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Development of a Contactless Air Conveyor System for Transporting and Positioning Planar Objects
Xirui Chen1,2, Wei Zhong3,4, Chong Li5,6
1School of Mechanical Engineering, Jiangsu University of Science and Technology, Zhenjiang 212003, China. cxrfight1227@gmail.com.
Micromachines
|November 15, 2018
Summary
This study introduces a contactless air conveyor system for precise object transport. It utilizes a thin air film and controlled airflow, minimizing contamination in manufacturing processes like semiconductor wafer handling.
Area of Science:
- Fluid Dynamics
- Mechanical Engineering
- Manufacturing Technology
Background:
- Mechanical contact during product transport can lead to contamination, especially in sensitive industries.
- Existing transport methods may not meet stringent cleanliness requirements for semiconductor wafers or delicate foodstuffs.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a completely contactless air conveyor system for planar object transportation and positioning.
- To investigate the principles of viscous traction generated by controlled airflow.
- To enable contamination-free handling in manufacturing.
Main Methods:
- Development of an air conveyor with duplicated arrays of actuating cells (square pockets with dams).
- Theoretical modeling to characterize viscous force, analyzing actuating and drag forces.
- Experimental investigation of air film pressure distribution and viscous force characteristics.
- Application of a proportional-integral-derivative (PID) controller for 1D position control and tracking.
Main Results:
- The air conveyor creates a supporting thin film and viscous traction via controlled airflow.
- Theoretical model accurately predicts viscous force, considering actuating and drag components.
- Experimental results show specific air film pressure distributions and confirm force dependency on suction flow rate and gap thickness.
- PID control successfully achieved 1D position control and tracking.
Conclusions:
- The developed contactless air conveyor system is feasible for precise object manipulation.
- The theoretical model provides accurate predictions for system design and optimization.
- The PID control strategy effectively manages object positioning, verifying the system's practical applicability in contamination-sensitive manufacturing.
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