Clean robots
Robots specialized for semiconductors, panels, and pharmaceutical cleanrooms—the core metric is dust generation rather than speed. Clean SCARA and clean six-axis robotic arms (manipulators) are the mainstream forms. This page provides a detailed explanation of its system configuration, selection parameters, and common issues, along with an index of the 39 models in our website's database.
Clean robot: a robotic arm born to "prevent dust production."
What is a clean robot?
Clean robots (customers often search for "clean robotic arm," "cleanroom manipulator," "wafer handling robot") are specially designed forCleanroom (cleanroom) environmentDesigned industrial robots serving industries such as semiconductor wafer manufacturing, panels (LCD/OLED), photovoltaic cells, biomedicine, and precision optics. Its core metric is not speed or load, but ratherDust generation and cleanliness grade— Ordinary robotic arms release grease particles and wear particles when joints move; a 0.1μm dust drop on a wafer can scrap a chip.
Clean design runs throughout the entire machine:Sealed joints(Lubricating oil does not leak, particles do not escape),Surface cleaning treatment(Stainless steel / special coating, resistant to IPA and hydrogen peroxide wiping disinfection),Cable routing is hollow inside(Fully built-in cable air pipes to reduce dust accumulation and dead corners),Low dust generation materials(Cable sheath and sealing ring materials selected). According to cleanliness grades, ISO Class 4–6 is common (corresponding to the old standards Class 100/1000), with the highest requirements for semiconductor front-end and pharmaceutical A/B levels.
| Form | Structure | Typical uses |
|---|---|---|
| Clean SCARA | Horizontal quad-axis, sealed body | Panel/photovoltaic loading and unloading, pharmaceutical boxing, precision assembly |
| Cleanse six axles | Six-axis sealing robotic arm | Wafer box handling (FOUP) and complex posture assembly |
| Wafer Handling Dedicated (EFEM) | Direct drive vacuum manipulator + atmospheric manipulator | Semiconductor front-end modules in conjunction with EFEM equipment front-end modules |
| Clean Delta | Parallel structure, top drive away from the clean zone | High-speed sorting and boxing of food and medicine |
Key points for selecting clean robots
| Parameters | Typical range | Project description |
|---|---|---|
| Cleanliness grade | ISO Class 4–6 | Selection based on the cleanroom level where the process is located, complete machine certification (e.g., FED-STD-209E/ISO 14644) |
| Load | 2–50kg (wafer handling 2–10kg) | FOUP (Wafer Container) Approximately 5kg per full box; Panel handling requires heavy load SCARAs |
| Armspan | 500–2000mm | EFEM internal transport has a short operation cycle and extremely high precision requirements |
| Repeatability | ±0.005–±0.02mm | Core indicators for wafer alignment and glass substrate pick-and-place |
| Disinfection resistance | Resistant to IPA/hydrogen peroxide/VHP | Essential inspection for pharmaceutical cleanrooms: surface coatings and sealing rings are resistant to vaporization and hydrogen peroxide sterilization |
| Installation method | Formal / Inverted / Wall mounting | EFEM and equipment embedded installation are common flip-side installations, so the reducer lubrication scheme must be verified |
Vacuum manipulator: a special branch of the Clean family
The wafer in the semiconductor front-end (etching, CVD, ion implantation) is located in the semiconductor front-endVacuum chamberThe transmission between them is usedVacuum manipulator— The entire arm operates in a vacuum environment; lubrication, material venting rate, and motor cooling are all designed according to vacuum specifications, working in coordination with the atmosphere-side EFEM manipulator to complete the "vacuum-atmospheric" transition. This is the most accessible branch of clean robots, and our site offers repair and second-hand services for such equipment.
Eight major business areas covered in clean scenarios
What can we do for you?
Applied technology services: Cleanroom solutions, EFEM integration, wafer/panel handling programming—see details for detailsWafer handling applications。
New and second-hand machine sales: Stäubli CLEAN series, Epson Clean SCARA, Yaskawa clean dedicated series, FANUC clean dedicated models (C/F versions), etc. Used units come with cleanliness ratings and sealing test reports.
Maintenance and repair: Maintenance of unique issues in clean working conditions—seal aging and dust generation exceeding standards, deterioration of reducer grease, and cable sheath powder formation; Post-maintenance cleanliness verification.
Upgrade and renovation: Upgraded sealing kits for older models, controller replacements, and vacuum manipulators refurbished.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are clean robots and industrial robotic arms the same as "clean robotic arms"?
Both Clean SCARA and Clean Six-Axis are robotic arm forms; customers can search for "clean robotic arm" or "cleanroom manipulator" without issue. However, note that wafer handling also includes vacuum robotic arms (flat direct-drive structures, which don't resemble "arms")—they all belong to the category of clean robots. Industrial robots are not all arm-shaped, and this category is a good example.
Can a regular robotic arm with a protective cover enter a cleanroom?
It can't be replaced, at most it's a temporary transition. The cleanroom assessment isThe whole machine generates dust: Joint sealing of ordinary arms, grease evaporation, and dust generated by cable friction cannot be solved by the cover alone, and the protective cover itself will accumulate dust. The official plan must use original cleanliness certified models (ISO Class 4–6), and the pharmaceutical area must also verify disinfectant-resistant materials.
What special requirements do robots have for the pharmaceutical industry?
In addition to cleanliness grade, GMP-related verification is also required: materials must withstand VHP (vaporized hydrogen peroxide) sterilization, surfaces must be clean without dead corners, lubricants must meet NSF H1 food-grade/pharmaceutical contact requirements, and equipment must be supported by IQ/OQ/PQ verification documents. Our pharmaceutical solutions provide verification packages based on GAMP5 approaches.
What are the maintenance considerations for clean robots?
Three key points differ from ordinary arms: (1) Lubricating grease must be usedOEM cleaning greaseOrdinary lithium-based grease volatilizes and generates dust; (2) Retest after replacing the sealDust production(Particle counter validation); (3) Maintenance work must be carried out in a clean environment, and maintenance personnel should dress according to cleanroom procedures. Our maintenance services include cleanliness re-inspection stages.
This site is in the warehouse clean robot (39 models)
Browse by brand
Below are representative models in this functional category in our database (matched by process label, cross-structural form). Click to view specifications, technical explanations, and maintenance points. For the complete model list, please see each brand's page.
ABB (1 model)
KUKA (23 models)
Kawasaki (8 models)
Stäubli (3 models)
Epson (2 styles)
Inovance Technology (2 styles)
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