Installation docking pedestal for pre-facilitation of wafer fabrication equipment

Abstract

The present invention provides support apparatus for manufacturing equipment comprising a support pedestal having (1) a plurality of support legs, including at least one support leg aligned to each one of a plurality of load-bearing mounting feet found on the bottom of the manufacturing equipment to be supported by the pedestal, and a frame disposed on the plurality of support legs; and/or (2) a frame with an outline which substantially duplicates the bottom outline of the manufacturing equipment to be supported, and a plurality of support legs coupled to the frame. The support apparatus additionally may comprise at least one facilities connection locator fixedly mounted to the support frame so as to provide facilities connection locations for aligning facilities supply lines to the manufacturing equipment.

The invention claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method for providing installation of manufacturing equipment at a factory location, the equipment having a bottom outline and a plurality of mounting feet disposed along the bottom outline, comprising the steps of: 
 defining a datum point at the factory location;    defining a plurality of facilities connection point locations for manufacturing equipment support apparatus based on the datum point;    pre-facilitating the factory location to the plurality of facilities connection point locations;    installing manufacturing equipment support apparatus comprising a plurality of support legs including at least one support leg adapted to align to each one of the manufacturing equipment's plurality of mounting feet and a frame disposed on the plurality of support legs, the frame having a frame outline which substantially duplicates the bottom outline of the manufacturing equipment, the support frame having a plurality of pre-defined facilities connection points located at the facilities connection point locations; and    installing the manufacturing equipment on the manufacturing equipment support apparatus.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising pre-aligning the manufacturing equipment support apparatus to the datum point prior to the step of installing the manufacturing equipment support apparatus.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein defining a plurality of facilities connection point locations for manufacturing equipment support apparatus based on the datum point comprises the steps of: 
 designing manufacturing equipment support apparatus;  
 establishing a plurality of facilities connection points on the manufacturing equipment support apparatus;  
 creating a portable floor map of the factory location, the map including a mapping of the manufacturing equipment support apparatus and the plurality of facilities connection points; and  
 providing the portable floor map to the factory location for the pre-facilitating step.