TWI877169B - Information processing system, information processing method and information processing program - Google Patents

Abstract

An objective of the present invention is to reduce the frequency of failure or abnormality of a vacuum pump in operation and to suppress the cost of replacement parts. An information processing system of the present invention includes: a memory which associates and stores part identification information of parts of frequency band and identification of the vacuum pump that should be replaced because vibrations or sounds of the frequency band is abnormal; a comparison portion which compares vibration or sound intensity of the vacuum pump during operation with reference data or reference range according to each frequency band; and an output portion which refers to the aforementioned memory to output information corresponding to the frequency band when the difference between the intensity of a certain frequency band and the reference data exceeds a reference value or the intensity of a certain frequency band deviates from a reference range according to the comparison result.

Description

Information processing system, information processing method and information processing program

The present invention relates to an information processing system, an information processing method and a program.

If the vacuum pump stops at any point in time during the continuous operation of the vacuum pump due to an abnormality caused by the product, there is a possibility of causing damage to the products in the manufacturing process of the semiconductor manufacturing device. Therefore, there is a need to prevent the vacuum pump from stopping during the manufacturing process of the semiconductor manufacturing device.

The vacuum pump is a vacuum pump body, a pump driving motor, and a motor driving control device contained in a casing (device outer box), and is assembled into an integrated structure as a whole. During the regular maintenance period of the vacuum pump, the replacement of predetermined parts (hereinafter referred to as standard replacement parts, such as rubber gaskets used to prevent gas leakage, etc.) must be carried out, but other parts are replaced only when they are damaged or judged to be unusable. For the replacement of such parts, a technology has been proposed in which the maintenance personnel judge whether the target parts such as bearings have reached the replacement period by appearance (Patent Document 1).

(Prior technical literature) (Patent Literature)

Patent document 1: Japanese Patent Publication No. 2009-197602

Due to the fact that parts other than the scheduled standard replacement parts are not replaced with new parts during the maintenance of the vacuum pump, the vacuum pump may malfunction or malfunction during operation. On the other hand, excessive replacement of parts other than the standard replacement parts during the maintenance of the vacuum pump may increase the cost of replacement parts. However, judging whether the components of the vacuum pump, such as the impeller, housing, and timing gear, have reached the replacement period based on appearance alone cannot completely prevent malfunctions during operation.

This invention was developed in view of the above-mentioned problems, and its purpose is to provide an information processing system, information processing method and program that can reduce the frequency of failure or abnormality of a vacuum pump in operation and suppress the cost of replacing parts.

The information processing system of the first aspect of the present invention comprises: a memory that associates the frequency band with information of the judgment material of whether the parts should be replaced and stores it; a comparison unit that compares the intensity of the vibration or sound of the vacuum pump during operation with the reference data or the reference range according to each frequency band; and an output unit that outputs the information corresponding to the frequency band by referring to the aforementioned memory according to the comparison result when the difference between the intensity of a certain frequency band and the reference data exceeds the reference value or when the intensity of a certain frequency band deviates from the reference range.

According to this structure, when the vibration or sound of the frequency band of the monitored object, i.e. the vacuum pump, is abnormal, information can be obtained as a material for judging whether the parts should be replaced. Therefore, the frequency of failure or abnormality of the vacuum pump in operation can be reduced and the cost of replacing parts can be suppressed.

The information processing system of the second aspect of the present invention is the information processing system of the first aspect, and the information stored in the aforementioned storage as the judgment material for judging whether the aforementioned part should be replaced includes: part identification information for identifying the part to be replaced, the predicted failure period, the operation period of the vacuum pump when the part continues to be used and/or the probability of failure, or the operation period of the vacuum pump when the part is replaced and/or the probability of failure; the aforementioned output unit outputs the aforementioned information including: part identification information, predicted failure period, the operation period of the vacuum pump when the part continues to be used and/or the probability of failure, or the operation period of the vacuum pump when the part is replaced and/or the probability of failure.

According to this structure, since parts with a high possibility of failure or abnormality can be specifically designated as parts that must be replaced, parts with a high possibility of failure or abnormality can be replaced. On the other hand, parts with a low possibility of failure or abnormality do not need to be replaced. Therefore, the frequency of failure or abnormality of the vacuum pump in operation can be reduced and the cost of replacing parts can be suppressed.

The information processing system of the third aspect of the present invention is the information processing system of the first or second aspect, and comprises: a determination unit, which determines the gas load condition of the vacuum pump and/or the operation program of the semiconductor manufacturing device connected to the vacuum pump according to at least one of the command value of the parameter of the vacuum pump or the observed value of the parameter, and the aforementioned comparison unit performs the comparison of each of the aforementioned frequency bands according to the determined aforementioned gas load condition or each operation program; and the aforementioned storage device further comprises: The aforementioned gas load condition or the aforementioned operation program is associated with the aforementioned frequency band and the combination of the component identification information for identifying the aforementioned component to be replaced and stored; the aforementioned output unit is based on the comparison result of the aforementioned comparison unit. When the difference between the intensity of a certain frequency band and the reference data exceeds the reference value or the intensity of a certain frequency band deviates from the reference range, the aforementioned storage unit is referred to to output the component identification information corresponding to the combination of the frequency band and the aforementioned gas load condition or operation program determined.

According to this structure, by outputting part identification information corresponding to the combination of frequency band and program, faulty or abnormal parts can be specifically designated as parts that must be replaced with higher accuracy. On the other hand, it can be confirmed with higher accuracy that faulty or abnormal parts will not be replaced. Therefore, the frequency of failure or abnormality of the vacuum pump in operation can be further reduced and the cost of replacing parts can be further suppressed.

The information processing system of the fourth aspect of the present invention is an information processing system of any of the first to third aspects, wherein the aforementioned storage device stores the long-term data of vacuum pump vibration data and vacuum pump drive current data for each model of vacuum pumps that have previously failed in association with the time elapsed from the start of use to the occurrence of the failure; and the information processing system is further provided with a prediction unit, which compares the vacuum pump vibration data and vacuum pump drive current data of the target vacuum pump during operation with the vacuum pump vibration data and vacuum pump drive current data of the same model in the past with reference to the aforementioned storage device, thereby predicting the failure period of the aforementioned target vacuum pump.

According to this structure, the user of the target vacuum pump can grasp the failure prediction period of the target vacuum pump, thereby improving the preventive measures such as avoiding the need to send the vacuum pump for repair or replace it with a new vacuum pump before it stops in the semiconductor manufacturing process, thereby reducing the probability of the vacuum pump stopping in the semiconductor manufacturing process.

The information processing system of the fifth aspect of the present invention is an information processing system of any one of the first to fourth aspects, wherein the comparison unit performs Fourier transformation on the timing data of the vibration and/or sound, and compares the amplitude after the Fourier transformation according to each frequency band.

Based on this structure, the intensity of vibration and/or sound can be compared.

The information processing system of the sixth aspect of the present invention is an information processing system of any aspect of the first to fifth aspects, wherein the output unit outputs the relationship between the pump operation period and the probability of failure when the parts continue to be used, and/or the relationship between the pump operation period and the probability of failure when the parts are replaced.

