PROCESSING APPARATUS

A processing apparatus includes a touch panel that accepts an operator's operation, and a control unit that drives each of mechanisms by selection by the operator of an operation button displayed on the touch panel. The touch panel is configured such as to be able to display a progress confirmation screen on which a plurality of operation buttons are aligned, and displays the operation buttons which are selected by the operator and the works relevant to which have been completed and the operation buttons the works relevant to which have not been completed by the operator in a discriminable manner.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a processing apparatus.

Description of the Related Art

There has been known a processing apparatus which requires an operator to carry out and complete a plurality of works (see Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 2010-049466).

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

However, in such a processing apparatus, it has been necessary to manage whether or not a plurality of works to be carried out have been completed or whether or not the plurality of works are being sequentially carried out according to a work sequence, with an operator's handwritten check list or the like. Therefore, in such a processing apparatus, in the case where the operator carries out a plurality of works, an operator's omission of the work or error in the work sequence may be generated.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a processing apparatus capable of restraining an operator's omission of the work or error in the work sequence.

In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a processing apparatus including: a touch panel that accepts an operator's operation; and a control unit that drives each of mechanisms by selection by the operator of an operation button displayed on the touch panel, in which the touch panel is configured to be able to display a progress confirmation screen where a plurality of the operation buttons are aligned, and displays the buttons which have been selected by the operator and which relevant to works that the operator has completed and the buttons which relevant to works that the operator has not completed in a discriminable manner.

When the operator selects the operation button and completes the work relevant to the operation button, an optional mark indicative of a carried-out state may be formed, or coloring may be conducted, on the carried-out operation button or the periphery thereof.

On the progress confirmation screen, an optional mark may be formed, or coloring may be conducted, on the operation button to be processed next by the operator or the periphery thereof.

On the progress confirmation screen, an optional mark may be formed, or coloring may be conducted, on the operation button the work relevant to which has not been completed by the operator or the periphery thereof.

The control unit may include a sequence storage section that stores a work sequence corresponding to each progress confirmation screen, and the progress confirmation screen may be designed such that the operation buttons cannot be selected in a sequence different from the work sequence.

The touch panel may be configured such that a work carrying-out screen, stringed to the operation button selected by the operator on the progress confirmation screen, having the operation buttons aligned according to a more detailed work sequence can be further displayed, and, when all the works corresponding to the operation buttons displayed on the work carrying-out screen have been completed by the operator, the operation buttons on the progress confirmation screen may be changed to a state of being discriminable as having been carried out.

The touch panel may be configured such that, in the case where the works corresponding to all the operation buttons aligned on the screen are not carried out and movement to other screen is conducted, the discriminable marks and coloring formed on the screen may be maintained as they are, and, when all the works corresponding to all the operation buttons aligned on the screen have been completed, the discriminable marks and the coloring may be removed.

The processing apparatus according to an aspect of the present invention is capable of restraining an operator's omission of the work or error in the work sequence.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below referring to the attached drawings. The present invention is not to be limited by the content described in the following embodiments. In addition, the components described below include those which can be easily conceived by a person skilled in the art and those which are substantially the same. Further, the configurations described below may be appropriately combined with one another. Besides, various kinds of omission, replacement, and modification of configuration can be performed within such ranges as not to depart from the gist of the present invention.

First Embodiment

A processing apparatus1according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be described on the basis of the drawings.FIG. 1is a perspective view depicting a configuration example of the processing apparatus1according to the first embodiment.FIG. 2is a diagram schematically depicting an example of functional configuration of the processing apparatus1according to the first embodiment. As depicted inFIG. 1, the processing apparatus1according to the first embodiment includes a main body2which is a box-shaped housing. As illustrated inFIG. 1, the processing apparatus1includes a chuck table10, a processing unit20, a touch panel30, and a control unit40.

A workpiece100as an object of processing by the processing apparatus1includes, for example, a disk-shaped semiconductor wafer or optical device wafer with a substrate101including silicon, sapphire, gallium arsenide, or the like. The workpiece100is configured by supporting the substrate101at an opening of an annular frame102through an adhesive tape103.

