Patent ID: 7480976

Claim:
A system for manufacturing a sputtering target, comprising: a robotic part handling sub system; an optional weighing sub system adapted to measure the weight of a pre-finished and/or finished sputtering target; a machining sub system adapted to finish machine a pre-finished sputtering target; a cleaning sub system adapted to clean a pre-finished sputtering target; an optional inspection sub system adapted to measure dimensions of a pre-finished and/or finished sputtering target; a feedback control sub system adapted to provide control signals to one or more of the robotic part handling sub system, the weighing sub system, the cleaning sub system, and/or the inspection sub system to control processing performed by one or more of the sub systems; and wherein the weighing sub system is present and is adapted to compare the actual measured weight of a prefinished or finished sputtering target with an expected weight or previously recorded weight for the same sputtering target as stored in the feedback control sub system, and wherein said weighing sub system further includes a marking device adapted to mark a prefinished or finished sputtering target.