TAIPEI, Taiwan — The National Applied Research Laboratories (NARL) on September 22 unveiled a KS-812 series fully automatic 12-inch driver IC mapping sorter and LED driver IC test system, which are in collaboration with Gallant Micro. Machining Co. (GMM) and Epistar Co., respectively. These devices have made a step towards localization of Taiwan semiconductor equipment, as well as the Korean tech giant Samsung has bought it.
According to NARL, Taiwan contributes to 25 percent value of the global semiconductor industry, but merely 3.1 percent in terms of the semiconductor equipment. In other words, most of the semiconductor equipment in Taiwan is imported.
“As chips used in smartphone are getting longer, checking the chips with human eyes is ineffective.” said Popeye Hsu, President of GMM.
Popeye Hsu stated, “IC processing and detecting equipment is with almost four decades technology and experience, not only has independent key technology of IC pick and place as well as molding, but also engages in developing leading technology for new processes and equipment. The device that provides design, manufacturing, assembly and testing one-stop services.”
Popeye Hsu said that features of the KS-812 series fully automatic 12-inch driver IC mapping sorter are as follow: quick and easy change among 2, 3, 4-inch trays, high speed and reliable linear pick and place module, particle-proof design for tray transfer system, filling tray function with the same bin, automatic bin sorting system for 6 bins of chip and wafer mapping function available.
Epistar Associate Vice President Mayway Hsu, pointed out that photology, system integration and software are core technologies of the LED driver IC test system.
Nevertheless, the Instrument Technology Research Center (ITRC) of NARL suggested that these two devices can reduce time and equipment costs by 30 percent to 50 percent.