Based on this structure, users can predict the cost-effectiveness of a part when replacing it.

The information processing system of the seventh aspect of the present invention is an information processing system of any aspect of the first to sixth aspects, wherein the aforementioned reference data is the intensity of vibration or sound of any other vacuum pump of the same model during pre-shipment inspection of the vacuum pump, during initial operation of the vacuum pump, or statistical data of the intensity of the vibration or sound.

The information processing method of the eighth aspect of the present invention has the following steps: comparing the intensity of the vibration or sound of the vacuum pump during operation with the reference data or reference range according to each frequency band; and according to the comparison result, when the difference between the intensity of a certain frequency band and the reference data exceeds the reference value or when the intensity of a certain frequency band deviates from the reference range, refer to the memory to output the information corresponding to the frequency band; in the aforementioned memory, the frequency band and the information related to the replacement of the parts of the vacuum pump are associated and stored.

According to this structure, since parts with a high possibility of failure or abnormality can be specifically designated as parts that must be replaced, parts with a high possibility of failure or abnormality can be replaced. On the other hand, parts with a low possibility of failure or abnormality do not need to be replaced. Therefore, the frequency of failure or abnormality of the vacuum pump in operation can be reduced and the cost of replacing parts can be suppressed.

The program of the 9th aspect of the present invention is used to make the computer execute the functions of the comparison part and the output part. The computer is a memory that can associate and store information related to the replacement of parts of the vacuum pump with the frequency band; the comparison part compares the intensity of the vibration or sound of the vacuum pump during operation with the benchmark data or the benchmark range according to each frequency band; the output part outputs the information corresponding to the frequency band according to the comparison result by referring to the aforementioned memory when the difference between the intensity of a certain frequency band and the benchmark data exceeds the benchmark value or the intensity of a certain frequency band deviates from the benchmark range.

According to this structure, since parts with a high possibility of failure or abnormality can be specifically designated as parts that must be replaced, parts with a high possibility of failure or abnormality can be replaced. On the other hand, parts with a low possibility of failure or abnormality do not need to be replaced. Therefore, the frequency of failure or abnormality of the vacuum pump in operation can be reduced and the cost of replacing parts can be suppressed.

According to one aspect of the present invention, since parts with a high probability of failure or abnormality can be specifically designated as parts that must be replaced, parts with a high probability of failure or abnormality can be replaced. On the other hand, parts with a low probability of failure or abnormality may not be replaced. Therefore, the frequency of failure or abnormality of the vacuum pump in operation can be reduced and the cost of replacing parts can be suppressed.

1:Semiconductor manufacturing equipment

10:Semiconductor manufacturing system

10-1, ..., 10-N: Semiconductor manufacturing system

11: Reaction chamber film forming furnace

12: Control Department

14: Memory

2: Piping

20,20b: Information processing device

21: Input interface

22: Output interface

23,23b: Storage

24: Memory

25: Communication loop

251: Comparison Department

252: Output department

253:Discrimination Department

254: Forecasting Department

26,26b:Processor

3: Vacuum pump

30: Tester terminal

31: Impeller

33: Motor

38: Power supply

39: Inverter

4: Control device

40: User terminal

50: Terminal maintenance

6: Display device

61: Pressure gauge

62: Thermometer

63: Vibration sensor

64: Processor

65: Memory

NW: Network

T1,T2,T3:Table

S, S2: Information processing system

S10~S40,S110~S150,S210~S250: Steps

Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the information processing system of the first implementation form.

Figure 2 is a schematic diagram showing an example of data flow during the manufacturing process, operation, and maintenance process.

FIG3 is a schematic diagram of the semiconductor manufacturing system 10 of the first embodiment.

Figure 4 is a schematic functional configuration diagram of the vacuum pump 3 of the first embodiment.

FIG5 is a block diagram showing the schematic structure of the information processing device 20 of the first embodiment.

FIG6 is a block diagram showing the schematic structure of the information processing device 20 of the first embodiment.

Figure 7 is a diagram showing the difference in vibration intensity of each frequency band between the initial stage and the maintenance stage for the same vacuum pump.

FIG8 is an example of a table stored in the memory 23 of the information processing device 20.

FIG9 is an example of a table stored in the memory 23 of the information processing device 20.

Figure 10 is a flowchart showing an example of the processing flow for pre-shipment performance testing.

FIG. 11 is a flow chart showing an example of the process of predicting the pump failure period during the operation of the vacuum pump.

Figure 12 is a flowchart showing an example of the specific designated processing flow of replacement parts during maintenance.

FIG13 is a diagram showing the schematic structure of the information processing system of the second embodiment.

FIG14 is a block diagram showing the schematic structure of the information processing device 20b of the second embodiment.

FIG15 shows an example of table T3 stored in the memory 23b of the information processing device 20b of the second embodiment.

Below, each implementation form is described with reference to the drawings. However, there may be situations where overly detailed descriptions are omitted. For example, there may be situations where detailed descriptions of known matters and repeated descriptions of substantially the same structures are omitted, so as to avoid the following description being too lengthy and to make it easier for relevant industry players to understand.

As mentioned above, when the vacuum pump is repaired, parts other than the scheduled standard replacement parts are not replaced with new parts, which may cause the vacuum pump to malfunction or abnormality during operation. This problem is caused by the fact that the standard for replacing new parts without reusing parts during vacuum pump repair is based only on appearance and dimension inspection and performance test before shipment, without any other quantitative judgment standard. In addition, it is caused by the lack of comprehensive standard or means for quantitatively judging the life of parts based on the status data of the vacuum pump before new shipment and the status data of the vacuum pump in operation of the end user.

In the first embodiment, the condition of the parts (e.g., damage condition) is estimated based on the analysis results of the vibration data of the pump. The vibration value of the vacuum pump (hereinafter also referred to as the pump vibration value) changes according to the operating state of the vacuum pump. The operating state of the vacuum pump is estimated based on the motor current value. The state of high motor current value is a state where the load condition for maintaining the rotation of the impeller is large. In the first embodiment, the pump vibration value and the motor current value are measured and recorded as a group.

In addition to the amplitude, vibration velocity, and vibration acceleration during measurement, the vibration data also undergoes frequency segmentation data processing (FFT processing). When the vibration in a specific frequency band is abnormal, the faulty part can be specifically identified by reading the part corresponding to the specific frequency band from the memory. Specifically, the vibration data can be, for example, (1) amplitude data, velocity data, and acceleration data of one axis, (2) amplitude data, velocity data, and acceleration data of three axes, or (3) rotational angular velocity data of three axes.

FIG1 is a schematic diagram of the information processing system of the first embodiment. As shown in FIG1, the information processing system S of the first embodiment includes: semiconductor manufacturing systems 10-1, ..., 10-N; information processing devices 20 connected to the semiconductor manufacturing systems 10-1, ..., 10-N via a network NW; a tester terminal 30 connected to the network NW; a user terminal 40 connected to the network NW; and a maintenance terminal 50 connected to the network NW. The tester terminal 30 is a terminal used by a tester who performs a pre-shipment performance test in a factory that manufactures vacuum pumps, for example. The user terminal 40 is a terminal used by a user who utilizes the semiconductor manufacturing systems 10-1, ..., 10-N. The maintenance terminal 50 is a terminal used by maintenance personnel in a factory that repairs vacuum pumps, for example.

