Building a New Semiconductor Manufacturing Ecosystem.
The CHIPS and Science Act of 2022 has already generated hundreds of billions of dollars of public and private investment in the semiconductor industry in the United States. The goals are ambitious: bolster the entire domestic semiconductor production ecosystem, from materials to equipment to the semiconductors themselves.
Semiconductor production demands a wide range of specialized CNC machined parts for wafer manufacturing, oxidation, photolithography, etching, inspection, and more. These parts vary widely in complexity, size, and materials, and the right CNC equipment and knowledge is critical to manufacture them properly.
Whether you’re new to CNC machining for the semiconductor industry or you’re well-versed in making precision parts for the sector, here are a few things to keep in mind:
Precision is paramount.
For high-level semiconductor manufacturing, super-precise components are required for processes such as uniform chemical application or electrical property inspection. Special high-speed, high-precision machining solutions are often needed to optimize workpiece quality
Study up on new materials.
The semiconductor manufacturing process uses components made from a wide range of non-metal materials such as ceramics, quartz, polyurethane, and silicone carbide. Each of these materials come with their own unique machining challenges, especially when taking into consideration the tight tolerances demanded by the industry.
Eliminate multiple processes.
To maintain vacuum sealing, components such as semiconductor chamber housings have both complex geometries and tight tolerances. The best machining strategy minimizes multiple part setups to help maximize both precision and productivity.
It’s vital to be prepared to take advantage of current opportunities and ready your business for the future. Investing in the right CNC machining technology is critical for success in the semiconductor industry. Good news here: Ellison and our machine tool manufacturing partners have your back
Our partner, DN Solutions, is the largest supplier of CNC machine tools to the South Korean semiconductor industry. South Korea is a global powerhouse in semiconductor manufacturing, and over 80% of the CNC equipment used in this industry is made by DN Solutions. Ellison Technologies is uniquely positioned to help you take advantage of their decades of experience in this highly competitive field.
We’ve been around since 1955 and have a long track record in helping the industry achieve its goals. We work with DN Solutions and our carefully cultivated list of vendor partners to bring tailored semiconductor machining technology and turnkey solutions to your shop floor. Ellison has offices in 16 cities staffed with applications engineers that are ready to help you Make More.
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Precision, complexity, and specialization. Oh my!
Semiconductor production is an incredibly complex and precise manufacturing process that requires components made to the tightest tolerances. Here is a sample of a few applications and the technology that we provide our customers to help make them, as well as some additional considerations to keep in mind.
Application Name:
Vacuum Chambers and Housings
Materials:
Stainless steel or aluminum
Challenges:
- Larger parts that require high precision to maintain the vacuum condition
- Large billets with lots of material to be removed
- Smooth surface finish required
Recommended machine:
Application Name:
Vacuum Flanges and Clamps
Materials:
Stainless steel, aluminum, ceramics, Inconel
Challenges:
- Difficult to machine materials
- Lots of different sizes and configurations
- High precision needed across multiple part features
Recommended machine:
PUMA DNT/GT Turning Centers and Mynx Vertical Machining Centers
Application Name:
Heater Plates
Materials:
Stainless steel, ceramics, aluminum
Challenges:
- Difficult to machine materials
- Stringent flatness and surface finish requirements
- Additional machined features
Recommended machine:
Application Name:
Plating Consumables
Materials:
Copper, aluminum, titanium
Challenges:
- High precision temperature control
- High precision height measurements
- Automation needed for mass production
Recommended machine:
Application Name:
Quartz Boats
Materials:
Quartz
Challenges:
- Quartz is very hard and highly brittle
- Requires heat treatment between machining
- Small hole drilling
Recommended machine:
Application Name:
Molding Dies
Materials:
Various metals
Challenges:
- Ultra high precision
- Smooth surface finishes
- Fine holes for precise molding liquid injection
Recommended machine:
CNC MACHINING FOR THE SEMICONDUCTOR INDUSTRY
POSITION YOUR SHOP FOR GROWTH
- Get efficiency and accuracy you can count on
- Boost shop-wide capabilities
- Implement top-shelf automation
- Enjoy 24/7 lights out productivity
- Grow revenue and reputation steadily over time
Learn more about how Ellison can help you succeed in the Semiconductor Industry. Contact Us Today!
Machines that Make More
The right machine tools make it possible to make complex semiconductor manufacturing parts precisely and profitably. From our roster of hundreds of different machines, here are some that have consistently made the difference for our customers serving the industry.
NHM
Horizontal Machining Centers
- Manufacturer: DN Solutions
- Key takeaway: beefy boxway mills for big parts
- For bigger parts such as vacuum chambers and vacuum pump housings, the NHM Series delivers impressive rigidity, precision, and metal removal rates. Available with 500 to 800 mm (19.7” to 31.5”) pallets and maximum workpiece weights up to 2,000 kg (4,409 lbs), there is an NHM ready for any big job.
PUMA GT/DNT
Horizontal Turning Centers
- Manufacturer: DN Solutions
- Key takeaway: heavy duty lathes for flanges and clamps
- The highly rigid PUMA GT/DNT Series is ideal for machining a wide range of flanges and clamps from difficult-to-machine materials including stainless steels, ceramics, and Inconel. The powerful spindles and live tooling bring high productivity and flexibility for high-mix, low-volume applications.
DNM
Vertical Machining Centers
- Manufacturer: DN Solutions
- Key takeaway: flexible VMCs deliver precision and performance
- With over 30,000 machines installed worldwide, DNM Vertical Machining Centers have proven themselves in applications big and small. Available in many sizes and configurations, these versatile mills are capable of precisely machining materials from aluminum to stainless steel to ceramics.
PUMA
Vertical Turning Centers
- Manufacturer: DN Solutions
- Key takeaway: massive lathes for massive parts
- DN Solutions offers several series of vertical turning centers built for a wide range of large turning applications. Offering the best spindle power and torque ratings in their class, these machines are ideally suited for the heavy duty machining of precision large parts.
Mynx
Vertical Machining Centers
- Manufacturer: DN Solutions
- Key takeaway: massive lathes for massive parts
- The Mynx Series of vertical machining centers capably handles steel and hardened materials that make lesser machines cry. The high rigidity structure coupled with high power, high torque BIG-PLUS dual contact spindles deliver both the aggressive cutting and superior surface finishes that semiconductor shops demand.
BM
Bridge Mills
- Manufacturer: DN Solutions
- Key takeaway: double column machining centers for oversized applications
- Every feature on the BM Bridge Mills was designed and built for large part applications where high accuracy and smooth surface finishes are requisite. Incredible spindle power, unparalleled machine rigidity, and linear scales on XYZ axes will instantly improve your large part machining game.
DBC
Boring Mills
- Manufacturer: DN Solutions
- Key takeaway: huge horizontal mills for heavy cutting loads
- Made for medium to large workpieces, the foundation of every DBC series machine is a massive bed casting that features M-shaped ribs for incredible vibration and deformation resistance under heavy workpiece loads and machining stresses. Gear driven spindles enable heavy duty cuts with the greatest of ease.
T 4000HS
High Speed Tapping Centers
- Manufacturer: DN Solutions
- Key takeaway: compact machining center for insane productivity on small parts
- Get ready to break some speed records with the T 4000HS. With a 24,000 RPM spindle and work envelope designed to minimize chip-to-chip times, this compact machine is built to deliver incredible precision and short cycle times for semiconductor components such as shower heads and test sockets.