The chuck table10holds the workpiece100on a holding surface11. The chuck table10communicates with a suction source (not illustrated), and suction holds the workpiece100by a negative pressure supplied from the suction source. The chuck table10is movable in an X-axis direction by an X-axis moving unit (not illustrated), and is rotatable around a Z-axis by a rotational drive source (not illustrated).

The processing unit20processes the workpiece100held by the chuck table10. The processing unit20is, for example, a pair of cutting units21, which each have a cutting blade22. The respective cutting blades22of the pair of cutting unit21face each other in a Y-axis direction, and are each rotated around a Y-axis. The processing unit20performs cutting on the workpiece100by the rotating cutting blades22. The processing unit20is movable along the Y-axis direction by a Y-axis moving unit (not illustrated), and is movable along the Z-axis direction by a Z-axis moving unit (not illustrated).

The processing apparatus1processes the workpiece100held by the chuck table10by relatively moving the chuck table10and the processing unit20by the X-axis moving unit, the Y-axis moving unit, and the Z-axis moving unit.

Note that the processing unit20included in the processing apparatus1is not limited to the cutting units21for cutting the workpiece100by the cutting blades22. The processing unit20may be, for example, a grinding unit that grinds the similar workpiece100by a grindstone or the like, a polishing unit that polishes the similar workpiece100by a polishing pad or the like, or a laser processing unit that performs laser processing by applying a laser beam to the similar workpiece100.

As illustrated inFIG. 1, the touch panel30is set on the main body2in a state in which a display surface is oriented to the outside. As depicted inFIG. 2, the touch panel30includes a display section31that displays various kinds of information concerning the processing apparatus1, and an input section32that accepts from the operator various kinds of operation inputs concerning the processing apparatus1, such as setting inputs of processing conditions.

The control unit40controls each of the mechanisms (the X-axis moving unit, the Y-axis moving unit, the Z-axis moving unit, the rotational drive source) that drive the processing apparatus1. The control unit40controls each section of the processing apparatus1, and realizes processing by the processing apparatus1. The control unit40controls each section of the processing apparatus1inclusive of the chuck table10and the processing unit20according, for example, to the processing conditions inputted and set by the operator, thereby realizing a processing on the workpiece100.

As depicted inFIG. 2, the control unit40includes a storage section41, and a processing section42. The control unit40, in the first embodiment, includes a computer system.

The storage section41stores a program for realizing functions such as various kinds of processing in the processing apparatus1executed by the processing section42, and data (processing conditions) used in processing by the program, and the like. The storage section41includes a nonvolatile or volatile semiconductor memory such as a random access memory (RAM), a read only memory (ROM), a flash memory, an erasable programmable read only memory (EPROM), an electrically erasable programmable read only memory (EEPROM) (registered trademark), and the like. The storage section41in which the program is stored is, for example, a storage medium including a plurality of commands for data processing executable by a processor included in the processing section42and readable by the processor and non-transitory, and can be also said to be a program product. The storage section41can be utilized also as a temporary working area at the time of executing the commands described in the program by the processor included in the processing section42.

As depicted inFIG. 2, the storage section41includes a control program storage section45, a screen configuration data storage section46, and a sequence storage section47.

A control program stored in the control program storage section45provides functions for realizing various kinds of processing of the processing apparatus1, and the like. The functions provided by the control program includes screen display processing functions such as generating various kinds of operation screens, displaying the various kinds of operation screens on the touch panel30, accepting inputs to the various kinds of operation screens on the touch panel30, and changing over the various kinds of operation screens displayed on the touch panel30according to inputs to the various kinds of operation screens or the like.

The screen configuration data storage section46stores data concerning the screen configurations of the various kinds of operation screens displayed on the touch panel30. The various kinds of operation screens displayed on the touch panel30includes screen configurations according to the kinds and versions of the programs operated by the processing apparatus1.

The sequence storage section47stores, as work sequence data, data of each medium work necessary for executing each large work, in regard of each large work necessary for the operator to perform for realizing processing, on the basis of processing by the processing apparatus1, and the sequence thereof, and data of each more detailed small work necessary for executing the medium works and the sequence thereof.

Here, the large works, medium works, and small works herein are expressions set by dividing the works of the operator into three hierarchies, for convenience of explanation, all of which are included in the works in the present invention. In addition, herein, the small work refers to individual works separated minutely, the medium work is a superordinate concept of the small work and refers to a group of a series of plurality of small works according to the sequence of the small works, and the large work is a superordinate concept of the medium work and refers to a group of a series of plurality of medium works according to the sequence of the medium works.

