Patent Publication Number: US-2003221309-A1

Title: Modular dice system for slider bar parting

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS  
     [0001] This application claims priority of U.S. provisional application Serial No. 60/384,520, filed May 29, 2002. 
    
    
     
       TECHNICAL FIELD  
       [0002] This application generally relates to automated manufacturing and manufacturing control systems, and more particularly, this application relates to the disc drive head manufacturing utilizing dice machines.  
       BACKGROUND  
       [0003] In the field of semiconductor and disc drive manufacturing, it is frequently necessary to separate a monolithic ceramic or silicon wafer, upon which many individual chip dies or disc drive heads are patterned, into their several component parts. Generally, in the case of disc drive head manufacture, a round or square ceramic substrate wafer is patterned with tens of thousands of individual disc drive slider heads using thin film microelectronic techniques. These heads must first be separated into manageable strips, called “row bars,” for processing. Following many process steps, the row bars are then singulated into individual disc drive heads. The process of parting a ceramic wafer into long strips of connected disc drive heads is known as “slicing.” The individual singulation of slider heads from that row bar is known as “dicing.” The equipment used to perform the dicing operation is known as a “dicer” (also referred to herein as a dice tool or a dice machine or dice station).  
       [0004] In the field of disc drive head manufacturing, many current dice machines use single row (i.e., one blade is used to cut one strip at a time) or gang tools (i.e., several blades are mounted on a common spindle, which is then referred to as a wheel gang, and used to cut multiple strips simultaneously), and integrate all process controls and mechanisms into one monolithic tool. Herein a monolithic tool refers to a stand-alone device which incorporates all necessary functions (blades, spindles, coolant delivery, computer controls, and all other components necessary to perform a dicing process). These monolithic tools are very expensive to repair, replace, or upgrade. On the other hand, some current tools implement some level of automated data input/output features, but are not designed to leverage economies of scale in data processing or machine control. Most master/slave manufacture control architectures implemented in current systems have several shortcomings. For example, since most dice systems are currently monolithic machines, these master/slave control systems needlessly duplicate data input/output functions, control codes, and consumables such as pumping and filtering of coolants.  
       [0005] Moreover, the current data  1 / 0  structures are not particularly amenable to convenient and rapid upgrade, as any upgrade must be performed on each and every dicer in all factories which use the machines, which can number in the dozens or hundreds for large fabrication plants. Such an upgrade is expensive and time consuming. As a result, many companies are forced to install a full software upgrade per tool/system, even though the upgrade is only directed at a portion of the control and processing software. Furthermore, when components fail or technological improvements for the hardware become available, the monolithic structure of many current tools require massive re-tooling throughout whole factories.  
       [0006] The creation of a dice tool capable of the precision necessary to conduct dicing of disc drive heads from row-bars requires a variety of different skill sets to be brought to bear by a tool manufacturer. Automation, precision cutting, vision, and cooling/pumping expertise must all reside in one vendor. Some vendors are superior at one skill set, but lacking in others, while other vendors may not include some necessary technology in their system or outsource these requirements to a separate company which may not have the capabilities demanded by the disc drive manufacturer for their particular requirements. This complex web of skill sets makes the current set of parting machines, or dice machines, an inadequate compromise of a vendor&#39;s strengths with their weaknesses, and current solutions to address those weaknesses are incompatible with the monolithic tool design offered to the disc drive manufacturer.  
       [0007] Accordingly, there is a need for improved manufacturing control systems and methods relating to the manufacturing of disc drive heads utilizing dice machines. The present invention provides a solution to many problems, such as those discussed above, currently faced in the industry.  
       SUMMARY  
       [0008] The present invention provides a modular dice system and method of manufacturing that allows the outsourcing of the various stations, such as the cut, clean, and vision stations if desired, allowing state of the art technology to be installed over time without requiring factory-wide capital expenditures. The present invention also substantially eliminates data I/O, control, and consumables redundancy by preventing duplication of basic functions. Further, the present invention facilitates control of all dice tool machines from a centrally located single source, providing better control of software versions and machine states, reducing process variability and increasing control.  
