News Release from: Royce Instruments
Edited by the Electronicstalk Editorial Team on 25 July 2005
Die handling system cuts production bottleneck
A novel fully automated handling system picks die from diced 300mm wafers and transfers them to die carriers, such as waffle packs, GelPaks etc.
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Royce Instruments has developed a novel fully automated handling system for picking die from diced 300mm wafers and transferring them to die carriers, such as waffle packs, GelPaks etc. Called AutoPlacer, the new system incorporates a number of design and engineering enhancements to Royce's signature A45 system and offers customers a number of tangible benefits such as reduced cycle times associated with die handling, improved die-to-wafer traceability and reduced operator time for setup and system monitoring. 'Foremost, while maintaining cost-effective system pricing, we have designed the AutoPlacer with more accuracy and speed, which results in faster die-handling performance', commented Malcolm Cox, President and CEO of Royce Instruments.
'The throughput of the new system approaches 3000 units per hour (dry cycle), which is relatively fast for automatic die handling in the medium system price range, leading to a quicker return on investment for customers'.
For assembly operations, faster throughput in die handling enables cycle-time reductions.
compared with the Royce A45, the AutoPlacer delivers an approximate 50% reduction in cycle time.
The AutoPlacer system determines die selection from a wafer-map, a serpentine pattern without binning or the presence (or absence) of ink marks on die.
compared with most die-handling systems on the market, the AutoPlacer provides greater flexibility in die binning setup.
Through software control and drag-and-drop functionality, a specification bin can contain any of the 16 available die trays.
'This capability is particularly advantageous when die yield high to one bin code; assigning more trays to a bin that will receive a larger number of die means that the die-handling operation will not require as much operator intervention to unload trays as they fill up', noted Cox.
'Simply stated, we have put more flexible and intelligent use of bin trays on the AutoPlacer'.
The AutoPlacer also includes automatic generation of output maps for interrupted runs.
If a wafer is in process and is partially picked on receipt of another high priority job, the wafer can be removed and the high priority job started.
Later, the output map can be loaded with a full record of the die left on the wafer to be picked.
The software capability of the AutoPlacer also enables the distribution of bin codes on a wafer to correlate to tray output distribution.
'This feature maintains die traceability for better process control', said Cox.
The output file contains data for each placed die; including the original location on the wafer and the pocket number of the actual placement.
'When the die sort is complete, engineers have a stored record of where the die in a pocket of a waffle pack came from on the wafer'.
'When defects during subsequent inspections or device failures occur, the die can be traced back to a bin code and a precise location on the wafer, which helps to achieve faster process correction and yield improvements', Cox continued.
The design of the AutoPlacer has been enhanced with a flexible platform that facilitates fast changeovers when switching product die types, including the die eject head, the pickup tip, the wafer holder, alignment components and recipe setting.
'This is a cost savings to production operations', Cox said.
'One die handling system can be used more universally with less down time for system setup changes'.
'With our ability to quickly change between wafer and die types, we have eliminated the tendency for the pick-and-place process to be a bottleneck in assembly production'.
With the AutoPlacer, Royce has brought its years of experience in handling small and fragile die into play.
The AutoPlacer includes a range of die-edge, curved, pyramid and other die 'grippers' that can be matched to many different die-handling requirements.
For example, with very small die that are difficult to pick up, the AutoPlacer has a tungsten carbide tip with a vacuum hole less than 5 mils in diameter.
This, along with its stage motion control, helps to pick-and-place die down to 8 mils square into small pockets in waffle packs repeatedly.
The AutoPlacer includes a hinged full enclosure safety cover and a side mounted monitor and keyboard that allows an operator to make changes to recipes and initiate runs while seated or standing.
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