The work sequence data include each large work, items of each medium work (medium work items) on each large work basis, sequences of each medium work (medium work sequences) on each large work basis, items of each small work (small work items) on each medium work basis, and sequences of each small work (small work sequence) on each medium work basis, and these items correspond to one another.

FIG. 3is a diagram depicting an example of work sequence data stored by the sequence storage section47of the processing apparatus1according to the first embodiment.FIG. 3depicts a part concerning a large work “size exchange” carried out by the operator for changing the size of the workpiece100to be processed by the processing apparatus1, of the work sequence data stored by the sequence storage section47. Note that inFIG. 3, detailed descriptions of the small work items other than a third medium work item “chuck table replacement” in the medium work sequence and small work sequences thereof are omitted.

The processing section42includes a processor such as a central processing unit (CPU), a microprocessor, a microcomputer, a digital signal processor (DSP), or a system large scale integration (system LSI). The processor included in the processing section42executes a program loaded on the RAM included in the storage section41. Thus, functions such as various kinds of processing to be carried out by the processing apparatus1are realized.

The processing section42operates on the basis of the program stored in the storage section41, and carries out the screen display processing of the processing apparatus1described below. The processing section42, with the operation buttons211,221, and231(seeFIGS. 4, 5, and 6) displayed on the touch panel30being selected by the operator, in the screen display processing described below, each of functions constituting the processing apparatus1is driven according to the selected operation button211,221, and231(seeFIGS. 4, 5, and 6).

FIGS. 4A, 4B, 4C, 5A, 5B, 5C, 6A, 6B, and 6Care diagrams depicting examples of the screen display processing according to the first embodiment. The screen display processing will be described specifically, usingFIGS. 4A to 6C.

As illustrated inFIG. 4A, the processing section42displays a top menu screen210on the touch panel30according to an operator's operation (step1011). The top menu screen210displays a plurality of operation buttons211for the operator to execute each large work necessary for carrying out each kind of processing of the processing apparatus.

The top menu screen210displays, on each operation button211displayed, a description such that the content of each large work carried out by an operator's operation is discriminable, in a superimposed state. Hereinafter, in the top menu screen210, the operation button211operated by the operator for carrying out a predetermined large work will be referred to as an operation button211concerning the large work. The large works which can be carried out by the operator's operation of each operation button211, in the first embodiment, include confirmation of device data of the processing apparatus1, fully automatic processing of the workpiece100, manual processing of the workpiece100, size exchange of the workpiece100(work), periodic maintenance, alignment, various measurements, and replacement of the cutting blade22.

As depicted inFIG. 4B, when the processing section42detects an operator's operation on the operation button211described as “size exchange” (step1012), the processing section42displays the progress confirmation screen220concerning the large work “size exchange” on the touch panel30as depicted inFIG. 4C(step1013). Note that the touch panel30has the progress confirmation screen220in the present invention means that the progress confirmation screen220can be displayed on the touch panel30. In addition, herein, the progress confirmation screen220concerning a predetermined large work is a screen displayed when the operator operates the operation button211concerning the predetermined large work, and a screen which the operator refers to for carrying out the predetermined large work.

The progress confirmation screen220is generated by the processing section42by referring to the work sequence data stored in the sequence storage section47. As depicted inFIG. 4C, the progress confirmation screen220displays a plurality of medium work items necessary for carrying out a large work concerning the progress confirmation screen220, in the state of being aligned according to the medium work sequence. The progress confirmation screen220displays an input column222for information, in the case where inputting of the information from the operator is necessary for carrying out the large work. The progress confirmation screen220also displays a screen display switching button212for performing switching of the screen to the top menu screen210.

The progress confirmation screen220is limited in regard of operation of the operation buttons221by the processing section42, and is designed such that the operation buttons221cannot be selected in a sequence different from the medium work sequence. In other words, the progress confirmation screen220is designed such that the operation buttons211can be selected in a sequence according to the medium work sequence. The progress confirmation screen220is designed such that the operation buttons221can be selected by the operator, only in a state in which the medium works concerning all the operation buttons221in the former sequence have been completed.

