Abstract: A silicon-based wafer such as a TSV interposer wafer having a first and second surfaces wherein a glass carrier is mounted on the second surface by a UV tape is held by a vacuum holder applied on the first surface and the glass carrier is removed from the silicon-based wafer by irradiating the UV tape with a UV light through the glass carrier. The silicon-based wafer is then flipped and placed onto a vacuum plate and secured to the vacuum plate by applying vacuum to the vacuum plate. The vacuum holder is then released from the silicon-based wafer leaving the silicon-based wafer secured to the vacuum plate for subsequent processing steps.

Abstract: An electronic-component holding apparatus and an electronic-component mounting system each of which assures that a nozzle head holding a plurality of suction nozzles is easily attached to, and detached from, a head holding member, are provided. A suction surface of a head holding member is held in close contact with a to-be-sucked surface of a revolver head so as to define a head-related negative-pressure chamber that holds the revolver head by utilizing suction. The revolver head is revolved, and moved upward and downward, with the head holding member.

Abstract: A panel installation apparatus is cooperable with an aerial work platform of a lift vehicle for installation of panels on a surface. The apparatus includes a trolley movable on at least one rail supported by the aerial work platform between a displaced position spaced from the surface and engaged position adjacent the surface. The trolley is sized to support a panel to be installed. At least one mounting unit is fixed to the aerial work platform via a mounting unit frame and pivotable between a receiving position adjacent the trolley in the engaged position and an installing position adjacent the surface. The mounting unit includes at least one fixing unit selectively attachable to the panel. With the panel delivered to the mounting unit, the mounting unit can be pivoted and secured to the panel via the fixing unit, and the panel can be subsequently pivoted adjacent the surface for installation.

Abstract: The forward movement of a feed rod 15 of a nut feeder permits pressurization of air in an air chamber 3a defined in a rod holder 3, thereby blowing the air out of the air outlet 20 through an air inlet 21 and an air passage 22. A nut 7 is held on the feed rod 15 by the pressure of the air blow from the air outlet 20.

Abstract: Disclosed is a pressure transmission assembly for mounting to a robotic device having a rotatable end effector. The pressure transmission assembly includes a housing and a flexible pressure transmission member. The housing includes an input port and an output port. The flexible transmission member is coupled between the input port and the output port of the housing. The flexible transmission member is wound within the housing between the input port and the output port and is configured to receive a pressure signal at the input port and to transmit the pressure signal to the end effector through the output port.

Abstract: This invention provides an electronic component mounting apparatus which can detects an electronic component held by a suction nozzle without fail after a mounting operation of electronic components on a printed board and perform various processes in a case where the electronic component is held by the suction nozzle.

Abstract: A vacuum device for a material handling system includes a vacuum device body and a sealing element. The vacuum device body has a vacuum passageway in which a vacuum is generated in response to activation of a pressurized air supply that forces pressurized air through a venturi device. The sealing element moves to a sealing position to substantially seal the vacuum passageway when the air supply is activated, and is urged toward the sealing position via pressurized air that is diverted from an inlet of the vacuum device to the sealing element. The sealing element moves to substantially vent the vacuum passageway when the air supply is deactivated. The vacuum passageway may be in fluid communication with a vacuum cup, which seals against the object when the sealing element is at the sealing position and the vacuum generating device generates at least a partial vacuum in the vacuum passageway.

Abstract: The presence of a workpiece on an end effector of a vacuum robotic handler is detecting using any of a number of non-contact techniques in which some or all of the detection hardware is positioned outside a vacuum chamber that encloses the vacuum robotic handler. Various deployments include laser beam breaking, analysis of radar reflection signals, or analysis of radio frequency identification tag signatures. By providing non-physical couplings between hardware inside and outside of a vacuum environment, integrity of the vacuum is improved. These non-contact techniques are further adapted as described herein to multi-wafer and multi-end effector environments so that independent detection of multiple wafers (e.g., for each end effector) can be performed.

Abstract: The present invention comprises a vacuum end effector having workpiece supports that work in conjunction with distorted workpiece surfaces. In one embodiment, each workpiece support has the ability to gimbal and conform the workpiece surface in contact with an outer edge of the support. Each workpiece support preferably provides a knife-like contact edge to minimize the contact area between the support and the workpiece while still providing an effective vacuum area to hold the wafer securely on the support.

