Abstract: A substrate handling apparatus according to one or more embodiments may include: a base, an elevating unit that is connected to the base to freely elevate and lower, an arm that is rotatably connected to the elevating unit, a disk that is provided on the arm, and a hand that is rotatably connected to the arm, wherein in case that the hand is provided on a position to overlap the arm, the disk is provided under the substrate extracted by the hand.

Abstract: A robot according to one or more embodiments may include an arm and a hand. The hand is connected to the arm and supports to convey a wafer. The hand includes a base end portion that is an end of the side connected to an arm, and a distal end portion that is an end of the opposite side of the base end portion. With the hand, a lightened part is formed in at least a part of a first region which is a region of a distal end portion than the center part in the longitudinal direction of the hand.

Abstract: A robot system includes a robot that includes a motor, a first storage unit that is provided to correspond to the motor and stores identification information of the motor, a second storage unit that is provided separately from the first storage unit and stores the identification information of the motor, and a control unit that detects whether or not the motor attached to the robot is a motor to which the identification information has been assigned in advance, by comparing the identification information of the motor stored in the first storage unit and the identification information of the motor stored in the second storage unit.

Abstract: A robot system according to one or more embodiments may include a robot, and a control part. The robot may include one or more joints driven by an electric motor, and can hold a wafer by a holding part. The control part gives commands to the robot for control. When the robot holds and transports the wafer with the holding part, the control part performs, based on information about the electric motor, at least one of the following: determining whether slippage has occurred between the holding part and the wafer; and estimating an amount of slippage of the wafer relative to the holding part.

Abstract: A substrate conveying robot includes an arm, a substrate holding hand, a sensor board to which a sensor is electrically connected, and a control board on which a controller is mounted, the control board including a universal connector connectable to different types of the sensor boards.

Abstract: An aligner system includes a motor, a rotating device, a control device, and a sensor. The motor generates a rotational drive force. The rotating device 11 is rotated by the rotational drive force generated by the motor, while supporting a wafer. The control device controls rotation of the rotating device, and performs a process of setting a rotational phase of the wafer to a predetermined value. The sensor emits a plurality of light beams traveling in different directions toward an edge of the wafer, and receives the light beams to detect a defect in the edge of the wafer.

Abstract: A transport system includes a robot, sensors (an aligner sensor, a protrusion detecting sensor) and a controller. The robot having a hand which supports a wafer and transports the wafer to an aligner apparatus. The sensor detects the position of the wafer before the robot delivers the wafer to the aligner apparatus while supporting the wafer on the hand. The controller determines the positional deviation of the wafer based on a detection value of the sensor.

Abstract: A robot control unit for a substrate conveying robot raises a hand from a first lower position below a first target position at which the hand picks up a substrate to a first upper position above the first target position, and displaces at least one of a plurality of joints in one direction, in a first interval from the first lower position to a first intermediate position between the first lower position and the first target position.

Abstract: A robot according to one or more embodiments may include an arm and a hand. The hand is connected to the arm and supports to convey a wafer. The hand includes a base end portion that is an end of the side connected to an arm, and a distal end portion that is an end of the opposite side of the base end portion. With the hand, a lightened part is formed in at least a part of a first region which is a region of a distal end portion than the center part in the longitudinal direction of the hand.

Abstract: A robot system according to one or more embodiments may include a robot, and a control part. The robot may include one or more joints driven by an electric motor, and can hold a wafer by a holding part. The control part gives commands to the robot for control. When the robot holds and transports the wafer with the holding part, the control part performs, based on information about the electric motor, at least one of the following: determining whether slippage has occurred between the holding part and the wafer; and estimating an amount of slippage of the wafer relative to the holding part.

Abstract: A substrate transfer apparatus of the present invention includes: a robot including a hand configured to hold a substrate, and an arm configured to move the hand; a robot control device configured to set a moving path for the hand and control the arm such that the hand moves on the moving path toward a target position; and a camera disposed so as to be able to capture an image of the substrate held by the hand located at a predetermined confirmation position. The robot control device sets the moving path so as to pass through the confirmation position, obtains an image captured by the camera when the hand is located at the confirmation position, calculates a distance between a predetermined environment and the substrate which are taken in the image, and calculates a positional deviation amount from a reference position of the substrate on the basis of the distance.

Abstract: A method of teaching a robot, the robot including a first and second end effector that are mounted to a robotic arm wrist, the first and second end effector being rotatable about a same rotational axis independently of each other. The method includes: a first step of, in a state where rotational positions of the first and second end effectors about the rotational axis coincide with each other, attaching a relative motion preventing device to the first and second end effector, the relative motion preventing device preventing the first and second end effector from moving relative to each other; and a fourth step of generating a teaching point of the second end effector based on: a teaching point of the first end effector; and rotational position information about the first and second end effector that are stored in a storage unit in association with each other in a third step.

