Patent ID: 8747052

Claim:
A method comprising: rotating a boat transfer unit (BTU) arm carrying a boat containing a plurality of parts from an initial position to a first position that is below a process chamber, wherein the BTU arm engages a boat support that supports the boat and moves the boat support from the initial position to the first position, the initial position being in a front area of a housing with respect to the process chamber, wherein the boat support includes a slot and the BTU arm engages the boat support by moving into the slot; moving the BTU arm upward with the boat support engaged to a second position such that the boat partially enters the process chamber at a distance D with respect to an entrance opening of the process chamber; engaging an elevator arm carrying a pedestal from a rear area of the housing with respect to the process chamber to a lower side of the boat support; moving the BTU arm away from the second position to disengage from the boat support by moving the BTU arm out of the slot; and moving the elevator arm upward to fully insert the boat inside the process chamber.