The semiconductor manufacturing systems 10-1, ..., 10-N are respectively equipped with a vacuum pump 3. Hereinafter, the semiconductor manufacturing systems 10-1, ..., 10-N are collectively referred to as the semiconductor manufacturing system 10.

FIG2 is a schematic diagram showing an example of data flow during the manufacturing process, operation, and maintenance process. As shown in FIG2, in the manufacturing process of the vacuum pump, the vibration of the vacuum pump is measured by the pre-shipment performance test of the vacuum pump. The control device 4 described later in the semiconductor manufacturing system 10 transmits the vibration data showing the vibration amount and the driving current data showing the driving current of the motor 33 described later in the vacuum pump to the information processing device 20. The information processing device 20 uses the vibration data and the driving current data to predict the failure occurrence period of the vacuum pump 3, and transmits the data showing the predicted failure occurrence period to the tester terminal 30.

During the operation of the vacuum pump, the vibration of the vacuum pump is measured. The control device 4 described later in the semiconductor manufacturing system 10 transmits vibration data showing the vibration amount and driving current data showing the driving current of the motor 33 described later in the vacuum pump to the information processing device 20. The information processing device 20 uses the vibration data and driving current data to predict the time when the pump will fail, and transmits the data showing the predicted time when the failure will fail to the user terminal 40.

The vacuum pump is transported to the factory for maintenance (such as major overhaul) and is returned after the maintenance is completed. In the factory, a maintenance test that is the same as the performance test before shipment is implemented during the maintenance procedure. That is, during the maintenance procedure of the vacuum pump, the vibration of the vacuum pump is measured by the maintenance test of the vacuum pump. The control device 4 described later in the semiconductor manufacturing system 10 transmits the vibration data showing the vibration amount and the driving current data showing the driving current of the motor 33 described later of the vacuum pump to the information processing device 20. The information processing device 20 uses the vibration data and the driving current data to predict the failure period of the vacuum pump and determine whether to replace the parts. Furthermore, the information processing device 20 transmits the parts replacement judgment data indicating whether to replace the parts and the data indicating the predicted period of occurrence of the fault to the maintenance terminal 50.

FIG3 is a schematic diagram of a semiconductor manufacturing system 10 of the first embodiment. As shown in FIG3, the semiconductor manufacturing system 10 of the first embodiment includes: a semiconductor manufacturing device 1; a vacuum pump 3; a pipe 2 connecting the semiconductor manufacturing device 1 and the vacuum pump 3; a control device 4 connected to the vacuum pump 3; and a display device 6 connected to the control device 4. The semiconductor manufacturing device 1 includes: a reaction chamber film forming furnace 11; and a control unit 12 for controlling the reaction chamber film forming furnace 11. The reaction chamber film forming furnace 11 and the vacuum pump 3 are connected via the pipe 2, and by the operation of the vacuum pump 3, the gas (gas) in the reaction chamber film forming furnace 11 is exhausted to form a substantial vacuum. The control device 4 controls the operation of the vacuum pump 3. The control device 4 enables information (such as data showing pump failure prediction and parts replacement judgment data) to be displayed on the display device 6.

FIG4 is a schematic functional configuration diagram of the vacuum pump 3 of the first embodiment. As shown in FIG4 , the vacuum pump 3 is provided with: a power supply 38; an inverter 39 having an input end connected to the power supply 38; a motor 33 having an input end connected to an output end of the inverter 39; and an impeller 31 connected to the rotating shaft of the motor 33. In addition, the vacuum pump 3 is provided with a pressure gauge 61, a thermometer 62, and a vibration sensor 63 for detecting the vibration of the vacuum pump 3. In addition, a sound detection sensor (e.g., a microphone) may be provided in place of the vibration sensor 63 or in addition. In addition, the vacuum pump 3 is provided with a processor 64 and a memory 65 for storing information based on the processor 64. The memory 65 receives and stores the input measurement data of the pressure gauge 61, the thermometer 62 and the vibration sensor 63, the driving current of the motor 33, and the pump operation performance data (such as the reached pressure and/or the time to reach the rated pressure).

As shown in FIG4 , a rotation frequency signal indicating the number of rotations of the motor 33 is supplied from the motor 33 to the inverter 39. Furthermore, the current effective value of the driving current and the rotation speed of the motor 33 obtained from the rotation frequency signal are supplied from the inverter 39 to the control device 4. Furthermore, a pressure signal indicating the pressure value in the vacuum pump 3 measured by the pressure gauge 61 is supplied to the control device 4. Furthermore, a temperature signal indicating the temperature measured by the thermometer 62 is supplied to the control device 4. Furthermore, vibration data indicating the vibration detected by the vibration sensor 63 is supplied to the control device 4. In addition, in this embodiment, the control device 4 is configured separately from the vacuum pump 3, but in other embodiments, the control device 4 can also be integrally assembled in the vacuum pump 3.

The inverter 39 performs frequency conversion on the AC current supplied from the power source 38, and supplies the driving current obtained by the frequency conversion to the motor 33. Thus, the shaft of the motor 33 rotates by the driving current, and the impeller 31 also rotates accordingly, thereby, the gas sucked from the pipe 2 is discharged to the outside of the vacuum pump 3 as the impeller 31 rotates.

In the vacuum pump 3 of the above structure, the pair of impellers 31 are rotated by driving the motor 33, and the gas sucked from the suction port (not shown) is transferred to the exhaust side along with the impeller 31 and exhausted from the exhaust port (not shown). In addition, by continuously transferring the gas from the suction side to the exhaust side, the gas in the film forming furnace 11 of the reaction chamber connected to the suction port is vacuum exhausted.

As an example of the impeller 31 of the vacuum pump 3 of the first embodiment, it can be a Ross impeller. In addition, the vacuum pump 3 can also be a vacuum pump with a spiral impeller. In addition, the vacuum pump 3 can also be a claw type or a vortex type vacuum pump. In addition, the vacuum pump 3 can also be a vacuum pump without a pair of impellers 31 (such as a turbomolecular pump). In addition, as an example of the vacuum pump 3 of the first embodiment, it can be a pump with multiple stages, but it is not limited to this, and it can also be a pump with one stage.

The control device 4 executes a stop procedure to control the rotation of the impeller when the operation of the vacuum pump 3 is to be stopped. Here, the stop procedure is a procedure for stopping the impeller 31 after the pump stop step is started and the impeller 31 is rotated in the forward and/or reverse direction.

FIG5 is a block diagram showing the schematic structure of the information processing device 20 of the first embodiment. As shown in FIG5, the information processing device 20 has: an input interface 21, an output interface 22, a storage 23, a memory 24, a communication loop 25, and a processor 26.

The input interface 21 receives input from the operator of the operating information processing device 20.

