Ellison Technologies, Inc
semiconductor industry background

CNC MACHINING FOR THE SEMICONDUCTOR INDUSTRY: STRENGTHENING THE SUPPLY CHAIN

Semiconductor Industry Motherboard

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.

    semiconductor chamber

    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:

    NHM Horizontal Machining Centers

    semiconductors vacuum flanges and clamps

    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

    Semiconductor heater plate

    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:

    Mynx Vertical Machining Centers

    semiconductor plating consumables

    Application Name:

    Plating Consumables

    Materials:

    Copper, aluminum, titanium

    Challenges:

    • High precision temperature control
    • High precision height measurements
    • Automation needed for mass production
       

    Recommended machine:

    PUMA V8300M Vertical Turning Center

    semiconductor quartz boat

    Application Name:

    Quartz Boats

    Materials:

    Quartz

    Challenges:

    • Quartz is very hard and highly brittle
    • Requires heat treatment between machining
    • Small hole drilling
       

    Recommended machine:

    DNM Vertical Machining Centers

    semiconductor molding dies

    Application Name:

    Molding Dies

    Materials:

    Various metals

    Challenges:

    • Ultra high precision
    • Smooth surface finishes
    • Fine holes for precise molding liquid injection
       

    Recommended machine:

    DNM Vertical Machining Centers

Learn more about how Ellison can help you succeed in the Semiconductor Industry. Contact Us Today!

semiconductor processor in hand

CNC MACHINING FOR THE SEMICONDUCTOR INDUSTRY

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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.

    NHP Series Horizontal Turning Centers

    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.
    EXPLORE MACHINES
    DN Solutions DNT 2600 CNC Machine

    PUMA GT/DNT

    Horizontal Turning Centers

    • Manufacturer: DN Solutions 
    • Key takeaway: heavy duty lathes for flanges and clamps
    • The highly rigid PUMA GT 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.  
    EXPLORE MACHINES
    Crenlo DNM 750 CNC Machine

    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. 
    EXPLORE MACHINES
    DN Solutions PUMA 2600SY II CNC Machine

    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. 
    EXPLORE MACHINES
    DN Solutions Mynx 5400 Vertical Machining Center

    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.
    EXPLORE MACHINES
    DN Solutions BM 2740 CNC Bridge Mill

    BM

    Bridge Mills

    • Manufacturer: DN Solutions 
    • Key takeaway: double column machining centers
    • 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.
    EXPLORE MACHINES
    DN Solutions DBC 130 II Boring Mill

    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.
    EXPLORE MACHINES

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