A system for handling wafers, each wafer having a periphery, an underside, an upper surface and a surface area, the system comprising: a wafer table assembly comprising a wafer table providing a planar wafer table surface configured for carrying a wafer, the wafer table assembly configured for selectively applying one of: (i) a negative pressure to the underside of the wafer for retaining the wafer on the wafer table surface; and (ii) a positive pressure to the underside of the wafer after cessation of the application of the negative pressure to the wafer for facilitating release of the wafer from the wafer table surface; a flattening apparatus configured for automatically applying a set of downward forces to portions of a warped or non-planar wafer disposed on the wafer table surface in a direction normal to the wafer table surface, the flattening apparatus comprising a plurality of tip elements, wherein the tip elements are (a) collectively displaceable to multiple distinct positions transverse to and towards or away from a vertical axis perpendicular to the wafer table surface, and (b) selectively contactable with the warped or non-planar wafer on the wafer table surface at peripheral portions of the upper surface of the warped or non-planar wafer; and wherein the flattening apparatus eliminates a need for manual intervention when the warped or non-planar wafer cannot be reliably retained on the wafer table surface as a result of the wafer's warpage or non-planarity. a wafer table assembly comprising a wafer table providing a planar wafer table surface configured for carrying a wafer, the wafer table assembly configured for selectively applying one of: (i) a negative pressure to the underside of the wafer for retaining the wafer on the wafer table surface; and (ii) a positive pressure to the underside of the wafer after cessation of the application of the negative pressure to the wafer for facilitating release of the wafer from the wafer table surface; (i) a negative pressure to the underside of the wafer for retaining the wafer on the wafer table surface; and (ii) a positive pressure to the underside of the wafer after cessation of the application of the negative pressure to the wafer for facilitating release of the wafer from the wafer table surface; a flattening apparatus configured for automatically applying a set of downward forces to portions of a warped or non-planar wafer disposed on the wafer table surface in a direction normal to the wafer table surface, the flattening apparatus comprising a plurality of tip elements, wherein the tip elements are (a) collectively displaceable to multiple distinct positions transverse to and towards or away from a vertical axis perpendicular to the wafer table surface, and (b) selectively contactable with the warped or non-planar wafer on the wafer table surface at peripheral portions of the upper surface of the warped or non-planar wafer; and (a) collectively displaceable to multiple distinct positions transverse to and towards or away from a vertical axis perpendicular to the wafer table surface, and (b) selectively contactable with the warped or non-planar wafer on the wafer table surface at peripheral portions of the upper surface of the warped or non-planar wafer; and wherein the flattening apparatus eliminates a need for manual intervention when the warped or non-planar wafer cannot be reliably retained on the wafer table surface as a result of the wafer's warpage or non-planarity.