Output interface 22 is an interface for outputting data to the outside.

The memory 23 stores the program of the first implementation form and various data for the processor 26 to read and execute, such as a non-volatile memory (such as a hard disk).

The memory 24 temporarily stores data and programs, such as a volatile memory (such as Ram (Random Access Memory)). The communication loop 25 communicates with each control device 4 of the semiconductor manufacturing system 10-1, ..., 10-N via the communication network NW. This communication can be wired or wireless communication. For example, wired communication is used for explanation.

The processor 26 loads the program of the first embodiment from the storage 23 into the memory 14 and executes a series of instructions contained in the program, thereby performing the functions of the comparison unit 251, the output unit 252, the determination unit 253, and the prediction unit 254.

FIG6 is a graph showing an example of the time variation of the effective current value of the driving current. As shown in FIG6, the operation procedure of the semiconductor manufacturing device connected to the vacuum pump includes: a preparation procedure, a film forming procedure for performing film formation, and a post-procedure. Among them, the preparation procedure and the post-procedure include procedure 1, and the preparation procedure further includes procedure 2. The film forming procedure includes procedures 3 to 5. In the first embodiment, for example, the determination unit 253 determines the operation procedure of the semiconductor manufacturing device connected to the vacuum pump based on the driving current of the motor of the vacuum pump. In this way, the determination unit 253 determines the operation procedure of the semiconductor manufacturing device connected to the vacuum pump based on the driving current of the motor of the vacuum pump. The driving current of this motor can be a command value or an observation value of a sensor.

Here, the determination unit 253 determines the operation process of the semiconductor manufacturing device connected to the vacuum pump based on the driving current of the motor of the vacuum pump, but is not limited to this. The operation process of the semiconductor manufacturing device connected to the vacuum pump can also be determined based on at least one of the driving current of the motor of the vacuum pump, the power of the motor, the rotation speed of the impeller of the vacuum pump, the temperature of the vacuum pump, the pressure of the vacuum pump, the vibration of the vacuum pump, and the noise of the vacuum pump. Here, the driving current of the motor of the vacuum pump is not limited to the driving current value itself, but also includes the effective value of the current of the motor and the peak value of the current of the motor. As mentioned above, the parameters such as the driving current of the vacuum pump motor, the power of the motor, the speed of the impeller of the vacuum pump, the temperature of the vacuum pump, the pressure of the vacuum pump, the vibration of the vacuum pump, and the noise of the vacuum pump can be command values or observation values.

In this way, the determination unit 253 can also determine the operation procedure of the semiconductor manufacturing device connected to the vacuum pump based on at least one of the command value of the vacuum pump parameter or the observed value of the parameter.

FIG7 is a diagram for illustrating that the vibration intensity of each frequency band is different in the initial stage and during operation for the same vacuum pump in the same process. FIG7 schematically shows the curve diagram of the vibration intensity of each frequency band in the initial stage (for example, during the performance test before shipment or the initial stage of operation after the pump is shipped) and the curve diagram of the vibration intensity of each frequency band during maintenance. The vertical axis is the vibration intensity and the horizontal axis is the frequency. The inventor of this case found from previous data that when the variation of the vibration intensity of a certain frequency band exceeds the benchmark, it is due to an abnormality or failure of a specific part. Similarly, the inventor of this case found from previous data that when the variation of the sound intensity of a certain frequency band exceeds the benchmark, it is due to an abnormality or failure of a specific part.

In the example of Figure 7, it is shown that in a specific process, the difference between the vibration intensity in the frequency band of f3 to f4 during maintenance and the vibration intensity in the frequency band of f3 to f4 at the beginning exceeds the critical value. In addition, according to previous data, when the variation of the vibration intensity in the frequency band of f3 to f4 exceeds the standard, it is related to the abnormality or failure of part A.

Similarly, it is shown that in a specific process, the change in the vibration intensity in the frequency band from f5 to f6 during maintenance and the initial vibration intensity in the frequency band from f5 to f6 exceeds the critical value. In addition, according to past data, when the change in the vibration intensity in the frequency band from f5 to f6 exceeds the standard, it is related to the abnormality or failure of part B.

FIG8 is an example of a table stored in the memory 23 of the information processing device 20. As shown in FIG8, the table T1 stores a record of a combination of a vacuum pump program, a frequency band, and a part code, and the part code is part identification information for identifying a part that should be replaced when the vibration or sound of a predetermined frequency band is abnormal. Thus, the memory 23 of the information processing device 20 of the first embodiment stores the vacuum pump program, the frequency band, and the part code that identifies the vacuum pump part and is part identification information for identifying the part that should be replaced when the vibration or sound of the predetermined frequency band is abnormal. For example, as shown in FIG8 , the frequency band from f3 to f4 is associated with part code A, and the frequency band from f5 to f6 is associated with part code B.

FIG9 is an example of a table stored in the memory 23 of the information processing device 20. As shown in FIG9, in the table T2, there is stored a record of a combination of a model code, a file path of the long-term data of the vacuum pump vibration data, a file path of the long-term data of the drive current data, and the time elapsed from the start of use to the occurrence of the failure, for example, for the vacuum pumps that have failed in the past. In this way, in the memory 23, for example, for each model of the vacuum pumps that have failed in the past, the long-term data of the vacuum pump vibration data and the long-term data of the drive current data, and the time elapsed from the start of use to the occurrence of the failure are associated and stored. For example, as shown in Figure 9, even for the same model with model code 00011, the long-term data of vacuum pump vibration data, long-term data of drive current data, and the time from the start of use to the occurrence of failure can be stored separately.

Figure 10 is a flowchart showing an example of the processing flow during pre-shipment performance testing.

(Step S10) First, under specific test conditions, the vibration sensor 63 detects pump vibration, and the tester obtains vacuum pump vibration data and obtains driving current data showing the driving current value of the motor 33 of the vacuum pump 3 at that time from the inverter 39.

(Step S20) Then, the tester measures the pump operation performance data (for example, the time to reach the pressure and the rated pressure).

(Step S30)) Then, the tester operates to store the measured data (such as pump operation performance data, vacuum pump vibration data, and drive current data) during the pre-shipment performance test in the memory (also called built-in memory) 65 of the vacuum pump. In this way, the processor 64 stores the measured data in the memory 65 of the vacuum pump 3.

Furthermore, the tester operates the information processing device 20, for example, to store the measured data during the pre-shipment performance test in the memory 23 of the information processing device 20. Thus, the processor 26 of the information processing device 20 stores the measured data during the pre-shipment performance test in the memory 23.

