Abstract: A feeder that feeds objects to be picked up by a robot, includes an object container unit having a first planar portion including a first planar surface in which the objects are thrown, and a groove portion including a plurality of grooves extending in a first direction from the first planar portion as seen from a normal direction in which a normal of the first planar surface extends, and a vibrator unit that applies vibration to the object container unit, wherein the vibrator unit has a first vibration mode in which the objects are moved in the first direction.

Abstract: A control apparatus that controls a robot system including a part feeder having a container that accommodates a part and a plurality of vibration actuators for vibrating the container, and a robot having an end effector for picking up a part from the container, the apparatus comprising: a processor that is configured to execute computer-executable instructions so as to control the part feeder and the robot, wherein the processor is configured to select one or more control commands from a plurality of control commands respectively including control parameters of the plurality of vibration actuators and transmits the selected control command to the part feeder for causing the part feeder to perform an operation according to the selected control command.

Abstract: A feeder that feeds objects to be picked up by a robot, includes an object container unit having a first planar portion including a first planar surface in which the objects are thrown, and a groove portion including a plurality of grooves extending in a first direction from the first planar portion as seen from a normal direction in which a normal of the first planar surface extends, and a vibrator unit that applies vibration to the object container unit, wherein the vibrator unit has a first vibration mode in which the objects are moved in the first direction.

Abstract: A control apparatus that controls a robot system including a part feeder having a container that accommodates a part and a plurality of vibration actuators for vibrating the container, and a robot having an end effector for picking up a part from the container, the apparatus comprising: a processor that is configured to execute computer-executable instructions so as to control the part feeder and the robot, wherein the processor is configured to select one or more control commands from a plurality of control commands respectively including control parameters of the plurality of vibration actuators and transmits the selected control command to the part feeder for causing the part feeder to perform an operation according to the selected control command.

Abstract: A film-formation method is a method for depositing a liquid containing a film material to form a film in a prescribed film formation area enclosed by a partition wall on a substrate. The film-formation method includes forming the partition wall using at least in part a wettability-variable material in which wettability with respect to the liquid is variable, depositing the liquid in the film formation area, varying the wettability of the wettability-variable material in the partition wall in a state in which the liquid is disposed within the film formation area so that liquid affinity of the wettability-variable material becomes higher than liquid affinity of the wettability-variable material before the liquid is deposited in the film formation area, and forming the film by solidifying the film material in the liquid.

Abstract: A pixel observation system includes a memory unit, a coordinate generation unit, and an observation unit. The memory unit is configured to store at least nozzle information indicative of discharge states of a liquid material in a plurality of nozzles and arrangement information indicative of an arrangement of each of the nozzles with respect to each of a plurality of pixel regions in relative movement of the nozzles and a substrate. The coordinate generation unit is configured to generate observation coordinates of observation regions on the substrate based on the nozzle information and the arrangement information, and to include coordinates of at least some of the pixel regions over which the nozzles scan through one cycle of the relative movement in the observation coordinates. The observation unit is configured and arranged to observe the pixel regions positioned at the observation coordinates generated by the coordinate generation unit.

Abstract: A liquid material drawing method includes: performing a first discharging step in which at least one of the droplets the liquid material is discharged from at least one of a plurality of nozzles for each of a plurality of pixel regions; observing and capturing an image of the pixel regions on a workpiece in which the droplets are discharged; computing a distance in a first direction and a distance in an orthogonal second direction between barrier parts on the workpiece and a landing position of the at least one of the droplets in the image of the pixel regions; and correcting arrangement information including a relative positioning of the nozzles and the workpiece, which is used to arrange a prescribed number of the droplets as dots for each of the pixel regions, based on the distance in the first direction and the distance in the second direction.

Abstract: A drawing system for discharging a liquid material from a plurality of nozzles to a plurality of pixel regions on a substrate includes a memory unit, an arrangement information generation unit and a droplet discharge device. The memory unit is configured to store at least nozzle information in which the nozzles are ranked according to discharge characteristics and first arrangement information that indicates an arrangement of each of the nozzles with respect to each of the pixel regions in the relative movement. The arrangement information generation unit is configured to generate second arrangement information in which the first arrangement information is corrected based on the nozzle information. The droplet discharge device is configured to select one of the first arrangement information and the second arrangement information and to discharge droplets of the liquid material on each of the pixel regions from the nozzles according to the selected arrangement information.

Abstract: A film-formation method is a method for depositing a liquid containing a film material to form a film in a prescribed film formation area enclosed by a partition wall on a substrate. The film-formation method includes forming the partition wall using at least in part a wettability-variable material in which wettability with respect to the liquid is variable, depositing the liquid in the film formation area, varying the wettability of the wettability-variable material in the partition wall in a state in which the liquid is disposed within the film formation area so that liquid affinity of the wettability-variable material becomes higher than liquid affinity of the wettability-variable material before the liquid is deposited in the film formation area, and forming the film by solidifying the film material in the liquid.

Abstract: A liquid material drawing method includes: performing a first discharging step in which at least one of the droplets the liquid material is discharged from at least one of a plurality of nozzles for each of a plurality of pixel regions; observing and capturing an image of the pixel regions on a workpiece in which the droplets are discharged; computing a distance in a first direction and a distance in an orthogonal second direction between barrier parts on the workpiece and a landing position of the at least one of the droplets in the image of the pixel regions; and correcting arrangement information including a relative positioning of the nozzles and the workpiece, which is used to arrange a prescribed number of the droplets as dots for each of the pixel regions, based on the distance in the first direction and the distance in the second direction.

Abstract: A drawing system for discharging a liquid material from a plurality of nozzles to a plurality of pixel regions on a substrate includes a memory unit, an arrangement information generation unit and a droplet discharge device. The memory unit is configured to store at least nozzle information in which the nozzles are ranked according to discharge characteristics and first arrangement information that indicates an arrangement of each of the nozzles with respect to each of the pixel regions in the relative movement. The arrangement information generation unit is configured to generate second arrangement information in which the first arrangement information is corrected based on the nozzle information. The droplet discharge device is configured to select one of the first arrangement information and the second arrangement information and to discharge droplets of the liquid material on each of the pixel regions from the nozzles according to the selected arrangement information.

Abstract: A pixel observation system includes a memory unit, a coordinate generation unit, and an observation unit. The memory unit is configured to store at least nozzle information indicative of discharge states of a liquid material in a plurality of nozzles and arrangement information indicative of an arrangement of each of the nozzles with respect to each of a plurality of pixel regions in relative movement of the nozzles and a substrate. The coordinate generation unit is configured to generate observation coordinates of observation regions on the substrate based on the nozzle information and the arrangement information, and to include coordinates of at least some of the pixel regions over which the nozzles scan through one cycle of the relative movement in the observation coordinates. The observation unit is configured and arranged to observe the pixel regions positioned at the observation coordinates generated by the coordinate generation unit.

Abstract: A pattern forming method includes the step of forming a partition wall, at least a portion of a boundary betweeen a pattern formation area and other areas, by coating droplets usng a droplet discharge method.