Box Opening Transfer Unit – Box Opener for 200mm Fabs

The Box Opening Transfer Unit is an automation system designed for 200 mm semiconductor fabs that transport wafer cassettes in HA200 boxes via conveyor systems. It opens boxes directly on the conveyor and provides the cassettes for transfer to tool loading. The result: stable processes, higher throughput, and efficient use of the existing transport infrastructure.

Challenges in Box Handling in 200 mm Fabs

In 200 mm fabs using box‑based material handling (HA200 boxes), additional process steps arise around tool loading when boxes are only opened at the tool. Local buffer areas increase floor space requirements and reduce throughput. In addition, tool loading systems need specialized grippers and complex mechanisms to handle closed boxes. This lowers flexibility and limits the use of standardized loading concepts.

How the Box Opening Transfer Unit Works

The Box Opening Transfer Unit opens HA200 boxes within the transport system. It securely positions each box, opens it in a controlled manner, and presents the cassette for handover to downstream handling equipment. The system supports bidirectional transfer and multiple conveyor lanes. Acting as a clean interface between transport and tool loading, it enables the use of standardized automation technology.

Key Features and System Capabilities

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Opens the box directly on the conveyor – eliminating the need for additional buffer space near the tool.
Opening mechanism with vacuum‑free suction cups for simplified maintenance.
Passive gripper removes the cassette and hands it off to a transfer point or conveyor, allowing flexible integration.
Compensates height differences of up to 1.5 m and supports longitudinal offsets, enabling various fab layouts.
Integrated rotation unit for bidirectional operation with up to five lanes per controll unit.
Modular, service‑friendly design; ISO Class 3 cleanroom compliant.

Benefits for 200 mm Fabs

The Box Opening Transfer Unit streamlines box handling and provides the foundation for standardized, high‑performance tool loading processes.

Increased throughput due to reduced box handling effort/li>

Lower integration complexity compared to advanced gripper systems

More compact fab layouts thanks to the elimination of local buffer spaces

Fast ROI through reduced process and maintenance costs

Application Areas in Semiconductor Manufacturing

The system is used in 200 mm fabs that run HA200 boxes on conveyor systems and need to provide open cassettes to processing tools. Typical use cases include wet benches, metrology tools, and equipment with robot cells, where box handling stays on the conveyor and only the cassette is transferred.

Use Case: Test Wafer Management

A typical application scenario for the Box Opening Transfer Unit is the direct transfer to our Test Wafer Center (TWC).

There, the opened test or qualification cassettes can be received, read, sorted, or further processed without manual intervention – a decisive advantage for box-based 200mm fabs looking to modernize their material flow and test wafer management.

This combination creates a seamless, automated process from box opening to complete test wafer handling. This makes the Box Opening Transfer Unit a key enabler for gradually transforming existing “box factories” into highly automated environments.

Continue to the Application in the Test Wafer Center

Technical Data