(Step S40)) Next, the prediction unit 254 of the information processing device 20 refers to the memory 23 to compare the vacuum pump vibration data and the driving current data of the target vacuum pump 3 during the pre-shipment performance test with the vacuum pump vibration data and the vacuum pump driving current data of the same model in the past, thereby predicting the failure occurrence period of the vacuum pump 3. Specifically, for example, the prediction unit 254 extracts the vacuum pump vibration data and the vacuum pump driving current data of the same model during the pre-shipment performance test in the past, which is most similar to the vacuum pump vibration data and the vacuum pump driving current data of the target vacuum pump 3 during the pre-shipment performance test. Furthermore, the prediction unit 254 associates the extracted data with the time elapsed from the start of use to the occurrence of a fault, and outputs the fault prediction period of the target vacuum pump 3. The prediction unit 254 is controlled to transmit the fault prediction period of the target vacuum pump 3 from the communication loop 25 to the tester terminal 30. The tester terminal 30 can display the fault prediction period of the target vacuum pump 3 upon receiving the fault prediction period of the target vacuum pump 3. In this way, the tester can grasp the fault prediction period of the target vacuum pump 3.

FIG. 11 is a flow chart showing an example of the process of predicting the pump failure period during the operation of the vacuum pump.

(Step S110) First, the processor 64 of the vacuum pump 3 stores the vacuum pump vibration data, the vacuum pump driving current data at that time, and the accumulated data of the parts usage time into the memory 65.

(Step S120) Then, the processor 64 of the vacuum pump 3 outputs the combination of the vacuum pump vibration data and the vacuum pump drive current data to the control device 4. Furthermore, the control device 4 transmits the combination of the vacuum pump vibration data and the vacuum pump drive current data to the information processing device 20.

(Step S130) Next, the prediction unit 254 of the information processing device 20 predicts the pump failure period. For example, the prediction unit 254 refers to the memory 23 to compare the vacuum pump vibration data and the driving current data of the target vacuum pump 3 during operation with the vacuum pump vibration data and the vacuum pump driving current data of the same model in the past, thereby predicting the failure period of the vacuum pump 3. Specifically, for example, the prediction unit 254 extracts the vacuum pump vibration data and the vacuum pump driving current data of the same model during the pre-shipment performance test, which are the data that are most similar to the vacuum pump vibration data and the vacuum pump driving current data of the target vacuum pump 3 during operation.

Furthermore, the prediction unit 254 outputs the predicted failure period of the vacuum pump 3 as the target by, for example, extracting the time from the start of use to the occurrence of the failure, which is associated with the data.

(Step S140) Then, the prediction unit 254 of the information processing device 20 is controlled to transmit the failure prediction period of the vacuum pump 3 of the object from the communication loop 25 to the user terminal 40.

(Step S150) When receiving the predicted failure period of the vacuum pump 3 of the object, the user terminal 40 displays the predicted failure period of the vacuum pump 3 of the object. In this way, the user terminal can grasp the predicted failure period of the vacuum pump 3 of the object.

FIG. 12 is a flowchart showing an example of a specific designated process for replacing parts during maintenance. Here, the vacuum pump is described on the premise that it is sent back to the factory for maintenance (e.g., overhaul).

(Step S210) The comparison unit 251 compares the vibration intensity of the target vacuum pump during operation stored in the memory 65 of the vacuum pump 3 with the vibration intensity of the vacuum pump during pre-shipment inspection, according to each process and frequency band.

In addition, the benchmark data for comparison is not limited to the vibration intensity of the vacuum pump during pre-shipment inspection, but can also be the vibration intensity of the vacuum pump during initial operation, the vibration intensity of other vacuum pumps of the same model, or statistical data of the vibration intensity of other vacuum pumps of the same model.

(Step S220) The output unit 252 outputs the part identification information corresponding to the frequency band as an example of the part replacement related information when the difference between the intensity of a certain frequency band and the reference data (in this case, the vibration intensity of the vacuum pump during pre-shipment inspection) exceeds the reference value according to the comparison result of step S210. In this way, the part to be replaced is specifically specified. In addition, the comparison unit 251 can also compare the vibration or sound intensity of the target vacuum pump with the preset reference range. According to the comparison result, when the vibration or sound intensity of the target vacuum pump deviates from the reference range, the output unit 252 outputs the part identification information corresponding to the frequency band.

(Step S230) Then, the output unit 252 is controlled to transmit information for recommending replacement of the specific specified part from the communication loop 25 to the maintenance terminal 50.

(Step S240) Then, the output unit 252 stores the vacuum pump vibration data and the vacuum pump driving current data at that time when the difference between the intensity of a certain frequency band and the reference data exceeds the reference value in the memory 23.

(Step S250) When the maintenance terminal 50 receives the information transmitted from the information processing device 20, it displays information for recommending replacement of the specific specified part.

Thus, a repairman who sees this information can replace the specifically specified part, thereby replacing the part that is the cause of the failure or abnormality.

In addition, in the example of Figure 2, the vibration data may also be sound data showing the sound generated by the vacuum pump.

As described above, the information processing system S of the first embodiment has a memory 23, which associates the frequency band with the parts of the vacuum pump and stores the parts identification information for identifying the parts to be replaced when the vibration or sound of the predetermined frequency band is abnormal. In addition, the information processing system S has a comparison unit 251, which compares the intensity of the vibration or sound of the vacuum pump during operation with the intensity of the vibration or sound of any other vacuum pump of the same model during the pre-shipment inspection of the vacuum pump, during the initial operation of the vacuum pump, or statistical data of the intensity of the vibration or sound, for each frequency band. Furthermore, the information processing system S is provided with an output unit 252, which refers to the memory 23 and outputs the component identification information corresponding to a certain frequency band according to the comparison result when the difference between the intensity of a certain frequency band and the reference data exceeds the reference value or when the intensity of a certain frequency band deviates from the reference range.

With this structure, since parts with a high probability of failure or abnormality can be specifically designated as parts that must be replaced, parts with a high probability of failure or abnormality can be replaced. On the other hand, parts with a low probability of failure or abnormality can be replaced. Therefore, the frequency of failure or abnormality of a vacuum pump in operation due to the failure to replace parts other than standard replacement parts with new parts during maintenance of the vacuum pump can be reduced, and the cost of replacing parts can be further suppressed.

In addition, the object of determination by the determination unit 253 based on at least one of the command value of the parameter of the vacuum pump or the observed value of the parameter can also be the gas load condition of the vacuum pump instead of the operating procedure.

Here, the operating state of the vacuum pump is represented by parameter command values or observation values, such as (1) "motor drive current, motor power, impeller speed, pump temperature, pressure inside the pump, pump vibration value, pump noise value" and other state quantities that change in response to gas load; (2) motor current effective value, motor current peak value, pump noise; (3) operating state of transition from pump stop to temperature equilibrium or temperature equilibrium state, etc. The operating conditions of the vacuum pump are, for example, (1) pressure conditions on the exhaust side (also called back pressure conditions); (2) piping diameter, piping length, and piping configuration from the semiconductor manufacturing device to the pump suction port; (3) at least one of the operating time from the start of pump operation. The gas load conditions of the vacuum pump include at least one of (1) gas flow rate (e.g. maximum gas flow rate, minimum gas flow rate); (2) time variation of gas flow rate; (3) accumulated gas volume.