Abstract: A method of conveying a glass substrate utilizing an improved non-contact lifting device. The non-contact lifting device employs the Bernoulli effect to create a pressure differential across the glass substrate. The Bernoulli device of the present invention comprises an increased holding or lifting power, and reduces the opportunity for contact between the device and the glass substrate if the device is tilted with respect the plane of the glass substrate surface.

Abstract: An end effector for use with a moving device has a frame and a plurality of operational members mounted for movement on the frame. The effector also has an actuation mechanism directly connected to a first operational member and is operable to move the first operational member from a first position to a second position, and from the second position to the first position. A linking apparatus is provided for linking the first operational member to a second operational member. The actuation mechanism moves the first operational member from the first position to the second position, and results in the second operational member being moved by the linking apparatus from a third position to a fourth position. The operational members can be pick up members for picking up items at one pitch and releasing them at a second pitch.

Abstract: A system, method and apparatus for handling and moving a layer of articles, such as cased products. The system and apparatus comprise a hood enclosure having four side panels, and four interconnected corner member. The side walls and corner members interoperate to form an adjustable enclosure to pick the layer of articles. A vacuum generate is utilized to evacuate air from the hood enclosure to assist in lifting the layer of articles. The hood enclosure may utilize an array of vacuum cups to assist in the lifting of articles into the hood enclosure. The method is directed towards utilizing the hood layer end effector to move and hand articles.

Abstract: A profile scanner for locating a target zone on a profile of a vessel comprising an emitter adapted to progressively or instantaneously radiate towards the vessel; a receiver providing a signal indicative of radiation incident thereon; a controller or processor including stored instructions, for energising the emitter and receiving the signal, and adapted to determine the vertical location of the target zone relative to scanner.

Abstract: An internal pressure explosion-proof system is provided that is capable of detecting high-pressure abnormality of an internal pressure explosion-proof mechanism, urging a check of gas/air apparatus by providing a means for notifying a user of abnormality, and decreasing excessive pressure of an internal pressure chamber. A high-pressure abnormality detector and a pressure regulating valve are provided in an air discharging portion for releasing the gas/air discharged from the internal pressure explosion-proof mechanism. The working pressure of the high-pressure abnormality detector is set to be lower than the working pressure of the pressure regulating valve. The high-pressure abnormality detector sends a signal when the pressure becomes higher than the set pressure to make the alarm give a warning and makes the open valves open to decrease the pressure of the internal pressure chamber of the internal pressure explosion-proof mechanism which became excessive.

Abstract: A substrate-handling vacuum robot includes a first robotic arm with a single-substrate end effector and a second robotic arm with a batch end effector. The single-substrate end effector permits single-substrate pick-and-place operations while the batch end effector permits batch handling of substrates within a vacuum environment.

Abstract: A facet adapter permits flexible coupling of wafer handler ports to various combinations of process modules. In one embodiment, a facet adapter connects a port of a wafer handler to two process modules. The facet adapter may provide additional facets oriented, for example, at ninety degrees to one another. Facet adapters may be employed to flexibly accommodate various semiconductor fabrication system layouts, and in particular, to increase the number of process modules serviced by a single robotic wafer handler.

Abstract: The invention concerns an industrial robot (4) comprising a machining tool (2) attached to one hand (3) of the robot, designed to perform a hydraulic-driven movement relative to the hand (3) and connected therefor to a hydraulic unit (10). The hydraulic unit (10) is placed directly on a mobile part of the robot, in particular directly on the robot hand (3). Therefore there is no more need for hydraulic supply lines along the arm of the robot. Further, when the robot hand (3) changes tool, no separation of hydraulic lines is required. The machining tool (2) is in particular a device for placing blind rivets, thereby enabling an entirely automated process for placing blind rivets.

Abstract: A robot according to the present invention cleans the outer surface of a window/wall by performing automatic movement along the outer surface of the window/wall while being vacuum-sucked onto the outer surface. The robot includes a moving unit for moving the robot in a first direction, a direction changing unit for rotating the moving unit to change a movement direction of the robot, and a cleaning unit mounted on at least one side of the robot. The robot can prevent water used to clean the window or outer wall of a building from being dropped toward a lower story. Also, the robot can run smoothly so that it can achieve a satisfactory cleaning operation without forming spots. The robot uses a turntable system, so that it can also freely change the movement direction thereof about the center thereof up to 360° without requiring any radius of rotation, to easily approach even a dead zone.