The progress confirmation screen220, like each operation button211on the top menu screen210, displays on each operation button221a description such that the content of each medium work to be carried out by an operator's operation are discriminable, in a superimposed state. Hereinafter, in the progress confirmation screen220, the operation button221operated by the operator for carrying out a predetermined medium work will be referred to as an operation button211concerning the medium work. The medium works which can be carried out by the operator's operation of each operation button221on the progress confirmation screen220concerning the large work “size exchange” include, in the first embodiment, replacement of an upper conveying arm of a conveying unit for conveying the workpiece100in the processing apparatus1, replacement of a lower conveying arm of the conveying unit, exchange of the chuck table10, and exchange of a cleaning table of a cleaning unit.

The processing section42can display on the touch panel30the progress confirmation screens220concerning all the large works which can be carried out by the operator's operation of each operation button211. Note that hereinafter a case of carrying out screen display processing for the progress confirmation screen concerning the large work “size exchange” will be described, and descriptions of the progress confirmation screen220concerning other large works are similar to that of the case of the progress confirmation screen220concerning the large work “size exchange” and, therefore, will be omitted.

The progress confirmation screen220concerning the large work “size exchange” is stringed to the operation button211marked with “size exchange” and operated by the operator. Similarly, the progress confirmation screen concerning each large work is stringed to each operation button211marked with the content of the large work operated by the operator for displaying the progress confirmation screen220.

Next, when the operator selects the operation buttons221sequentially according to the medium work sequence, in regard of the two medium works “upper conveying arm replacement” and “lower conveying arm replacement” of the medium works necessary for the large work “size exchange” to thereby complete the medium works relevant to the operation buttons221, the progress confirmation screen220as depicted inFIG. 5Ais displayed on the touch panel30(step1021). The progress confirmation screen220depicted inFIG. 5Adisplays the two operation buttons221concerning the medium works “upper conveying arm replacement” and “lower conveying arm replacement” which have been completed by the operator and the two operation buttons221concerning the medium works “chuck table exchange” and “cleaning table exchange” which have not been completed by the operator, in a discriminable manner.

The progress confirmation screen220depicted inFIG. 5A, in the first embodiment, displays a check mark223indicative of having been carried out, in a state of superimposing on the two operation buttons221concerning the medium works which have been completed by the operator. On the other hand, the progress confirmation screen220depicted inFIG. 5Adoes not display the check mark223indicating of having been carried out on the two operation buttons221concerning the medium works which have not been completed by the operator. Note that the progress confirmation screen220is not limited to this in the present invention, and a state in which an optional mark indicative of having been carried out may be formed, or a state in which coloring may be conducted, on the operation button211concerning a medium work which has been completed by the operator or the periphery thereof.

When an operator's operation on the operation button221marked with “chuck table exchange” is detected as depicted inFIG. 5B(step1022), a work carrying-out screen230concerning the medium work “chuck table exchange” is displayed on the touch panel30as depicted inFIG. 5C(step1023). Note that the touch panel30in the present invention includes the work carrying-out screen230means that the work carrying-out screen230can be displayed on the touch panel30. In addition, herein, the work carrying-out screen230concerning a predetermined medium work is a screen displayed by the operator's operation of the operation button221concerning the predetermined medium work, and a screen which the operator refers to for carrying out a predetermined large work.

The work carrying-out screen230is generated by the processing section42by referring to the work sequence data stored in the sequence storage section47, like the progress confirmation screen220. As illustrated inFIG. 5C, the work carrying-out screen230displays a plurality of operation buttons231for carrying out a plurality of small work items necessary for carrying out a medium work concerning the work carrying-out screen230, in a state of being aligned according to the small work sequence. The work carrying-out screen230also displays a plurality of screen display switching buttons212similar to those displayed on the top menu screen210.

Like the progress confirmation screen220, the work carrying-out screen230is limited in operation on the operation buttons231by the processing section42, and is designed such that the operation buttons231cannot be selected in a sequence different from the small work sequence. In other words, the work carrying-out screen230is designed such that the operation buttons231can be selected only in a sequence according to the small work sequence. The work carrying-out screen230is designed such that the operation buttons231can be selected by the operator, only in a state in which the small works concerning all the operation buttons231in the former sequence has been completed.

