A method of operating vacuum processing equipment that includes multiple sets
of
apparatus for performing a succession of different processes on individual wafers,
an apparatus for transporting said wafers, and an apparatus for controlling said
processing apparatus sets and said transport apparatus, and has at least two sets
of wafer processing routes including multiple sets of said processing apparatus;
wherein it is possible to judge whether each set of said processing apparatus for
performing various processes is in a valid or invalid status for operation, to
electrically disconnect only the processing apparatus whose operational status
has been judged to be invalid, to reconstruct said processing routes by using the
processing apparatus whose operational status has been judged to be valid, and
to process said wafers by using only said processing apparatus which is valid for operation.