Abstract: Plural wok pairs composed of a plurality of works are stored in work storing means. A movable sensor 45 fitted to a conveyance robot 5 detects the position of one of the work pairs in the work storing means, and the work gripping means 25 takes out a plurality of works at one time from the work storing means. One of the plurality of works is held temporally by temporal work holding means 6 or 7 while the other work is conveyed to a jig Y. In the course of conveyance, a fixed sensor 63 detects the relative positional relationship between the work and the work gripping means 25. If the relative positional relationship deviates from the regular positional relationship, the movement of a robot arm 31 is corrected.

Abstract: A robot assembly for transferring substrates includes a central tube assembly oriented along a central axis, perpendicular to a substrate transfer plane, and having an inner surface that forms part of a first enclosure at a first pressure, and an outer surface that forms part of a second enclosure at a second, different pressure. The robot assembly further includes a transfer robot which itself includes multiple rotor assemblies, each configured to rotate parallel to the substrate transfer plane. The various rotor assemblies are organized in pairs, each pair having one rotor fitted with a telescoping support arm/end effector arrangement to support substrates thereon, and the other rotor fitted with inner and outer actuator arms that cooperate to effect radial movement of the corresponding end effector of the paired rotor assembly. Each rotor is controlled to effect the transfer of substrates within a wafer processing system asynchronously and at differing heights.

Abstract: A wafer transferring robot in semiconductor device fabricating equipment and a method of detecting wafer warpage by using the wafer transferring robot are provided. In the realizing the wafer transferring robot to transfer a wafer, vacuum lines are formed to adsorb a plurality of regions of the wafer. Whether the wafer is warped or not and the extent of warpage are determined in real time, depending on whether the wafer is adsorbed by the vacuum lines. When no warpage occurs on the wafer or when the extent of warpage is slight, the wafer is allowed to be normally processed. When the extent of warpage is too serious to perform a normal process on the wafer, the wafer is previously processed as an error, thereby preventing the waste of time, cost and manpower caused by performing an unnecessary process.

Abstract: Pick-up heads and systems including such heads are disclosed. The pick-up heads and systems are especially useful for picking up, transporting, and placing semiconductor dies at bond sites on packaging substrates. Alternatively, the heads and systems are useful for performing these tasks with any of various other planar objects. An exemplary head includes a shank and a body. The body includes a compliant end portion contactable by the shank, and the end portion includes a face. The shank is movable relative to the end portion such that, whenever the shank is retracted, the face has a substantially planar contour, and whenever the shank is extended, the shank contacts and urges the end portion to provide the face with a convex contour. The end portion desirably defines at least one vacuum orifice connected to an evacuation device (e.g., a vacuum pump) that evacuates the vacuum orifice sufficiently to cause the planar object to adhere to the face.

Abstract: A method for moving an envelope assembly including providing an envelope assembly, the envelope assembly including a plurality of generally aligned, compressed envelopes and a band extending around the plurality of envelopes and retaining the envelopes in a state of compression. The method further includes applying a lifting force to the band to lift the envelope assembly off of a support surface.

Abstract: A non-contacting conveyance equipment comprises: a body having an end face that opposes an object to be conveyed, and a concave opening formed in the end face and surrounded by a cylindrical inner side wall; and a fluid passageway having a plurality of pairs of spouts to introduce fluid into an inner space of the concave opening in a circumferential direction of the cylindrical inner side wall so as to cause a swirl of fluid within the concave opening, each of the plurality of pairs of spouts being formed on the cylindrical inner side wall symmetrically to a central axis of the concave opening. A plurality of the non-contacting conveyance equipments may be provided on a base.

Abstract: In a multi-axis articulated arm robot for transferring workpieces, there is a robot base, on which a movement unit is able to be pivoted about a first axis, which is vertical in an operational state. The movement unit has a pivoting part adjacent to the base, an articulated arm constituted by a top arm and a bottom arm, such top arm being connected for pivoting at one end about a horizontal second axis with the pivoting part at the other end is connected with the adjacent end of the bottom arm for pivoting about a horizontal third axis, a rotary member arranged at the bottom arm's end opposite to the top arm, such rotary member being able to be rotated about a fourth axis extending in the longitudinal direction of the bottom arm, a pivoting member connected with the rotary member for pivoting about a fifth axis extending athwart the fourth axis, and a supporting part rotatingly connected with the pivoting member, such supporting part extending athwart the fifth axis.