The work carrying-out screen230displays a description such that the content of each small work to be carried out by an operator's operation is discriminable, in a state of superimposing on each operation button231, similarly to each operation button221on the progress confirmation screen220. Hereinafter, on the work carrying-out screen230, the operation button231to be operated by the operator for carrying out a predetermined small work will be referred to as an operation button231concerning the small work. The small works which can be carried out by the operator by operating each operation button231on the work carrying-out screen230concerning the medium work “chuck table exchange” in the first embodiment include stopping of supply of a negative pressure to the chuck table10(OFF of vacuum of the chuck table10), starting of supply of a negative pressure to the chuck table10(ON of vacuum of the chuck table10), adjustment of focus of a microscope directed to the chuck table10, measurement of a rotary shaft of the chuck table10, and the like.

The processing section42can display on the touch panel30the work carrying-out screens230concerning all the medium works which can be carried out by the operator by operating each operation button221. Note that in the case of a medium work for which the necessary small work is only one, the work carrying-out screen230concerning the medium work may be omitted, and a mode of completing with only the operation button221concerning the medium work may be adopted. Hereinafter, a case of carrying out screen display processing in regard of the work carrying-out screen230concerning the medium work “chuck table exchange” will be described, and the descriptions with respect to the work carrying-out screens230concerning other medium works are similar to those in the case of the work carrying-out screen230concerning the medium work “chuck table exchange” and, therefore, will be omitted.

The work carrying-out screen230concerning the medium work “chuck table exchange” is stringed to the operation button221marked with “chuck table exchange” operated by the operator. Similarly, the work carrying-out screen230concerning each medium work is stringed to each operation button221marked with the medium work operated by the operator for displaying the work carrying-out screen230.

Next, in regard of seven small works of the small works necessary for the medium work “chuck table exchange,” when the operator sequentially selects the operation buttons231according to the small work sequence to complete the small works relevant to the operation buttons231, the processing section42displays on the touch panel30the work carrying-out screen230as depicted inFIG. 6A(step1031). Like the progress confirmation screen220, the work carrying-out screen230depicted inFIG. 6Adisplays the seven operation buttons231concerning the small works completed by the operator and one operation button231concerning the small work not yet completed by the operator, in a discriminable manner.

In the first embodiment, the processing section42automatically determines completion of a small work based on the result of detection by a predetermined detector related to the small work and reflects it on the work carrying-out screen230, but this is not restrictive of the present invention; an input indicative of completion of a small work to the touch panel30by the operator having carried out the small work may be accepted, and it may be reflected on the work carrying-out screen230.

Like the progress confirmation screen220, in the first embodiment, the work carrying-out screen230depicted inFIG. 6Adisplays check marks233indicative of having been carried out, in a state of superimposing on the seven operation buttons231concerning the small works completed by the operator. Note that the work carrying-out screen230, like the progress confirmation screen220, this is not restrictive of the present invention; a state in which an optional mark indicative of having been completed may be formed, or a state of coloring may be displayed, on the operation button231concerning a medium work which has been completed by the operator or the periphery thereof.

Then, when in regard of the final one small work of the small works necessary for the medium work “chuck table exchange,” the operator selects the operation button231to complete the small work relevant to the operation button231, the processing section42displays on the touch panel30the work carrying-out screen230in a state in which the check marks233are displayed on the operation buttons231concerning all the small works (step1032). When step1032is carried out, the processing section42adds a display of the check mark223on the operation button221concerning the medium work “chuck table exchange” on the progress confirmation screen220, as depicted inFIG. 6C, and changes the operation button221concerning the medium work “chuck table exchange” into a state of being discriminable as having been carried out (step1033).

In this way, the processing section42, by confirming completion of all the small works corresponding to the medium work, automatically determines completion of the medium work, and reflects it on the progress confirmation screen220.

In the case where in regard of an optional large work, the operator does not perform the works (medium works, small works) with respect to all the operation buttons221and231aligned on the progress confirmation screen220or the work carrying-out screen230but moves to other screen, namely, switches the display to other screen, the processing section42maintains the discriminable marks such as the check marks223and233or the coloring formed on the progress confirmation screen220or the work carrying-out screen230as they are. In regard of an optional large work, when the operator completes the works (medium works, small works) with respect to all the operation buttons221and231aligned on the progress confirmation screen220or the work carrying-out screen230, the processing section42removes the discriminable marks such as the check marks223and233or the coloring formed on the progress confirmation screen220or the work carrying-out screen230.