Abstract: A substrate transfer apparatus of the present invention includes: a robot including a hand configured to hold a substrate, and an arm configured to move the hand; a robot control device configured to set a moving path for the hand and control the arm such that the hand moves on the moving path toward a target position; and a camera disposed so as to be able to capture an image of the substrate held by the hand located at a predetermined confirmation position. The robot control device sets the moving path so as to pass through the confirmation position, obtains an image captured by the camera when the hand is located at the confirmation position, calculates a distance between a predetermined environment and the substrate which are taken in the image, and calculates a positional deviation amount from a reference position of the substrate on the basis of the distance.

Abstract: A robot control unit for a substrate conveying robot raises a hand from a first lower position below a first target position at which the hand picks up a substrate to a first upper position above the first target position, and displaces at least one of a plurality of joints in one direction, in a first interval from the first lower position to a first intermediate position between the first lower position and the first target position.

Abstract: Throughput is improved in a substrate transfer device including a substrate transport robot having a substrate holding hand, and an aligner. A method of controlling a substrate transfer device includes moving a substrate holding hand holding a substrate to a predetermined ready position defined around an aligner, moving the substrate holding hand to a predetermined placement position defined by the aligner to transfer the substrate to a turntable of the aligner, causing the aligner to align the substrate while causing the substrate holding hand to wait at a predetermined waiting position defined at a position closer to the placement position than the ready position is, moving the substrate holding hand to the placement position to transfer the substrate from the aligner to the substrate holding hand, and moving the substrate holding hand holding the substrate to the ready position.

Abstract: Throughput is improved in a substrate transfer device including a substrate transport robot having a substrate holding hand, and an aligner. A method of controlling a substrate transfer device includes moving a substrate holding hand holding a substrate to a predetermined ready position defined around an aligner, moving the substrate holding hand to a predetermined placement position defined by the aligner to transfer the substrate to a turntable of the aligner, causing the aligner to align the substrate while causing the substrate holding hand to wait at a predetermined waiting position defined at a position closer to the placement position than the ready position is, moving the substrate holding hand to the placement position to transfer the substrate from the aligner to the substrate holding hand, and moving the substrate holding hand holding the substrate to the ready position.

Abstract: A method of teaching a robot, the robot including a first and second end effector that are mounted to a robotic arm wrist, the first and second end effector being rotatable about a same rotational axis independently of each other. The method includes: a first step of, in a state where rotational positions of the first and second end effectors about the rotational axis coincide with each other, attaching a relative motion preventing device to the first and second end effector, the relative motion preventing device preventing the first and second end effector from moving relative to each other; and a fourth step of generating a teaching point of the second end effector based on: a teaching point of the first end effector; and rotational position information about the first and second end effector that are stored in a storage unit in association with each other in a third step.

Abstract: A wrist joint structure in which a direct drive motor is used is provided in a robot in which two hands are mounted on one robot arm. The robot includes: a robot arm; a plurality of stages of hands including a first hand and a second hand that are provided at a tip of the robot arm; a first direct drive motor in which a rotation axis is defined at the tip of the robot arm, the first direct drive motor coupling the first hand to the tip of the robot arm such that the first hand is rotatable about the rotation axis; and a second direct drive motor that couples the second hand to the first hand such that the second hand is rotatable about the rotation axis.

Abstract: A robot diagnosing method includes: preparing: (1) a line sensor including a light emitter configured to emit a light ray, a light receiver configured to receive the light ray emitted from the light emitter, and a detecting portion configured to detect a position of the detected portion based on a light receiving state of the light receiver, the detected portion being inserted between the light emitter and the light receiver, and (2) a robot including a robot arm and a detected portion configured to move integrally with a wrist portion of the robot arm; detecting the position of the detected portion by the line sensor while linearly moving the wrist portion based on a command value from the robot control portion such that the wrist portion intersects with the light ray; and diagnosing a linearly moving property of the wrist portion based on the position of the detected portion.

Abstract: A robot diagnosing method of detecting a deviation amount caused by a lost motion includes: a first step of preparing a robot and a line sensor, the robot including a robot arm including one or a plurality of joint portions including a first joint portion, the line sensor including a detecting portion configured to detect a position of a detected portion based on a light receiving state of a light receiver, the detected portion being inserted between a light emitter and the light receiver; and a sixth step of detecting the deviation amount caused by the lost motion at the first joint portion based on (i) the position of the detected portion based on the position of the detected portion detected in a third step and a command value from a robot control portion in a fourth step and (ii) the position of the detected portion detected in a fifth step.