Abstract: An air-powered vacuum tool for handling multiple workpieces includes vacuum ports formed in a vacuum manifold body and associated air-powered vacuum generators operatively connected with the vacuum manifold body such that each of the vacuum ports is provided with vacuum. Groups of pickup orifices associated with the vacuum ports engage multiple workpieces. Each of the pickup orifices is operatively connected with at least one of the vacuum ports.

Abstract: An apparatus for mounting semiconductor chips has a pick and place system arranged stationary in vertical direction for the picking, transport and placement of a semiconductor chip onto a substrate. The pick and place system comprises a bondhead with a chip gripper deflectable relative to the bondhead. The deflection of the chip gripper takes place by means of a pneumatic drive arranged on the bondhead which has two pressure chambers separated by a piston, whereby the chip gripper is secured to the piston. The pressure p1 prevailing in the first pressure chamber and the pressure p2 prevailing in the second pressure chamber are dynamically controlled by means of a regulator controlled valve system. The regulator can be operated in two operating modes. In the first operating mode, the deflection of the chip gripper and/or a variable derived from it is controlled based on the signal delivered by a position encoder which measures the deflection of the chip gripper.

Abstract: An air suction passage (4A, 4B) is provided with a pick and place confirming sensor (1) comprising a gas flow sensor. The pick and place confirming sensor (1) measures the flow rate of air sucked in from an air suction port (33) of a pick and place nozzle (2). The presence or absence of a part lifted to the pick and place nozzle (2) is detected on the basis of the measurement result.

Abstract: The fastener to shaft insertion tool is disclosed which consists of a shaft holding member, a fastener insertion member, and force transmitting member. The fastener holding member facilitates the holding of the fastener and the application of forces to the fastener necessary for its proper insertion onto a shaft. Forces are provided to the fastener holding member by way of a hydraulic or pneumatic actuator. The fasteners are inserted adjacent a ring or gear being coupled to the shaft.

Abstract: An end-effector includes multiple vortex chucks for supporting a wafer. Vortex chucks are located along the periphery of the end-effector to help prevent a flexible wafer from curling. The end-effector has limiters to restrict the lateral movement of a supported wafer. In one example, the end-effector has a detector for detecting the presence of a wafer. The detector is mounted at a shallow angle to allow the end-effector to be positioned close to a wafer to be picked-up, thereby allowing detection of deformed wafers contained in a wafer cassette. The shallow angle of the detector also minimizes the thickness of the end-effector. Also disclosed is a wafer station with features similar to that of the end-effector.

Abstract: A servo adjustable gripper device for gripping and transporting at least two objects such as boxes includes a frame and at least two gripper assemblies connected with carriages slidably connected with the frame. The gripper device further includes a robotic arm which controls further movement and placement of the boxes on a pallet. The position of the gripper assemblies on the frame is adjustable to provide equal lifting force for a variety of differently sized boxes or for different numbers of boxes.

Abstract: A lithographic apparatus includes an illumination system configured to condition a radiation beam; a support configured to support a patterning device, the patterning device being capable of imparting the radiation beam with a pattern in its cross-section to form a patterned radiation beam; a substrate table configured to hold a substrate; a projection system configured to project the patterned radiation beam onto a target portion of the substrate; and a robot configured to transfer an exchangeable object to and from a support region, the robot including an arm and an end effector, the end effector including a first and second carrier configured to carry respective exchangeable objects, and the end effector being rotatably connected to the arm of the robot around a rotation axis which extends substantially parallel to the support region.

Abstract: There is provided a plurality of component mounting apparatuses for sucking a plurality of components by a mounting head section and successively mounting the components onto a board located at a board positioning section. The component mounting apparatuses are arranged in parallel to one another, and a board transfer path is provided so that it penetrates the component mounting apparatuses. Even when the number of components to be mounted onto the board increases, the components are mounted on the component supply tables of the component mounting apparatuses as distributed thereto, and therefore, the whole apparatus is not dimensionally increased. The component supply tables are fixedly installed so as to become free of vibration, and the mounting head section executes the suction and the mounting of the plurality of components. Therefore, the component mounting operation speed can be remarkably increased.

Abstract: A transporting tool of this invention transports a cracked wafer between an unload table and a test position through fork, having a vacuum suction mechanism, and a main chuck. The transporting tool of this invention has a first groove formed in a first surface of the transporting tool, a first through hole which is formed to correspond to a first opening of the fork and is open to the first groove, a second groove formed in a second surface to correspond to an attracting groove of the main chuck, and a second through hole which allows the first groove and second groove to communicate with each other.