       [0009] The present invention is generally based upon a modular load/unload feed drive train with very precisely defined mechanical, data, and consumables interfaces. According to the present invention, the disc drive row bar or array of row bars are inserted into a modular system that includes several components interacting through a specified interface. In other words, a modular system is a system that implements several of its functional components by compartmentalizing each to a particular module, which is in contrast to monolithic systems wherein all the functions are embodied in a single device. An example modular system embodiment includes a load/unload module, a feed stage module, a cutting module, a vision module, a cleaning module, and a scalable control and communications module that controls and manages the dice tool system. In another embodiment, the control and communication module controls and manages a plurality of individual dice tools.  
       [0010] An embodiment of the present invention incorporating all of these modular components into a modular dice system overcomes many shortcomings of known monolithic dice systems. The present invention allows the disc drive manufacturer to select the best available technology as it becomes available, so long as the new technology is designed to be compatible with the interface specifications for the other modules. By providing the necessary slider bar parting process and control functionality in a modular architecture, the present invention allows the process owner/manufacturer to develop improvements to each module that do not require the replacement of the entire system, or even to outsource improvement development as long as the interface between modules is preserved.  
       [0011] A further benefit of the present invention is that it allows the process owner/manufacturer to run a dice system that utilizes very different cutting technologies. For example, dice wheels or a wire saw can be substituted for each other without requiring a massive re-tool of an entire factory. Further, most other dice systems are monolithic machines that needlessly duplicate data input/output functions, control codes, and consumables. The present invention provides a system that eliminates these redundancies by isolating the command and control function to a separate module. This also provides a scalable data I/O structure, which allows for innovation in communications or data processing to be enabled without forcing one upgrade per cutting tool.  
       [0012] One aspect of the present invention relates to a dice system that is configured to manufacture disc drive heads from a substrate. The dice system includes a first dicing station that includes a plurality of processing modules. The dice system also includes a control module separate and distinct from the first dicing station. The control module is adapted and configured to control functions of the first dicing station modules and is further capable of being positioned at a remote location from the first dicing station.  
       [0013] Another aspect of the present invention relates to a method of manufacturing a disc drive head from a substrate with a dice system. The system may include a first dicing station having a plurality of processing modules, a drive train, and a control module separate and distinct from the first dicing station. The method may include the steps of moving the substrate from one processing module to another processing module of the dicing station with the drive train, and controlling functions of the plurality of processing modules of the first dicing station with the control module to form a disc drive head from the substrate.  
       [0014] According to a yet further aspect of the present invention, a modular dicing system includes at least one modular dicing station with a plurality of features and modules. The at least one dicing station includes a drive train, first and second load-unload modules, a cutting module, and a cleaning module. The cutting and cleaning modules may be operatively coupled to the feed drive train and the first and second load-unload modules. The dicing system may also include control means for controlling the at least one modular dicing station. The control means may be separate and distinct from the at least one modular dicing station and may be capable of being positioned at a remote location from the first dicing station.  
       [0015] These and various other features as well as advantages which characterize the present invention will be apparent from a reading of the following detailed description and a review of the associated drawings.  
     
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
     [0016]FIG. 1 illustrates one example of a modular dice system according to an embodiment of the present invention.  
     [0017]FIG. 2 illustrates another example of a modular dice system wherein several dicing stations are managed by a central control module according to another embodiment of the present invention.  
     [0018]FIG. 3 illustrates an example of a single dicing station based modular dice system according to one possible embodiment of the present invention.  
     [0019]FIG. 4 illustrates a configurational, detailed schematic of a modular dicing station according to the present invention.  
     [0020]FIG. 5 illustrates an embodiment of computing systems used as part of a control island according to an example embodiment of the present invention.  
     [0021]FIG. 6 illustrates an embodiment of computing systems used as part of a modular manufacturing processing module according to an example embodiment of the present invention.  
     [0022]FIG. 7 illustrates a set of processing modules used as part of a control island according to an example embodiment of the present invention.  
     [0023]FIG. 8 illustrates a set of processing modules used as part of a modular manufacturing processing module according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.  
     [0024]FIG. 9 illustrates an operational flowchart corresponding to a modular dicing system according to one embodiment of the present invention.  
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
     [0025] The present invention provides a modular dice system and method of manufacturing a disc drive head. The present invention is configured with a plurality of modular stations, such as the cut, clean, and vision stations if desired, allowing state of the art technology upgrades to the system over time without having to replace the entire system. The present invention also substantially eliminates data I/O, control, and consumables redundancy by consolidating these basic functions in a central location. Further, the present invention may control multiple dice tool machines from a centrally located source, providing better control of software versions and machine states, which reduces process variability and increases control.  