The operating state of the pump represented by the parameter command value or observation value may partially or completely change due to external conditions. External conditions are the transition period after the pump is started, the difference in the stabilization period after the temperature reaches equilibrium, the gas load (gas flow), the individual difference of the pump (parts, assembly), and/or changes in operation (product adhesion, part reduction due to corrosion, part wear, back pressure, etc.). When the memory 23 stores the values of each observation value of all combinations of external conditions, the judgment unit 253 can also judge the combination of external conditions corresponding to the most similar combination of observation values by comparing the combination of the current observation value values with the combination of the values stored in the memory 23.

As for other more practical methods, those limited to specific external conditions are effective. Here, for example, the determination unit 253 ignores individual differences of the pumps and changes in pump operation (stable operation), and assumes that the operating state of the pump changes due to changes in the gas load. If the gas load is the same, the operating state of the pump is assumed to be the same.

For example, the determination unit 253 can also determine whether the vacuum pump is in a transition period or has reached temperature equilibrium based on the time elapsed since the pump was started and/or the pump temperature change rate.

<State after temperature reaches equilibrium>

Here, when the temperature reaches equilibrium, if the motor current of the vacuum pump is the same, it is assumed that the gas load condition (gas flow rate) is the same. Under this assumption, for example, the determination unit 253 can also compare the motor current observation value of the gas load condition during each shipment test with the motor current observation value of the vacuum pump in operation when the temperature reaches equilibrium, so as to determine the gas load condition of the operating pump.

For example, if the determination unit 253 has a data file of pump operation observation values including motor current observation values of a running pump after the temperature reaches equilibrium, it can determine whether the operation states are the same or different by comparing the data file with the observation values of the running pump.

At this time, the comparison unit 251 can also perform the comparison of each gas load condition frequency band according to each gas load condition identified, instead of comparing according to each operation program. Furthermore, at this time, the memory 23 can also associate the combination of the aforementioned frequency band and the part identification information for identifying the aforementioned part to be replaced with the gas load condition instead of the aforementioned operation program and store it. Furthermore, at this time, the output unit 252 can also refer to the memory 23 according to the comparison result of the comparison unit 251, and specifically designate the parts corresponding to the combination of the frequency band and the determined gas load condition as the parts that must be replaced when the difference between the intensity of a certain frequency band and the reference data exceeds the reference value or when the intensity of a certain frequency band deviates from the reference range.

Thus, in the first embodiment, the information processing system S has a discriminating unit 253, which discriminates at least one of the gas load condition of the vacuum pump or the operating procedure of the semiconductor manufacturing device connected to the vacuum pump according to at least one of the command value of the parameter of the vacuum pump or the observed value of the parameter. The comparing unit 251 performs the comparison of each of the aforementioned frequency bands according to the aforementioned discriminated gas load condition or operating procedure. In the memory 23, the aforementioned frequency band and the combination of the part identification information for identifying the aforementioned part to be replaced are further associated with the gas load condition or the aforementioned operating procedure and stored. The output unit 252 refers to the memory 23 and outputs the component identification information corresponding to the combination of the frequency band and the aforementioned determined gas load condition or operation procedure according to the comparison result of the comparison unit 251, when the difference between the intensity of a certain frequency band and the reference data exceeds the reference value, or when the intensity of a certain frequency band deviates from the reference range. Here, the gas load condition is, for example, the gas flow rate.

In addition, the output unit 252 can also output (1) the relationship between the pump operation period and the probability of failure when the part continues to be used (such as information such as tables, curves, numerical data, etc.), and/or (2) the relationship between the pump operation period and the probability of failure when the part is replaced (such as information such as tables, curves, numerical data, etc.). In this way, the user can predict the cost-effectiveness of the part when replacing the part.

With this configuration, by outputting part identification information corresponding to the combination of frequency band and program, faulty or abnormal parts can be specifically specified as parts that must be replaced with higher accuracy. On the other hand, it can be confirmed with higher accuracy that non-faulty or abnormal parts are not replaced. Therefore, the frequency of failure or abnormality of the operating vacuum pump due to the failure to replace parts other than standard replacement parts with new parts during the maintenance of the vacuum pump can be further reduced, and the cost of replacing parts can be further suppressed.

In addition, in this embodiment, for example, the judgment criterion is to compare the difference in intensity of a certain frequency band with a reference value (numerical value) as a reference value (numerical value) belonging to a critical value, but it is not limited to this. For example, the comparison unit 251 can also extract feature points from the image data (or numerical data) of the frequency-analyzed waveform, and compare the value of the feature point of the frequency analysis waveform of the reference with the value of the feature point of the frequency analysis waveform of the target pump. Here, the frequency analysis waveform refers to, for example, a waveform of a curve graph with frequency on the horizontal axis and intensity on the vertical axis after Fourier transformation. Furthermore, the feature point can also be a value of a frequency that is an integer multiple of the inherent frequency of the part to be replaced.

At this time, the output unit 252 can also refer to the memory 23 and output the information corresponding to the escaped frequency band according to the comparison result, when the value of the characteristic point of the frequency analysis waveform of the target pump deviates from the range or value set based on the value of the characteristic point of the reference frequency analysis waveform, or when the difference between the value of the characteristic point of the frequency analysis waveform of the target pump and the value of the characteristic point of the reference frequency analysis waveform exceeds the reference value.

The reference value used for this judgment (hereinafter referred to as the judgment reference) can also be more refined by using new data. For example, when the reference value is an average value, it can be updated at any time by using new data. For example, it can also be updated at other time points (regularly or irregularly). As for the updating method of the reference value, for example, the pump data of the shipment test and the results of failure and non-failure due to the deterioration of parts after shipment, as well as the operation data of the pump, can be deleted, or updated by obtaining new data, etc.

In addition, the output unit 252 can also output the cost-effectiveness. Here, the "cost" of the cost-effectiveness is, for example, the cost of replacing parts (such as the price of parts and/or the cost of replacement work). The "effect" of the cost-effectiveness is the amount of risk (the opposite of the expected value) when the replacement is not performed, such as (the amount of product loss) × (the probability of pump failure) when a vacuum pump failure occurs. The output unit 252 can output the cost-effectiveness as a ratio of the cost of replacing parts to the risk amount. Alternatively, when the storage device 23 has pre-recorded the cost of replacing parts in the past, the output unit 252 can also output the cost-effectiveness as a ratio of the risk amount of the cost of replacing parts in the past.

Furthermore, in the first embodiment, in the memory 23, for vacuum pumps that have previously failed, the long-term data of vacuum pump vibration data and vacuum pump drive current data are associated with the time from the start of use to the occurrence of the failure for each model and stored. Furthermore, the information processing system S is provided with a prediction unit 254, which compares the vacuum pump vibration data and vacuum pump drive current data of the target vacuum pump during operation with the vacuum pump vibration data and vacuum pump drive current data of the same model in the past by referring to the memory, thereby predicting the failure period of the aforementioned target vacuum pump.

With this structure, the user of the target vacuum pump can grasp the failure prediction period of the target vacuum pump, thereby increasing the probability of avoiding the situation where the vacuum pump stops during the semiconductor manufacturing process, such as sending the vacuum pump for repair or replacing it with a new vacuum pump before the vacuum pump stops during the semiconductor manufacturing process.