Abstract: An improved Bernoulli end effector for holding, handling, and transporting ultra-thin substrates includes edge guides to aid in the positioning of the substrate and may include friction pads that impede motion of the substrate lifted by the end effector. The Bernoulli end effector may be incorporated into an apparatus and method for supinating a substrate so that both surfaces of the substrate can be processed. In addition, the Bernoulli end effector may be used to place ultra-thin substrates on and retrieve substrates from a substrate handling structure that includes weights that prevent the substrates from bowing or flexing during processing and includes guides that prevent the ultra-thin substrates from moving or translating on the surface of the substrate handling structure.

Abstract: A conveyor system able to safety convey a workpiece having a thickness of less than 100 ?m and easily position the workpiece, provided with a plate-shaped member provided movably and swivelably and a moving and swiveling means moving and swiveling the plate-shaped member, the plate-shaped member being provided together with a lifting means for uniformly lifting in its entirety a workpiece carried at the carrying location and a holding means for holding a workpiece lifted by the lifting means by chucking its entirety on a workpiece chucking surface of the plate-shaped member, and a plurality of Verneuil nozzles serving as the lifting means and a plurality of vacuum chucking nozzles serving as the holding means being formed in the workpiece chucking surface near an outer periphery of the plate-shaped member along the outer periphery.

Abstract: Manipulating a vehicle body panel includes utilizing a base plate, left and right screw rods, a motor, and clamping units. The base plate is connected to the arm of the robot. The left and right screw rods are rotatably mounted below the base plate by bearing blocks and each of the screw rods has a driven helical gear at an interior end thereof. The motor is disposed central to and above the base plate and has a rotating shaft. A driving helical gear is formed at an end of the rotating shaft and is engaged with both of the driven helical gears. The clamping units are respectively mounted to the left and right screw rods by a screw block. The clamping units clamp the vehicle body panel by laterally moving with respect to the base plate and move the vehicle body panel up and down.

Abstract: A product contact sensor of the type shown and described herein.

Abstract: An apparatus for performing an operation on a circuit substrate, the apparatus including a plurality of operating devices which are provided in a space that is closed and opened by a safety cover and one of which performs the operation on the circuit substrate, a safety-cover switch which is switchable to an ON state thereof corresponding to a closed state of the safety cover, and to an OFF state thereof corresponding to an opened state of the safety cover, a maintenance-related control device which keeps, in a maintenance mode, at least one of the operating devices to a state thereof in which the one operating device is operable, and a maintenance-mode setting switch which cooperates with the safety-cover switch to provide a parallel circuit, and which is selectively operable to an ON state thereof in which the maintenance-mode setting switch allows setting of the maintenance mode, and to an OFF state thereof in which the maintenance-mode setting switch does not allow the setting of the maintenance mode.

Abstract: A freely positionable placement head (1) removes presented flip chips (6) from a wafer (5), the connection side of said chips being directed upward. The placement head has a turning device (9), in which, by the time they are placed onto a substrate (8) to be provided with placed components, the flip chips are turned in such a way that they can be placed with their connection side onto the substrate. This makes it possible to dispense with a complex turning device assigned to the wafer (5).

Abstract: Apparatus and method for holding an uncompressed bundle of product from the top with a vacuum assisted end effector and then simultaneously compressing the bundle from all sides at the same time with thin compression plates located about the periphery of a vacuum assisted end effector to form an evenly compressed product bundle that is then placed in a container with the compression plates between the product and the container walls. Once the bundle is received in the container, vacuum is removed; the inward force of the compression plates released and the compression plates removed vertically from between the product and the containers walls. The simultaneous compression from all sides provides even distribution of forces on the product and ensures that all product is compressed or deformed to the same degree. Using the apparatus described herein to place the bottom of the products gently onto the inside bottom of the container is further advantageous.

Abstract: A gripper (1) for contact lenses comprises a gripper head (10) which has a bearing surface (100) for a contact lens (CL) and in which one or more openings (101, 102) are provided through which an underpressure can be applied in order to suck the contact lens (CL) against the bearing surface (100), and through which an overpressure can be applied in order to release the contact lens (CL) from the bearing surface (100). Channels (103) are provided in the bearing surface (100) and connect a plurality of openings (101, 102) to one another.