     [0026]FIG. 1 illustrates one example of a modular dice system according to an embodiment of the present invention. The modular dice system includes a control island  1 , a communication means or network  2 , and a plurality of dicing stations  3 - 6 . The control island  1  includes a power module  13 , a data I/O module  14 , and a consumable control (“other”) module  15 . The control island further includes a computing system  11  communicatively coupled to a database  12 . Computing system  11  may be coupled to a monitor  20  and a keyboard  22  to provide an interface for an operation of the entire modular dice system. The control island  1  controls and communicates with the dicing stations  3 - 6  through the communication network  2 . In other words, all control signals generated by the control island  1  are transmitted over the network  2  (which may be, for example, a localized network, a wide area network, or the Internet) and are received and processed at the dicing stations  3 - 6 . A detailed description of how one dicing station embodiment of the present invention operates and is configured within a system is provided in the discussion below with respect to FIG. 3.  
     [0027]FIG. 2 illustrates a high-level schematic of an example modular dice system  200  wherein several dicing stations  290   1 - 290   N  are managed by a central control island module  250 . The dicing stations  290   1 - 290   N  are operatively coupled to control island module  250  via a plurality of operational control channels  255   1 - 255   N . The operational control channels  255   1 - 255   N  include data I/O and power transmission lines and coupling control means to transport consumable products to a desired location within a given cutting stage  290   1 - 290   N .  
     [0028] Each dicing station  290   1 - 290   N  is configured and operates the same as a dice system  100  shown and described with reference to FIG. 3. Thus, the system  200  is similar to the system  100  shown in FIG. 3 except that the single control island  250  drives and provides the power, system control, data processing, networking, database and consumable maintenance functionality for multiple dicing stations  290   1 - 290   N.    
     [0029]FIG. 3 illustrates an example of a modular dice system  100  having a single dicing station. The modular dice system  100  includes a vision module  120  coupled to a cutting module  130  by a monitoring signal transmission channel  121 , a first load-unload module  140 A, and a second load-unload module  140 B, a cleaning module  160 , and a feed drive train  180 . The modular dice system  100  further includes a control module or control island  150 .  
     [0030] The modular dice system  100  further includes a part carrier  115  supported by the feed drive train  180  and configured to carry a row bar through the system  100 . FIG. 3 illustrates an undiced row bar  115 A and a row bar  115 B being cut into a plurality of row bar elements in the cutting module  130 , a plurality of row bar elements  115 C being cleaned in the cleaning module  160 , and a plurality of cut and cleaned row bar elements  115 D. The cutting module  130  includes a cut stage device  131  for dicing the undiced row bar  115 A into a plurality of row bar elements. One skilled in the art can appreciate that the cut stage device  131  can be implemented with one or a combination of parting systems. In one embodiment, for example, the cut stage device  131  is implemented as a wire saw.  
     [0031] The control island of the present invention may include a power source, and may also include control, networking and analysis/database functions. The control island may also be configured to control consumables, such as cut coolant/slurry or cleaning solvents, used, for example, in the cutting and cleaning modules. The control island  150  includes a power module  151 , a data I/O module  152 , and a consumable module  153 . In one embodiment of the present invention control island  150  can provide these functions for multiple cut stations (for example, see control island  250  of system  200 ). The cleaning module  160  may include multiple cleaning stage devices  161   1 - 161   N  for cleaning the plurality of row bar elements  115 C.  
     [0032] Operation of the modular dice system  100  may be initiated after an operator of system  100  places a stack of uncut row bars  115 A into a feed magazine  110  that is positioned at a first end  181  of feed drive train  180 . In some embodiments, filling and positioning of the feed magazine  110  at the first end  181  of the drive train  180  is performed by an automated process. After the magazine  110  is properly filled and positioned at the first end  181 , a bar carrier  115  engages an uncut row bar  115 A and the control island  150  commands the feed drive train  180  to move the carrier and the uncut row bar  115 A through the system  100 .  