In the processing apparatus1according to the first embodiment having the aforementioned configuration, the touch panel30has the progress confirmation screen220on which a plurality of operation buttons221are aligned according to the work sequence (medium work sequence), and displays the operation buttons221which the operator has selected and the works (medium works) relevant to which have been completed and the operation buttons221the works (medium works) relevant to which have not been completed by the operator, in a discriminable manner. Therefore, the processing apparatus1according to the first embodiment makes it possible for the operator to intuitively and easily recognize the completed works (medium works) and the non-completed works (medium works) by looking at the touch panel30, and produces an effect that an operator's omission of the work or error in the work sequence can be restrained.

In addition, in the processing apparatus1according to the first embodiment, when the operator selects the operation buttons221and completes the works (medium works) relevant to the operation buttons221, optional marks such as check marks223indicative of having been completed are formed, or coloring is conducted, on the operation buttons221concerning the works (medium works) having been carried out and completed or the periphery thereof, on the progress confirmation screen220. Therefore, the processing apparatus1according to the first embodiment produces an effect that it is possible for the operator to more intuitively and more easily recognize the completed works (medium works) and the non-completed works (medium works) by looking at the touch panel30.

Besides, in the processing apparatus1according to the first embodiment, the control unit40includes the sequence storage section47that stores work sequences (medium work sequences) corresponding to each progress confirmation screen220, and the progress confirmation screen220is designed such that the operation buttons221cannot be selected in a sequence different from the work sequences (medium work sequences). Therefore, in the processing apparatus1according to the first embodiment, the operator is restrained from performing the works (medium works) in a sequence different from the work sequences (medium work sequences), due to the limit in selection designed on the progress confirmation screen220, so that an effect is produced that an operator's omission of the work or error in the work sequence can be restrained more securely.

In addition, in the processing apparatus1according to the first embodiment, the touch panel30further includes the work carrying-out screen230having the operation buttons231aligned according to a more detailed work sequence (small work sequence), which is stringed to the operation button221selected by the operator on the progress confirmation screen220, and, when the operator completes all the works (small works) corresponding to the operation buttons231displayed on the work carrying-out screen230, the operation button221on the progress confirmation screen220is changed to a state of being discriminable as having been carried out. Therefore, the processing apparatus1according to the first embodiment produces an effect that, owing to the management on a more detailed work level by the work carrying-out screen230, an operator's omission of the work or error in the work sequence can be restrained more securely.

Besides, in the processing apparatus1according to the first embodiment, in the case where the works (medium works, small works) with respect to all the operation buttons221and231aligned on the progress confirmation screen220or the work carrying-out screen230are not performed but the touch panel30moves to other screen, the discriminable marks such as the check marks223and233, or coloring, formed on the progress confirmation screen220or the work carrying-out screen230is maintained as it is, and, when the works (medium works, small works) with respect to all the operation buttons221and231aligned on the progress confirmation screen220or the work carrying-out screen230have been completed, the discriminable marks such as the check marks223and233, or the coloring, formed on the progress confirmation screen220or the work carrying-out screen230is removed. Therefore, the processing apparatus1according to the first embodiment, owing to management of the marks or coloring indicative of completion or non-completion of the works (medium works, small works), an effect is produced that an operator's omission of the work or error in the work sequence can be restrained more securely.

Second Embodiment

A processing apparatus1according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described below on the basis of the drawings.FIG. 7is a diagram depicting an example of screen display processing according to the second embodiment. InFIG. 7, the same parts as those in the first embodiment above are denoted by the same reference symbols as used above, and descriptions thereof are omitted.

The processing apparatus1according to the second embodiment is the processing apparatus1according to the first embodiment, in which a progress confirmation screen220-2depicted inFIG. 7is displayed in place of the progress confirmation screen220depicted inFIG. 6C.

