News: Suppliers
28 June 2023
Kulicke & Soffa launches high-power-interconnect capabilities for power devices
Singapore-based Kulicke & Soffa Industries Inc (K&S) — which designs and manufactures semiconductor, LED and electronic assembly equipment — has launched several new systems and capabilities serving high-volume semiconductor and fast-growing power-semiconductor applications.
POWERCOMM and POWERNEXX are said to represent the next evolution in wire bonding systems and are designed with a new generation of intuitive advanced process capabilities that deliver maximum levels of performance, efficiency and productivity. Additionally, both systems deliver enhanced mean-time-between-assists (MTBA), with automated recovery features that improve the machine-to-operator ratio and better support localization of semiconductor assembly.
The POWERCOMM wire bonding solution is designed to support high-volume discrete and low-pin-count devices commonly used in applications such as data centers, automotive, industrial automation, smartphones, wearables and connected devices.
The POWERNEXX wire bonding solution is optimized for higher-density QFN packages with widths of up to 100mm. The improved illumination design on POWERNEXX allows faster alignment time through its Pattern Recognition System (PRS). Faster alignment and advanced process capabilities deliver what is claimed to be industry-leading UPH (units per hour) and the lowest cost-of-ownership.
In addition to the new POWERCOMM and POWERNEXX systems, for wedge bond applications K&S has introduced new high-power-interconnect (HPI) capabilities addressing the emerging needs of power devices. HPI capabilities are becoming increasingly necessary to assemble applications such as inverters, battery assembly, and charging infrastructure that supports the growth and increasing efficiency requirements of sustainable energy and electric vehicle (EV) applications. The need for more efficient and higher-current applications is driving rapid changes to the power semiconductor market by increasing demand in emerging compound semiconductors, such as silicon carbide (SiC) and gallium nitride (GaN), but are also demanding new capabilities to support next-generation battery assembly and are accelerating the transition from aluminium wire and ribbon to copper wire and ribbon. Next-generation HPI capabilities are now being introduced across Kulicke & Soffa’s wedge bonder portfolio.
“Our rich history of innovation and ongoing development priorities are enabling us to provide additional value to the increasingly critical assembly process,” says Shawn Sarbacker, VP of the Ball Bonder business unit. “This recent set of new wire bonding systems and capabilities will better enable customers to optimize productivity, improve material handling capabilities and significantly lower cost-of-ownership.”
Both the POWERCOMM and POWERNEXX solutions, along with K&S’s full suite of solutions, are being debuted in booth #E3331 (Hall E3) at the SEMICON China 2023 trade show in Shanghai (29 June–1 July).