In this embodiment, the comparison unit 251 performs a Fourier transform on the timing data of the vibration and/or sound, and compares the amplitude after the Fourier transform according to each frequency band. By this configuration, the intensity of the vibration and/or sound is compared.

<Second implementation form>

Next, the second embodiment is described. In the first embodiment, the identification unit 253 is a program for identifying the vacuum pump, and the output unit 252 refers to the memory 23 to specifically designate the parts corresponding to the combination of the frequency band and the aforementioned identification program as the parts that must be replaced when the difference between the intensity of a certain frequency band and the reference data exceeds the reference value or the intensity of a certain frequency band deviates from the reference range based on the comparison result of the comparison unit 251.

In contrast, in the second embodiment, the vacuum pump program is not identified, and the output unit 252 outputs the component identification information corresponding to a certain frequency band by referring to the memory 23 when the difference between the intensity of a certain frequency band and the reference data exceeds the reference value or the intensity of a certain frequency band deviates from the reference range according to the comparison result of the comparison unit 251. That is, in this embodiment, for example, the program is not specifically specified, but the comparison unit 251 performs the comparison of each frequency band within a predetermined time range.

FIG13 is a schematic diagram showing the structure of the information processing system of the second embodiment. As shown in FIG13, in the information processing system of the second embodiment, compared with the information processing system S of the first embodiment, the information processing device 20 is changed to the information processing device 20b.

FIG. 14 is a block diagram showing the schematic structure of the information processing device 20b of the second embodiment. Compared with the information processing device 20 of the first embodiment, in the information processing device 20b of the second embodiment, the memory 23 is changed to the memory 23b, and the processor 26 is changed to the processor 26b.

In the memory 23b, the table T3 is stored instead of the table T1. Furthermore, the processor 26b loads the program of the second implementation form from the memory 23 into the memory 14, and executes a series of instructions contained in the program, thereby performing the functions of the comparison unit 251, the output unit 252, and the prediction unit 254.

FIG15 shows an example of table T3 stored in the memory 23b of the information processing device 20b of the second embodiment. As shown in FIG14, table T3 stores a record of a combination of a frequency band and a part code, and the part code is part identification information for identifying a part that should be replaced when the vibration or sound in the frequency band is abnormal. Thus, in the memory 23b of the information processing device 20b of the second embodiment, the frequency band is associated with the part code belonging to the part identification information for identifying a part of a vacuum pump and being a part that should be replaced when the vibration or sound in the frequency band is abnormal and is stored.

The comparison unit 251 compares the vibration or sound intensity of the vacuum pump during operation with the vibration or sound intensity of any other vacuum pump of the same model during the pre-shipment inspection of the vacuum pump, during the initial operation of the vacuum pump, or statistical data of the vibration or sound intensity for each frequency band, for example, within a predetermined time range. The output unit 252 outputs the component identification information corresponding to the frequency band by referring to the memory 23b when the difference between the intensity of a certain frequency band and the reference data exceeds the reference value or when the intensity of a certain frequency band deviates from the reference range according to the comparison result.

As described above, the information processing system S of the second embodiment has a memory 23b, which associates a frequency band with a part of a vacuum pump and stores part identification information of a part to be replaced when the vibration or sound of the frequency band is abnormal. Furthermore, the information processing system S2 has a comparison unit 251, which compares the intensity of the vibration or sound of the vacuum pump during operation with the intensity of the vibration or sound of any other vacuum pump of the same model during the pre-shipment inspection of the vacuum pump, during the initial operation of the vacuum pump, or statistical data of the intensity of the vibration or sound, for each frequency band. Furthermore, the information processing system S2 is provided with an output unit 252. The output unit 252 refers to the memory 23b and outputs the component identification information corresponding to a certain frequency band according to the comparison result when the difference between the intensity of a certain frequency band and the reference data exceeds the reference value or when the intensity of a certain frequency band deviates from the reference range.

According to this structure, since parts with a high probability of failure or abnormality can be specifically designated as parts that must be replaced, parts with a high probability of failure or abnormality can be replaced. On the other hand, parts with a low probability of failure or abnormality can be not replaced. Therefore, the frequency of failure or abnormality of a vacuum pump in operation due to the failure to replace parts other than standard replacement parts with new parts during the maintenance of the vacuum pump can be reduced, and the cost of replacing parts can be suppressed.

In addition, each embodiment describes that part identification information for identifying a part to be replaced is stored in a memory as information for determining whether the part should be replaced, but the information for determining whether the part should be replaced is not limited to this. The information output when the vibration or sound of the frequency band is abnormal may also be the failure prediction period, the operation period of the vacuum pump when the part is continued to be used and/or the probability of failure, or the operation period of the vacuum pump when the part is replaced and/or the probability of failure.

At this time, the output unit 252 can also refer to the memory and output the component identification information corresponding to the frequency band, the failure prediction period, the vacuum pump operation period and/or the failure probability when the component continues to be used, or the vacuum pump operation period and/or the failure probability when the component is replaced, based on the comparison result, when the difference between the intensity of a certain frequency band and the reference data exceeds the reference value or when the intensity of a certain frequency band deviates from the reference range.

For example, when the vibration or sound of the frequency band is abnormal, the output information is the operating period of the vacuum pump and the probability of failure when the parts continue to be used. Specifically, the output information can also be a table of the operating period of the vacuum pump and the probability of failure when the parts continue to be used.

For example, when the vibration or sound of the frequency band is abnormal, the output information is the pump operation period and the probability of failure when replacing parts. Specifically, the output information can also be a table of the pump operation period and the probability of failure when replacing parts.

In addition, according to each implementation form, not only is a judgment criterion provided for determining the replacement of parts during pump maintenance, but the processor 26 can also store the vibration data of the failed pump and the pump sent to the factory without failure in the memory 23 to construct a library to infer the future failure of the pump caused by the deterioration of the parts of the running pump.

Furthermore, according to each implementation form, the vibration data of the new pump can be stored in the memory 23 by the processor 26 and added to the program library to predict future pump failures caused by part deterioration during pump manufacturing.

The following is an example of a method for estimating pump failures caused by the deterioration of pump parts during operation and pump failures caused by the deterioration of pump parts during pump manufacturing. For example, in the memory 23, the pump data of the shipment test and the results of failure or non-failure due to the deterioration of parts after shipment and the operation data of the pump are stored in association.

The data in the library is divided into four groups, and the common conditions and/or common tendencies of the pump data in each group are extracted and analyzed. In this way, information can be obtained to determine whether parts should be replaced. Here, the data in the four groups are (1) the shipping test data of pumps that failed due to part deterioration, (2) the shipping test data of pumps that did not fail due to part deterioration, (3) the operating data of pumps that failed due to part deterioration, and (4) the operating data of pumps that did not fail due to part deterioration.

1: To estimate the possibility of future failures caused by the deterioration of the parts of the operating target pump, the processor 26 can compare the operating data of the target pump with the information of (3) and (4) above, digitize the correlation, and output information showing the possibility of future pump failures caused by the deterioration of the parts of the operating pump.

