Abstract: A design support system comprising a digital document related module for storing a digital document used for a design operation, a geometry data related module for storing geometry data designed during the design operation, and a reference relationship related module for generating reference relationship information (a digital document that includes a reference relationship to geometry data, or geometry data that include a reference relationship to a digital document) that is established between a specific digital document and specific geometry data. To display the reference relationship from the digital document to the geometry data, the digital document related module calls up and displays the digital document, while adding and displaying information to the digital document concerning a link to the reference target geometry data.

Abstract: A method of generating a manufacturing process for producing an assembly and a computer system or systems implementing the method. The method generally includes the steps of: designing at least one assembly to be produced having at least two components to be engaged to one another such that the area where the components are to be engaged thereby defines at least one contact area; generating a representation, typically a three-dimensional representation, of the assembly; assigning a unique identifier to each individual component of the assembly or, when a group of more than one identical components is utilized in the assembly, assigning identical unique identifiers to each component of the group, thereby identifying each component as identical; assigning manufacturing instructions to the contact area; and generating manufacturing instructions for the manufacturing process based at least in part on the identifier and the contact area.

Abstract: The present invention relates generally to a comprehensive, integrated computer-based process and method for undertaking an engineering design and development effort in a virtual collaborative environment by facilitating communication of specifications for parts and assemblies for review and approval. Specifications for the fabrication of parts may be presented and reviewed by the user. By accepting or validating the specifications, the user may apply his/her digital signature, thereby confirming an understanding of the specifications and, according to an embodiment of the invention, creating a binding contract.

Abstract: In one aspect, the present invention includes a power adjustment apparatus. The apparatus includes a local controller and one or more sensors distributed within a power grid. The sensors are configured to assess conditions including power consumption and delivered voltage level and are configured to transmit data representative of the assessed conditions to the local controller. The apparatus also includes a device associated with the one or more sensors, configured to adjust an output power level in response to commands from the local controller. The device is deployed at an associated location within the power grid. The device is configured to increase an associated output electrical parameter when the local controller determines that such will reduce power consumption.

Abstract: A method of evaluating the efficiency of an automatic machine, whereby, upon completion of a given production lot, a current performance index achieved by the automatic machine during manufacture of the production lot is calculated; and the current performance index is memorized in a nonvolatile memory, together with various characteristic parameters relating to the processing performed. To evaluate the efficiency of the automatic machine, the current performance index is compared with historic performance indexes memorized previously during operation of the automatic machine and having characteristic parameters substantially similar to the characteristic parameters of the current performance index.

Abstract: A system for automatically receiving, verifying, and processing a request of a fabricating organization for manufacture of a product executes a method for verifying a request of a fabricating organization for manufacture of a product begins by receiving the request for manufacture of the product from a design organization. An acknowledgement of the request is generated and transferred to the design organization. The request is then verified that a format and syntax of the request complies with requirements for format and syntax of the request as established by the fabricating organization. If the format and syntax does not comply with the requirements for the format and syntax, the request is rejected for manufacture. However, if the format and syntax has minor non-compliances to the requirements for format and syntax, the minor non-compliances are corrected such that the request is in compliance to the requirements for format and syntax.

Abstract: A system and method for wafer lot identity (ID) management including a storage device and an information process module. The storage device is capable of storing a plurality of ID mapping records, each ID mapping record storing a client lot ID and a supplier lot ID relationship. The information process module is configured to receive an information request with the client lot ID from a client, acquire the supplier lot ID from the ID mapping record according to the received client lot ID, acquire manufacturing information or logistical information according to the acquired supplier lot ID, and send the manufacturing information or the logistical information to the client.

Abstract: It is an object to provide an AGV that enables preventing a substrate and a manufacturing system from being contaminated due to another substrate with an adhering contaminant generated in a manufacturing process, and also a production system for a semiconductor device and a production management method for a semiconductor device, which use the AGV. In the present invention, air filtered through a filter is introduced into a containing portion of an AGV, and air in the containing portion containing a carrier is exhausted after filtering the air in the containing portion through another filter. As the filter used before discharging the air, a filter that enables filtering an impurity on the order of a submicron level is used. In addition, a carrier used before doping is changed to another carrier after doping, and CIM system is used to control driving of the AGV and selection of the carrier.

Abstract: A semiconductor device manufacturing system is provided in which chip position information is read without removing resin from a package so that the cause of a failure can be quickly identified and removed and the yield of chips can be rapidly improved. A replacement address reading device reads redundancy addresses from a semiconductor device which is determined as faulty in a test performed after the semiconductor device has been sealed into a package. A chip position analyzing device estimates, from the combination of these redundancy addresses, a lot number, a wafer number and a chip number of the faulty semiconductor device. A failure distribution mapping device maps the distribution of faulty chips in each wafer in the lot based on these numbers thus obtained. A failure cause determining device identifies which manufacturing device or processing step has caused the failures in the wafer process based on the above distribution.