     [0033] When the carrier  115  is moved into a position adjacent the load-unload module  140 A, the control island  150  commands the load-unload module  140 A to vertically translate the uncut row bar  115 B to a cutting position adjacent the cut stage device  131  of the cutting module  130 . The cut stage device  131  is then used to cut the undiced row bar  115 B when the control island  150 , via data I/O module  152 , transmits the appropriate control signal to the cutting module  130 . The vision module  120  monitors the cutting process via monitoring signal transmission channel  121 , and transmits the resulting data signal to the control island  150 . The control island  150  processes this data signal and provides guidance to the cut stage device  131  with appropriate control signals.  
     [0034] Once the uncut row bar  115 B undergoes dicing at the cutting module  130 , the load-unload module  140 A returns the resulting plurality of row bar elements  115 B to the feed drive train  180 . The plurality of row bar elements  115 B are translated through the system  100  until the carrier engages the second load-unload module  140 B. The load-unload module  140 B vertically translates the plurality of row bar elements  115 C to a position in cleaning module  160  adjacent at least one cleaning stage device  161   1 - 161   N . The control island  150  then commands the at least one cleaning stage device  161   1 - 161   N  to begin cleaning the plurality of row bar elements  115 C. When necessary, the control island  150  controls consumable module  153  to dispense necessary consumables, such as cleaning solutions, to ensure proper functioning of the cleaning module  160 . Upon completion of the cleaning process, the control island  150  transmits control signals driving the second load-unload module  140 B to return the plurality of cleaned row bar elements  115 D to the feed drive train  180 . The plurality of cleaned row bar elements  115 D are then translated to the end of the feed drive train  180  where a finished product receptacle  170  (for example, an exit cassette or a magazine) receives elements  115 D at a second end  182  of the feed drive train  180 . The finished product receptacle  170  is then automatically or manually removed.  
     [0035]FIG. 4 illustrates a modular dicing system  400  that is a detailed version of the system  100  shown in FIG. 3. The modular dice system  400  may include a dicing station that includes a vision module  120  coupled to a cutting module  130  by a monitoring signal transmission channel, a first load-unload module  140 A, a second load-unload module  140 B, a cleaning module  160 , and feed drive train  180 . The modular dice system  400  further includes a control module or control island  150 . The system  400  may further include a part carrier  115  coupled to the feed drive train, whereby an undiced row bar, a plurality of row bar elements, a plurality of cleaned row bar elements, or sliders, as the case may be at various stages of in the process, are translated through the system  400 .  
     [0036] The cutting module  130  includes a cut stage device for dicing an undiced row bar (not shown) into a plurality of row bar elements (not shown). The control island  150  contains power, control software, networking and analysis/database functions, as well as control of consumables such as cut coolant/slurry or cleaning solvents. The control island  150  is operatively and communicatively coupled to the vision module  120 , the cutting module  130 , the first and second load-unload modules  140 A and  140 B, the cleaning module  160 , and the feed drive train  180 . This coupling is implemented by coupling network lines  455  that extend throughout the system. The network lines  455  enable the control island  150  to, for example, control the modules and supply the necessary consumables for the system  400 .  
     [0037]FIG. 5 illustrates an embodiment of computing systems that may be used as part of a control island (such as control islands  1  and  150  discussed above) according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. The computing systems may include a master controller processing system  500  that is connected to a WAN/LAN or other communications network via a network interface unit  510 . Those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that network interface unit  510  includes the necessary circuitry for connecting a processing system to WAN/LAN, and is constructed for use with various communication protocols including the TCP/IP protocol. Typically, network interface unit  510  is a card contained within the processing system  500 .  
     [0038] The processing system  500  may also include a processing unit  512 , a video display adapter  514 , and a mass memory, all connected via bus  522 . The mass memory generally includes RAM  516 , ROM  522 , and one or more permanent mass storage devices, such as a hard disc drive  528 , a tape drive (not shown), CDROM/DVD-ROM drive  526 , and/or a floppy disc drive (not shown). The mass memory stores an operating system  520  (shown, for example, as part of RAM  516 ) for controlling the operation of master controller processing system  500 . It will be appreciated that operating system  520  may include a general purpose server operating system known to those of ordinary skill in the art, such as UNIX, LINUX™, MAC OS®, or Microsoft WINDOWS NT®. A basic input/output system (“BIOS”)  518  (shown, for example, as part of ROM  522 ) may also be provided for controlling the low-level operation of master controller processing system  500 .  
