This month issue An Independent Journal Dedicated to the Advancement of Chip - Scale Electronics January - February 2001 Email the editor

Makers of die placement equipment are continually faced with the challenge of one-upsmanship over their competitors. Make it more automatic, more accurate, faster, modular and more flexible-with the ability to handle every die size in the book-and some that aren't-they're told.

Figure 1. Juki Automation Systems offers the Series 2000 modular SMT component placement machines.

"Die placement systems will need to adapt to 300 mm wafers," notes Jacques Coderre, a product manager at Universal Instruments [uic.com], Binghamton, N.Y. Additionally, he adds, "The die size envelope will expand as high performance dies grow in size-while wireless ICs continue to shrink."

Furthermore, he observes, as 3-D packaging evolves, stacking of components will become a more frequent machine requirement.

Figure 2. The Universal Instruments GSMxs Linear Motor Platform can place 1,500-2,800 cph and can be configured as either an inline or stand-alone system.

Demands for extreme flexibility and modularity, always positive selling points for equipment makers in the past, have become mandatory. (The table, which lists only two manufacturers out of several dozen, shows the many features available.)

New features that the market didn't think it needed last year, too, have become required features. Says Ron Gilman, president of equipment firm Chipscale Robotics Inc. [chipscalerobotics.com], Fremont, Calif., "Every customer now requests unique features built into their systems." (Two representative die placement systems are shown in Figures 1 and 2.)

Players in the die placement machinery market have selected one of the most competitive (and fastest growing) areas for themselves. "The explosive growth of top tier companies will raise the barriers to entry for small or start-up companies looking to gain a foothold within the industry," says Brent Fischthal, product manager APS, for Quad Systems Corp. [quad-sys.com], Willow Grove, Pa.

Because smaller companies face many obstacles, entire market segments will potentially be controlled by a handful of participants," Fischthal adds.

The same factors that are driving the market-cost, performance, quality, time-to-market and product miniaturization-are also pushing the convergence between SMT and semiconductor assembly, observes Fischthal.

-Ron Iscoff, Editor