Abstract: In a machine tool with a spindle capable of motion along at least three axes x, y, and z, the position of the spindle is checked by a device that operates utilizing electromagnetic signals sent out by four emitters, located externally of the machine tool, and picked up by a receiver mounted directly to the spindle. The signals are fed into a master control unit and processed by circuits in such a way as to produce an output that can be used to verify and if necessary correct the position of the spindle on the three axes X, Y, and Z.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of modelling a bill of materials for a configurable product in a managed supply chain and a modeller apparatus for modelling a bill of materials for a configurable product in a managed supply chain. The method comprises: storing data relating to the product, wherein the data includes at least one product characteristic specifying a plurality of component products of the product and an additional characteristic specifying a selection condition relating to the at least one product characteristic, combining the at least one product characteristic and the additional characteristic to generate a characteristic value combination, using the characteristic value combination to model the bill of materials, and using the bill of materials to control the supply of the product. The invention further relates to a computer system, a user terminal and a program storage device readable by a processing apparatus.

Abstract: A system and method for machining and cutting pieces from a sheet of material where the system machines or cuts the first side of the sheet material but does not sever the pieces from the sheet, and the entire sheet with the pieces still attached thereto is inverted and the system machines and cuts to opposite side of the pieces and finally severs the pieces from the sheet such that the pieces are essentially complete upon removal.

Abstract: An optimum cutting tool is selected interactively in a cutting tools selection section, and a tooling sheet using the selected cutting tool is generated and output in a tooling sheet preparation section. The cutting tool selection section searches a cutting tool database using a unique order number for each cutting tool as a search key, and outputs a list of cutting tool search results, and when a declaration of intention to select an insert via the list is made, parameters indicating the recommended cutting conditions for the designated cutting tool are transferred to the tooling sheet preparation section. The tooling sheet preparation section generates and outputs tooling sheet item data for some items by computation with a prescribed formula, based on the transferred parameters. As a result, an accurate, interchangeable, and readily expandable system for the preparation of tooling sheets can be provided.

Abstract: A method for forming an apparatus for storing and releasing containers (C1–C15) or such substantially box-shaped storing devices, comprising at least rails (28) having thereon a series of trolleys (14) mobile on the rails, on which trolleys the containers can be carried, the rails being supported by a supporting frame (54), which supporting frame is substantially built up from a series of standard modules, while, for a location, it is determined how many containers (7) are to be potentially storable therein, after which a construction for a supporting frame is determined on the basis of the modules, which modules are subsequently packaged and transported to said location, where the construction is built up from at least the modules.

Abstract: A method for limiting exposure of a substrate to potentially damaging radiation from a radiating apparatus. A database of information associated with the substrate is compiled, and the substrate is identified prior to processing the substrate on the radiating apparatus. The database of information associated with the substrate is accessed, including its past irradiation history of dosage and type of irradiation, based on the substrate identification, and the operation of the radiating apparatus is selectively modified based at least in part on the information associated with the substrate.

Abstract: First, a wafer with a plurality of defects generated in a first semiconductor process is provided. A defect inspection is performed to detect the defects on the wafer. Then, an automatic defect classification is performed according to a predetermined defect database having a defect classification recipe generated from a second semiconductor process. After that, a verifying process is further performed by comparing the result of the automatic defect classification with that of a manual defect classification to verify the accuracy of the automatic defect classification.

Abstract: A product design CAD data reconstruction unit 50 reconstructs product design CAD data used for product evaluation regarding an initial design so as to fulfill restrictive conditions obtained from the product evaluation based on a product structure for the initial design. The reconstructed product design CAD data is stored in a product design CAD data database 90. Upon reception of a corrected design obtained by correcting the initial design, the product design CAD data for the initial design is read from the product design CAAD data database 90, and the product design CAD data is corrected along a design surface of the corrected design.

Abstract: A sensor placement algorithm uses process data to determine the optimal distribution of sensors in a distributed parameter manufacturing system. An automatic classification procedure maps any problems in the process to a predetermined set of process disturbances. A control procedure uses process data to determine the best control action that will ensure good system response. Methods for sensor placement, automatic decision tree classification, corrective action control and the apparatus to effectuate these respective methods are integrated into a design methodology.

Abstract: Disclosed is a moving mechanism which includes a first structural member having a first guide surface, a moving member being movable along the first guide surface, a second structural member having a second guide surface, and an actuator having a movable element provided on the moving member and a stator being movable along the second guide surface, wherein the first and second structural members are isolated from each other with respect to vibration, such that displacement of the stator due to a reaction force as the moving member is driven does not have an influence to the moving member guide surface.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an algorithm used in a method and apparatus for controlling a paper machine, in order to automatically tune parameters used to calculate the initial value of web moisture percentage at a dryer part inlet after grade change and parameters used to calculate the dry-bulb temperature of air within a hood. In the method and apparatus, a regression line correlating the ratio of a difference in bone dry basis weight before and after grade change with a difference between the predicted value and steady-state value of steam pressure is determined from a plurality of point-of-grade-change data items, and a first parameter is calculated from the slope of this regression line. With the method and apparatus of the present invention, it is possible to automatically determine the value of the first parameter using earlier point-of-grade-change data, which used to be determined empirically.