Click here to enlarge image
By Gail Flower, Editor-in-Chief
(March 18, 2008) SHANGHAI — Fort Washington, PA-based Kulicke & Soffa Industries, Inc. launched two next-generation wire bonders just after SEMICON China opened for public viewing. Representatives from the Chinese government and from SEMICON China gave welcoming speeches, as did Christian Rheault, senior VP equipment segment of K&S. Four beautiful women dressed in traditional red costumes held the long ribbon for the three speakers to cut before revealing the new machines to an excited audience. China represented the right setting to introduce these two bonders in a country which would use more of them for interconnecting advanced packages than at any other locale.
One wire bonder is IConnPS High Performance, which replaces the current Maxumultra. This high performance bonder address the need for accuracy in future challenges demanded by the latest and future packaging technology. It has +/- 2.0um accuracy for sub-35 um ultra fine pitch requirements, advanced looping processes, automatic self-teaching Bond Integrity Test System (Auto BITS), and programmable focus optics for complex stacked-die packages.
The other system is the ConnXPS High Speed Wire Bonder, which replaces the Maxumelite. This bonder emphasizes speed and throughput for use in interconnecting lower pin count ICs and LEDs. The ConnX PS has +/- 3.0um accuracy, look-ahead vision algorithms to align and bond simultaneously, and programmable red/blue illumination.
Both wire bonders have a "PS" superscripted title to signify that they are part of K&S's Power Series product line with fast speed and high accuracy over a large bondable area. To fit a major market location, a Chinese character symbol for "Li" will be used with the product name to indicate power and strength also.
"The market is cautious now," says Rheault. "However, there is no better time to introduce wire bonders that can increase performance and lower the cost while improving accuracy into the market than the present." Both the IConn PS and ConnX PS have larger 80 mm bondable area and advanced control systems. Both have programmable power supply systems. They meet future needs by including features for bonding the latest stacked die, Lowk, and multi-tiered packages. The advanced loop and low-loop are premium processes for defining loop shapes. These new bonders are still being qualified by customers, however shipments begin with the June 2008 quarter.
Judging by the crowd's focused interest while viewing the overhead video and then photographing the new equipment, the ConnX PS and IConnPS, the market is ripe for innovative change for future growth.
| 
Web Exclusives 
Add RSS Feed