     [0039] The mass memory as described above illustrates may include another type of computer-readable media, namely computer storage media. Computer storage media may include volatile and nonvolatile, removable and non-removable media implemented using any method or technology for storage of information (such as computer readable instructions, data structures, program modules or other data). Examples of computer storage media include RAM, ROM, EEPROM, flash memory or other memory technology, CD-ROM, digital versatile discs (DVD) or other optical storage, magnetic cassettes, magnetic tape, magnetic disc storage or other magnetic storage devices, or any other medium which can be used to store the desired information and which can be accessed by a computing device.  
     [0040] The mass memory may also store program code and data that facilitate a master controller processing and network development. More specifically, the mass memory stores applications including a master controller processing module  530 , programs  534 , and other applications  536 . Processing module  530  includes computer executable instructions that, when executed by master controller processing system  500 , perform the logic described above.  
     [0041] The processing system  500  may also include an input/output interface  524  for communicating with external devices, such as a mouse, keyboard, scanner, or other input devices not shown in FIG. 5. Likewise, master controller processing system  500  may further include additional mass storage facilities such as CD-ROM/DVD-ROM drive  526  and hard disc drive  528 . Hard disc drive  528  is utilized by master controller processing system  500  to store, among other things, application programs, databases, and program data used by master controller processing module  530 . For example, customer databases, product databases, image databases, and relational databases may be stored in hard disc drive  528  and CD-ROM/DVD-ROM drive  526 . The operation and implementation of these databases is well known to those skilled in the art.  
     [0042] One skilled in the art may readily recognize that a processing system  500  may possess only a subset of the components described and still remain within the spirit and scope of the present invention. For example, in one embodiment, the mass storage devices for the master controller processing system  500  may be eliminated with all of the data storage being provided by solid state memory. Programming modules may be stored in ROM or EEPROM memory for more permanent storage where the programming modules consist of firmware that is loaded or updated infrequently. Similarly, many of the user interface devices such as input devices and display devices may not be required in an embedded processing system.  
     [0043] Each of the modular manufacturing modules discussed above typically do not require a general purpose processing (for example, system  500  shown in FIG. 5) that is used for a control island. Rather, these manufacturing modules use an embedded processing system to support the specialized processing requirements of each particular manufacturing module.  
     [0044] In one embodiment of the present invention, each of the modules discussed above with reference to FIGS.  2 - 4  include a common embedded computing module. This embedded computing module provides programmatic control over the particular manufacturing devices (i.e. vision module  120 , first and second body/unload module  140 , cleaning module  160  and feed drive train  180 ). The control island  250  (see FIG. 2) communicates with each embedded computing module  601  in each manufacturing device in order to command the operation of the individual modular manufacturing modules.  
     [0045] An exemplary system embedded computing module  601  includes a processing unit  611  coupled to a RAM  614  and a non-volatile memory  615 , a system bus (not shown) that couples various system components to each other, a network interface  612 , and a module control interface module  613 . The computing module  601  may receive signals  602  from the control island via the communication network. Likewise, the computing module  601  may control connection of the modular manufacturing module  613  via connection  603   
     [0046] A number of program modules may be stored on the RAM  614  or non-volatile memory  615 . Generally, program modules include routines, programs, objects, components, data structures, etc. that perform particular tasks or implement particular abstract data types. Typically, the functionality of the program modules may be combined or distributed as desired in various embodiments. One exemplary function of a program module or an application module according to one embodiment of the current invention includes performing a self-test or safety monitoring functions. It can be appreciated by one skilled in the art that there are a multitude of different, more or less complex configurations of a general purpose computing system that may have embedded within it a computing system similar to computing module  601 , such that it need not be shown or discussed in further detail.  
     [0047]FIG. 7 illustrates a set of processing modules used as part of a control island  701  according to an example embodiment of the present invention. The control island includes a user I/F (i.e., interface) module  722 , a control process module  721 , power control I/F module  725 , data I/O I/F module  726 , a consumable control I/F module  727 , a process error monitoring module  724 , and a process scheduling module  723 . The control island  701  may further include a database  725 . A user interacts with the control island through a monitor  711  and a keyboard  712  that are coupled to the user I/F module  722 . The control island communicates and receives power control, data I/O and consumable control signals from the various dicing stations over transmission lines  715 ,  716  and  717 , respectively.  