2: To estimate the possibility of future failures caused by the deterioration of the parts of the target pump during the shipment test, the processor 26 can compare the shipment test data of the target pump with the information of (1) and (2) above, digitize the correlation, and output information showing the possibility of future pump failures caused by the deterioration of the parts of the target pump during the shipment test.

The above inferences in 1 and 2 can also be made based on the information in (1) and (3), but the reliability will be improved if (2) and (4) are added.

In addition, the vacuum pump may have an impeller, a motor for rotating the impeller, and an inverter for providing driving force for rotating the motor. The vacuum pump may also have: a vibration meter for measuring the vibration of the vacuum pump during operation; and a storage medium for storing the measurement data measured by the vibration meter, the driving current data of the motor during the operation of the vacuum pump, and the pump operation performance data in a correlated manner.

In addition, at least a part of the information processing device 20 described in the above embodiment can be composed of hardware or software. When composed of hardware, the program used to implement at least a part of the function of the information processing device 20 is stored in a recording medium such as a disk or CD-ROM, and read into a computer for execution. The recording medium is not limited to removable ones such as a disk or an optical disk, but can also be a fixed recording medium such as a hard disk device or a memory.

Furthermore, the program used to implement at least a part of the function of the information processing device 20 can also be distributed via a communication loop such as the Internet (including wireless communication). Furthermore, the same program can also be distributed through a wired loop such as the Internet, a wireless loop, or stored in a recording medium in an encrypted, modulated, or compressed state.

Furthermore, the function of the information processing device 20 can also be exerted by one or more information processing devices. When using multiple information processing devices, one of the information processing devices can be a computer, and the computer executes a predetermined program to realize the function of at least one means of the information processing device 20.

Furthermore, in the invention of the method, all the procedures (steps) can be implemented by computer automatic control. Furthermore, the computer can be made to implement each program, and the control between programs can be implemented manually. Furthermore, at least a part of the entire program can be implemented manually.

As mentioned above, the present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiments, and can be embodied by changing the constituent elements during the implementation stage without departing from the gist thereof. Moreover, various inventions can be formed by appropriately combining the multiple constituent elements disclosed in the above-mentioned embodiments. For example, several constituent elements can be deleted from all constituent elements shown in the embodiments. Furthermore, constituent elements of different embodiments can also be appropriately combined.

S210~S250: Steps

Claims (7)

An information processing system comprises: a memory for storing the part identification information for identifying the parts to be replaced of a vacuum pump by associating the frequency band with each other; a comparison unit for comparing the intensity of the vibration or sound of the vacuum pump during operation with the reference data or the reference range according to each frequency band; an output unit for outputting the part identification information corresponding to the frequency band with reference to the memory according to the comparison result when the difference between the intensity of a certain frequency band and the reference data exceeds the reference value or when the intensity of a certain frequency band deviates from the reference range; and a determination unit for determining the part identification information according to at least one of the command value of the parameter of the vacuum pump or the observed value of the parameter. , the operation program of the semiconductor manufacturing device connected to the vacuum pump is judged; the comparison unit performs the comparison of each frequency band according to each operation program judged; the memory further associates the operation program with the combination of the frequency band and the part identification information for identifying the part to be replaced; the output unit outputs the part identification information corresponding to the combination of the frequency band and the operation program judged according to the comparison result of the comparison unit, when the difference between the intensity of a certain frequency band and the reference data exceeds the reference value or the intensity of a certain frequency band deviates from the reference range, referring to the memory. The information processing system as described in claim 1, wherein the aforementioned storage stores the long-term data of vacuum pump vibration data and vacuum pump drive current data for each model of vacuum pumps that have previously failed in association with the time elapsed from the start of use to the occurrence of the failure; and the information processing system is further provided with a prediction unit, which compares the vacuum pump vibration data and vacuum pump drive current data of the target vacuum pump during operation with the vacuum pump vibration data and vacuum pump drive current data of the same model in the past by referring to the aforementioned storage unit, thereby predicting the failure period of the aforementioned target vacuum pump. The information processing system as described in claim 1, wherein the comparison unit performs Fourier transformation on the timing data of vibration and/or sound, and compares the amplitude after Fourier transformation according to each frequency band. An information processing system as described in claim 1, wherein the output unit outputs the relationship between the pump operation period and the probability of failure when the parts continue to be used, and/or the relationship between the pump operation period and the probability of failure when the parts are replaced. The information processing system as described in claim 1, wherein the aforementioned reference data is the intensity of vibration or sound during the pre-shipment inspection of the vacuum pump, during the initial operation of the vacuum pump, or any other vacuum pump of the same model, or statistical data of the intensity of the vibration or sound. An information processing method comprises the following steps: comparing the intensity of the vibration or sound of a vacuum pump during operation with reference data or a reference range according to each frequency band; according to the comparison result, when the difference between the intensity of a certain frequency band and the reference data exceeds the reference value or when the intensity of a certain frequency band deviates from the reference range, outputting the part identification information corresponding to the frequency band for identifying the part to be replaced with reference to the memory; judging the operation procedure of a semiconductor manufacturing device connected to the vacuum pump according to at least one of the command value of a parameter of the vacuum pump or the observed value of the parameter; and judging the operation procedure of a semiconductor manufacturing device connected to the vacuum pump according to the judged each frequency band. The aforementioned operation program is used to perform the comparison according to each of the aforementioned frequency bands; wherein the aforementioned memory associates the frequency band with the aforementioned part identification information of the vacuum pump and stores it, and further associates the aforementioned operation program with the aforementioned frequency band and the combination of the part identification information for identifying the aforementioned part to be replaced and stores it; and, according to the comparison result, when the difference between the intensity of a certain frequency band and the reference data exceeds the reference value or when the intensity of a certain frequency band deviates from the reference range, the aforementioned memory is referred to to output the part identification information corresponding to the combination of the frequency band and the aforementioned operation program for determination. An information processing program is used to make a computer function as a comparison unit, an output unit and a judgment unit. The computer can refer to a memory that associates frequency bands with part identification information for identifying parts to be replaced of a vacuum pump; the comparison unit compares the intensity of vibration or sound of the vacuum pump during operation with reference data or a reference range according to each frequency band; the output unit refers to the memory to output the above-mentioned part identification information corresponding to the frequency band according to the comparison result when the difference between the intensity of a certain frequency band and the reference data exceeds the reference value or when the intensity of a certain frequency band deviates from the reference range; the judgment unit outputs the above-mentioned part identification information corresponding to the frequency band according to the instruction value of the parameter of the vacuum pump or the reference data; At least one of the observed values of the parameter determines the operation program of the semiconductor manufacturing device connected to the vacuum pump; the comparison unit performs the comparison of each of the frequency bands according to each of the determined operation programs; the memory further associates the combination of the frequency band and the component identification information for identifying the component to be replaced; the output unit outputs the component identification information corresponding to the combination of the frequency band and the determined operation program according to the comparison result of the comparison unit, when the difference between the intensity of a certain frequency band and the reference data exceeds the reference value or the intensity of a certain frequency band deviates from the reference range, referring to the memory.

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