Petri Net-Based Multi-Module Optimization Scheduling Strategy for Combinatorial Equipment

Combinatorial equipment plays a crucial role in semiconductor wafer manufacturing, and optimizing its scheduling and control poses significant challenges in the semiconductor industry. Petri nets, renowned for their robust modeling capabilities and concise graphical representation, have found extensive applications in modeling and scheduling combinatorial equipment. In this study, we employed Petri nets to model wafer processing and proposed an optimization scheduling strategy for decomposing multiple modules. Specifically, the wafer processing process can be divided into modules based on roles and division of labor, including the wafer input sequencing module, input-output port module, robotic arm module, and processing module. To address conflicts during multi-module processing, we developed corresponding optimization strategies for each module using a greedy approach and considered introducing the concept of an adaptive wafer grabbing interval table. To validate the feasibility of our approach, we conducted simulations of experimental scenarios. The experimental results demonstrate that the proposed method fully leverages the unique characteristics and advantages of each module, thereby achieving efficient wafer processing.