SUBSTRATE PROCESSING SYSTEM CAPABLE OF MONITORING OPERATION OF SUBSTRATE PROCESSING APPARATUS

Abstract

Operating information about an operating part for performing an operation for processing in a substrate processing apparatus is detected by a detector, and is transmitted as an operating information signal from a unit controller to a data controller. An obtaining part in the data controller accumulates such operating information signals to obtain operating state transition information indicating a change with time in operating state of the operating part, and judges whether or not the operating state transition information is abnormal. When the operating state transition information is abnormal, a warning signal indicating that the operating state of the operating part is abnormal is transmitted from the data controller to a main controller. When the main controller receives the warning signal, a warning issuing part in the main controller issues a warning indicating that there is a possibility of the occurrence of a failure in the operating part.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a substrate processing apparatus according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a front view of a liquid processing part;

FIG. 3 is a front view of a thermal processing part;

FIG. 4 is a view showing a construction around substrate rest parts;

FIG. 5A is a plan view of a transport robot;

FIG. 5B is a front view of the transport robot;

FIG. 6 is a block diagram schematically showing a control mechanism;

FIG. 7 shows the details of the management of information about an operating anomaly in an operating part; and

FIG. 8 shows an example of an alarm file.

Claims

1. A system for processing a substrate, comprising: a substrate processing apparatus for performing a predetermined process on a substrate; anda monitoring controller for monitoring the operation of said substrate processing apparatus, said substrate processing apparatus and said monitoring controller being connected to each other,said substrate processing apparatus includingan operating part for performing an operation for said predetermined process,a detector for detecting operating information about said operating part, anda main controller for managing the operation of said operating part,said monitoring controller includingan obtaining part for obtaining operating state transition information indicating a change with time in operating state of said operating part, based on the operating information about said operating part transmitted from said detector, anda teaching part for transmitting a warning signal indicating that the operating state of said operating part is abnormal to said main controller when said operating state transition information is abnormal.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein said main controller includes a warning issuing part for issuing a warning indicating that there is a possibility of the occurrence of a failure in said operating part when receiving said warning signal from said teaching part.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein said warning signal includes an alarm code corresponding to the type of said operating state transition information, andsaid main controller includesa storage part for storing therein an alarm file providing a one-to-one correspondence between a plurality of alarm codes and a plurality of pieces of treatment information, anda search part for searching said alarm file to obtain a piece of treatment information corresponding to said alarm code transmitted from said teaching part.

4. A substrate processing apparatus for performing a predetermined process on a substrate, comprising: an operating part for performing an operation for said predetermined process;a detector for detecting operating information about said operating part;a main controller for managing the operation of said operating part; anda monitoring controller for monitoring the operation of said substrate processing apparatus, said monitoring controller includingan obtaining part for obtaining operating state transition information indicating a change with time in operating state of said operating part, based on the operating information about said operating part transmitted from said detector, anda teaching part for transmitting a warning signal indicating that the operating state of said operating part is abnormal to said main controller when said operating state transition information is abnormal.

5. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said main controller includes a warning issuing part for issuing a warning indicating that there is a possibility of the occurrence of a failure in said operating part when receiving said warning signal from said teaching part.

6. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said warning signal includes an alarm code corresponding to the type of said operating state transition information, andsaid main controller includesa storage part for storing therein an alarm file providing a one-to-one correspondence between a plurality of alarm codes and a plurality of pieces of treatment information, anda search part for searching said alarm file to obtain a piece of treatment information corresponding to said alarm code transmitted from said teaching part.

7. A program executed by a computer provided in a substrate processing apparatus to thereby cause said substrate processing apparatus to operate as the substrate processing apparatus defined in claim 4.

8. A computer-readable recording medium having stored thereon the program defined in claim 7.