Patent ID: 8210121

Claim:
An apparatus for forming an alignment layer comprising: at least one alignment layer forming line having a plurality of alignment layer forming units; a plurality of alignment material coating devices disposed at each alignment layer forming unit and configured to coat an alignment material on a substrate of the corresponding alignment layer forming units; at least one alignment material supplying unit having a plurality of second alignment material containers for supplying the alignment material to each alignment material coating device; a central supplying unit connected to the at least alignment material supplying unit and having at least one first alignment material container for supplying the alignment material to the at least one alignment material supplying unit; a supplying pipe configured to connect the at least one alignment material supplying unit to the central supplying unit; and a controller configured to measure the remnant amount of alignment material of the at least one alignment material supplying unit so as to supply the alignment material in the first alignment material container to the plurality of second alignment material containers via the supplying pipe when the measured remnant amount of the alignment material is smaller than a minimum amount thereof, and to measure the remnant amount of the alignment material in the central supplying unit so as to replace the first alignment material container with a new first alignment material container fully filled with the alignment material when the remnant amount of the alignment material in the central supplying unit is smaller than the minimum amount thereof.