Abstract: An image forming apparatus performs image formation based on a first parameter concerning the image forming apparatus itself. When a parameter extracted from data received from an information processing apparatus corresponds to a second parameter concerning another image forming apparatus, the image forming apparatus converts the extracted parameter to the first parameter according to information stored in the image forming apparatus. The information includes the first parameter associated with the second parameter.

Abstract: A method of process control includes the steps of preparing recycling procedure data for each type of film formed on a wafer by diffusion processing, setting a recycle control number for controlling recycling processing based on the recycling procedure data, and outputting a recycling instruction to the recycling apparatus when the prescribed number of non-product wafers are accumulated and when an accept request is received from the recycling apparatus.

Abstract: A process selection system and method enable the automatic control of the specification to equipment most suitable for each lot. Processing using this specific equipment can be performed by further selecting the most suitable equipment from equipment used for the product type. Since a plurality of equipment can be specified for each lot, the equipment can be specified from an equipment group having these plurality of equipment. The adequate number of products in process for each equipment-specific process equipment id can be calculated based on the distribution percentage ri. The equipment-specific process equipment having the maximum value of the differential Gi between the adequate number of products in process ni and the collected actual number of products in process can be determined as the equipment-specific process equipment for the lot.

Abstract: A method of process control includes the steps of preparing recycling procedure data for each type of film formed on a wafer by diffusion processing, setting a recycle control number for controlling recycling processing based on the recycling procedure data, and outputting a recycling instruction to the recycling apparatus when the prescribed number of non-product wafers are accumulated and when an accept request is received from the recycling apparatus.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes sheet supplying mechanisms, an image forming controller, and a sheet ejection mechanism. Each sheet supplying mechanism is capable of storing a stack of recording sheets in one of selective portrait and landscape orientations. The image forming controller reproduces an image according to input image data on a recording sheet, and performs a rotation sort operation which supplies the recording sheets in either the portrait or landscape orientations. The sheet ejection mechanism for ejecting the recording sheet includes a staple mechanism which performs a staple operation for stapling on the recording sheet having the image thereon in one of selective staple patterns and a punch mechanism which performs a punch operation for punching in a trailing edge area of the recording sheet having the image thereon.