Abstract: A vacuum pick-up device includes a vacuum supply valve mounted to a distribution manifold to which a plurality of suction cups is attached. The vacuum supply valve is operational to control the vacuum pressure supplied to the suction cups of the device. The vacuum pick-up device further includes a detection device that controls the vacuum supply valve by detecting the selective presence of an object.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention overcome the disadvantages of the metal bond head systems while also providing a method for performing precision die bond of multiple die at once. A mounting system is adapted for simultaneous high accuracy placement of multiple semiconductor components or dies on substrates. Simultaneous high accuracy multiple die placement is achieved by providing a mounting head assembly, including a see-through (ST) bond head with selectively and independently controlled gripping mechanisms, with moving and/or adjusting mechanisms adapted for accurate alignment of semiconductor components relative to a substrate in all directions.

Abstract: A flexible vacuum seal pad structure capable of, for example, sealingly securing a bowed substrate to a finger apparatus or “endeffector” used to robotically engage and/or move the substrate from one processing station to another, or capable of securing a wafer to a base member or susceptor during processing of the wafer, i.e., functioning as a chuck. The flexible vacuum seal pad structure of the invention comprises a hollow central post or shank which serves as a mounting or retention mechanism, a flexible arch-like member connected at one end to the central post, and a peripheral ring structure connected to the opposite end of the arch member. The peripheral ring structure contacts and forms a seal with the underside of the wafer, while the arch member provides the flexibility to permit the ring structure to make or form a sealing contact to a bowed wafer, and the central post provides a mechanism through which the flexible vacuum seal pad structure may be secured to the base or finger.

Abstract: There is provided a plurality of component mounting apparatuses for sucking a plurality of components by a mounting head section and successively mounting the components onto a board located at a board positioning section. The component mounting apparatuses are arranged in parallel to one another, and a board transfer path is provided so that it penetrates the component mounting apparatuses. Even when the number of components to be mounted onto the board increases, the components are mounted on the component supply tables of the component mounting apparatuses as distributed thereto, and therefore, the whole apparatus is not dimensionally increased. The component supply tables are fixedly installed so as to become free of vibration, and the mounting head section executes the suction and the mounting of the plurality of components. Therefore, the component mounting operation speed can be remarkably increased.

Abstract: A wafer transfer apparatus includes a robot arm and a robot arm cleaning device that injects purge gas into a vacuum nozzle of the robot arm under a normal stand-by state wherein the robot arm does not suction a wafer, to clean the vacuum nozzle. The robot arm cleaning device comprises a solenoid valve adapted to supply and intercept air, a first air valve adapted to selectively maintain and release a vacuum state in response to the air supplied from the solenoid valve, and a second air valve adapted to selectively supply and intercept a purge gas in response to the air supplied from the solenoid valve. The robot arm holds a wafer by a vacuum state of the vacuum nozzle when the first air valve is opened, and the vacuum nozzle is cleaned by the purge gas supplied when the second air valve is opened.

Abstract: A component mounting method for picking up an electronic component, positioning the electronic component on a circuit substrate and mounting the electronic component to the circuit substrate adapted to perform an idling operation during a pause of component mounting operation, thereby eliminating any degradation of the component mounting accuracy due to temperature changes.

Abstract: This invention relates to an electronic component mounting apparatus. In the apparatus, a rotary body for changing the direction of a component mounting section is fixed to a hollow rotary shaft with a flange. The hollow rotary shaft is provided in a hollow motor and rotated integrally with the rotary body by driving of the hollow motor. A wire extending from an electric component, which is provided in the rotary body for changing the direction of the component mounting section, is arranged in the hollow rotary shaft of the hollow motor. An end of the wire is fixed to the rotary body, and the wire is arranged with looseness or into a spiral in the hollow rotary shaft. Further a lateral surface of inside the hollow rotary shaft and a surface of a coupling shaft are coated with protective materials.

Abstract: An automatic sensing wafer blade for picking up wafers that is equipped with a sensor capable of self-diagnosing potential failure conditions of the blade and a method for using the wafer blade are described. The automatic sensing wafer blade is equipped with a V-shaped seal ring on a top surface, and a sensor of either a limit switch or a capacitance sensor for sensing the presence or absence of a wafer on top of the wafer blade. The automatic sensing wafer blade is further capable of self-diagnosing any potential failure conditions of the function of the wafer blade due to contaminating particles, or contaminating liquid on the wafer surface, or due to an aged or malfunctioning seal ring on top of the wafer blade.