As illustrated inFIG. 7, the progress confirmation screen220-2displays by applying a coloring224that draws the operator's attention to the operation button221concerning the medium work “cleaning table exchange” to be processed next by the operator, to the periphery of the operation button221. Note that the progress confirmation screen220-2is not limited to this in the present invention; an optional mark or a coloring that draws the operator's attention to the operation button221concerning the medium work to be processed next by the operator may be formed on the operation button221or the periphery thereof. In addition, in the second embodiment, like the progress confirmation screen220-2, the work carrying-out screen230may display an optional mark or a coloring that draws the operator's attention to the operation button231concerning the small work to be processed next by the operator on the operation button231or the periphery thereof.

In the processing apparatus1according to the second embodiment having the aforementioned configuration, as compared to the processing apparatus1according to the first embodiment, an optional mark, or coloring, that draws the operator's attention to the operation buttons221and231concerning the works (medium works, small works) to be processed next by the operator is formed on the operation buttons221and231or the periphery thereof, on the progress confirmation screen220-2or the work carrying-out screen230. Therefore, the processing apparatus1according to the second embodiment makes it possible for the operator to intuitively and easily recognize the work (medium work, small work) to be processed next by the operator, so that an effect is produced that an operator's omission of the work or error in the work sequence can be restrained.

Third Embodiment

A processing apparatus1according to a third embodiment will be described on the basis of the drawings.FIG. 8is a diagram depicting an example of screen display processing according to the third embodiment. InFIG. 8, the same parts as those in the first embodiment above are denoted by the same reference symbols as used above, and descriptions thereof are omitted.

The processing apparatus1according to the third embodiment is the processing apparatuses1in the first and second embodiments, in which a progress confirmation screen220-3depicted inFIG. 8is further displayed.

When an operator's operation on the operation button211marked with “periodic maintenance” is detected, the processing section42displays on the touch panel30the progress confirmation screen220-3concerning the large work “periodic maintenance,” as depicted inFIG. 8. Note that in the third embodiment, since a medium work sequence is not set for the medium works belonging to the large work “periodic maintenance,” the progress confirmation screen220-3does not display the operation buttons221in a state of being aligned according to the medium work sequence, and limit on operations by the medium work sequence is not designed; however, in the case where medium works and the small works are set, the progress confirmation screen or the work carrying-out screen may be displayed like in the first and second embodiments. The medium works which can be carried out by the operator by operating the operation buttons221on the progress confirmation screen220-3concerning the large work “periodic maintenance” in the third embodiment include maximum output check of a spindle rotating the cutting blade22or the like, output setup of the spindle or the like, adjustment of focus of a microscope directed to the chuck table10, and the like.

As illustrated inFIG. 8, the progress confirmation screen220-3displays a coloring225that draws the operator's attention to the three operation buttons221concerning the medium works “AAA” “BBB” “CCC” the operator's works relevant to which have not been completed, in the periphery of the operation buttons221. Note that the progress confirmation screen220-3is not restricted to this in the present invention; an optional mark, or coloring, that draws the operator's attention to the operation button221concerning the medium work the operator's work relevant to which has not been completed may be formed on the operation button221or the periphery thereof. In addition, a similar display may be made for small works, also.

In addition, in regard of the medium works belonging to the large work “periodic maintenance,” in the case where a predetermined period is elapsed from final completion of the operator's medium work and the work becomes necessary again, for example, one month is elapsed, it is preferable to remove the marks such as check marks223or coloring indicative of having been carried out that is formed on the operation buttons221concerning medium works, and switches the display to a display of a mark or coloring such as a coloring225that draws the operator's attention and urges the operator to carry out. By switching the display in this way, the progress confirmation screen220-3can cause the operator to securely carry out the medium works belonging to the large work “periodic maintenance” once a predetermined period, for example, once in one month.

The processing apparatus1according to the third embodiment having the aforementioned configuration, as compared to the processing apparatuses1according to the first and second embodiments, further in regard of the progress confirmation screen220-3, optional marks or coloring that draws the operator's attention to the operation buttons221the operator's works (medium works) relevant to which have not been completed is formed on the operation buttons221or the periphery thereof. Therefore, the processing apparatus1according to the third embodiment makes it possible for the operator to intuitively and easily recognize the works (medium works) not completed by the operator, so that an effect is produced that an operator's omission of the work or error in the work sequence can be restrained.

Note that the present invention is not limited to the aforementioned embodiments and modifications. In other words, the present invention may be carried out with various modifications within such ranges as not depart from the gist of the invention.