Method and apparatus for dispatching workpieces to tools based on processing and performance history

• Main Authors: SELTMANN ROLF, WEIGANG JOERG, SCHULZE UWE, RAEBIGER JAN, BUSCH JENS, BARLOVIC ROBERT
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 10.04.2012
• Subjects: CALCULATING; COMPUTING; COUNTING; CUTTING; DETAILS COMMON TO MACHINES FOR PERFORATING, PUNCHING,CUTTING-OUT, STAMPING-OUT OR SEVERING; ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING; HAND CUTTING TOOLS; MAKING ARTICLES OF PAPER, CARDBOARD OR MATERIAL WORKED IN A MANNERANALOGOUS TO PAPER; MAKING CONTAINERS OF PAPER, CARDBOARD OR MATERIAL WORKED IN AMANNER ANALOGOUS TO PAPER; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; PHYSICS; SEVERING; TRANSPORTING; WORKING PAPER, CARDBOARD OR MATERIAL WORKED IN A MANNER ANALOGOUSTO PAPER

Metrology data associated with a plurality of workpieces processed at a selected operation in the process flow including a plurality of operations is retrieved. A processing context associated with each of the workpieces is determined. The processing context identifies at least one previous tool used to perform an operation on the associated workpiece prior to the selected operation. A plurality of performance metrics is determined for a plurality of tools capable of performing the selected operation based on the metrology data. Each performance metric is associated with a particular tool and a particular processing context. A set of the performance metrics is identified for the plurality of tools having a processing context matching a processing context of a selected workpiece awaiting performance of the selected operation. The selected workpiece is dispatched for processing in a selected one of the plurality of tools based on the set of performance metrics.