respective wafers by the respective measurement tools according to the derived wafer measurement paths. Quantum computing resources may be used to solve the corresponding specific optimization problems, to reduce the required time, improve the calculated solutions and improve the fab yield and accuracy of the produced wafers.

A method and system for motion control of movers in an independent cart system is disclosed. In one implementation, the independent cart system includes a plurality of movers, a track including a path, and a controller coupled to the track. Each of the plurality of movers includes at least one drive magnet, and each track segment includes a plurality of drive coils and a drive coupled to the plurality of drive coils. The controller defines a queue zone for the path, the queue zone having one or more target positions; defines a circular pointer queue for the queue zone; associating the circular pointer queue with the one or more target positions of the queue zone; circulating the circular pointer queue when a lead mover leaves the queue zone; and moves the movers through the queue zone based on the circular pointer queue.

The present invention increases the productivity of an entire factory, even of the type that produces different types of products in different quantities using transport vehicles, by performing transport operation control. This transport operation control device is provided with: a spatial distribution measuring unit which measures the spatial distribution of products-in-process being transported by the transport vehicles; and an operation schedule calculation unit which, on the basis of the measured spatial distribution of the group of partly-finished products, calculates an operation schedule that specifies both a route and a frequency of a transport operation to be carried out by each transport vehicle of the transport vehicles, wherein the operation schedule calculation unit determines the timing with which to update the operation schedule, on the basis of changes in a productivity index that is determined from the measured spatial distribution of the products-in-process.

A method and system for motion control of movers in an independent cart system is disclosed. In one implementation, the independent cart system includes a plurality of movers, a track including a path, and a controller coupled to the track. Each of the plurality of movers includes at least one drive magnet, and each track segment includes a plurality of drive coils and a drive coupled to the plurality of drive coils. The controller defines a queue zone for the path, the queue zone having one or more target positions; defines a circular pointer queue for the queue zone; associating the circular pointer queue with the one or more target positions of the queue zone; circulating the circular pointer queue when a lead mover leaves the queue zone; and moves the movers through the queue zone based on the circular pointer queue.