     [0048] The control process module  721  is coupled to and communicates with the process error monitoring module  724 , which senses when internal process errors occur and communicates such back to the control process module  721 . The control process module  721  is also coupled to and communicates with the process scheduling module  723 , which works with the control process module  721  to properly schedule processing of the plurality of commands and communications between the control island  701  and other modules. The database  725  relates to operation and components for the various modular manufacturing modules and is maintained within the control island  701 . The database  725  is coupled to the control process module  721 , and stores the data that the control process module  721  needs to properly operate.  
     [0049]FIG. 8 represents an example set of processing modules used as part of a modular manufacturing processing module  801 . The processing module  801  may include a data network I/F module  812 , a module error and safety control module  813 , a module consumable flow control module  816 , a module manufacturing control output module  815 , and a modular manufacturing input module  814 , each communicatively coupled to a modular manufacturing module processing module  811 . The modular manufacturing module processing module  811  processes the data from each module and transmits appropriate control signals to each module to ensure proper overall manufacturing performance.  
     [0050] The data network I/F module  812  receives signals  802  from the control island via the communication network. The module  812  then sends the processed signal to the modular manufacturing module processing module  811  for further processing. The module error and safety control module  813  monitors the system for errors during processing. The control module  813  is also responsible for monitoring the dicing system for unsafe scenarios and alerting the modular manufacturing module processing module  811  if such unsafe scenarios arises. In turn, the processing module  811  would inform the control island of such conditions.  
     [0051] The modular manufacturing input module  814 , receives input from a dicing system (not shown) via a data line  803 , and routes the signal to the modular manufacturing module processing module  811 . The modular manufacturing control output module  815  receives control signals from the modular manufacturing module processing module  811 , and after processing routes the signal into the dicing system (not shown) via data line  804 . The module consumable flow control module  816  receives control signals from the modular manufacturing module processing module  811  related to the release of system consumables, and routes the control signal via data line  805  to the dicing system (not shown).  
     [0052]FIG. 9 illustrates an operational flowchart  900  corresponding to a modular dicing system according to one embodiment of the present invention. The operational process begins when the system is powered “on” in a Start stage ( 905 ). An operator of the system may then place a magazine of row bars at the entrance end of the dicing station and a row bar is engaged by a carrier and received by the feeding module ( 910 ). The carrier carrying the row bar is coupled to the feed drive train and is transferred by the drive train to the load-unload module where the row bar and carrier are loaded into the load-unload module ( 915 ). The row bar is then vertically translated to a cut engagement area ( 920 ), which is disposed adjacent the cut stage device. The cut stage device then begins slicing the row bar into a plurality of smaller row bar elements ( 925 ). The first load-unload module then lowers the carrier, which is carrying the plurality of row bar elements, to the feed drive train ( 930 ). Thereafter, the carrier continues to translate the row bar elements to the second load-unload module ( 935 ).  
     [0053] The carrier and row bar elements are then loaded into the second load-unload module ( 940 ), and the row bar elements are vertically translated to a cleaning stage area ( 945 ), which is disposed adjacent a cleaning stage device. The plurality of row bar elements are then cleaned and processed by the cleaning device ( 950 ). After being cleaned, the plurality of cleaned row bar elements are lowered by the second load-unload module lowers the carrier to the feed drive train ( 955 ). Thereafter, the carrier continues to translate the cleaned row bar elements to the Exit stage ( 960 ), wherein the carrier places the elements in an exit receptacle.  
     [0054] The embodiments described herein are implemented as logical operations performed by a computer. The logical operations of these various embodiments of the present invention are implemented (1) as a sequence of computer implemented steps or program modules running on a computing system and/or (2) as interconnected machine modules or hardware logic within the computing system. The implementation is a matter of choice dependent on the performance requirements of the computing system implementing the invention. Accordingly, the logical operations making up the embodiments of the invention described herein can be variously referred to as operations, steps, or modules.  
     [0055] While the above embodiments of the present invention describe a modular dice system for slider bar parting, one skilled in the art will recognize that the processing systems discussed above are merely example embodiments of the present invention. As long as modular manufacturing processing and fabrication is used, the present invention may be configured for use in other data processing systems. It is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and operational changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention as recited in the attached claims.  
     [0056] As such, the foregoing description of the exemplary embodiments of the invention has been presented for the purposes of illustration and description. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed. Many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching. It is intended that the scope of the invention be limited not with this detailed description, but rather by the claims appended hereto. Since many embodiments of the invention can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, the invention resides in the claims hereinafter appended.