Trumpf to showcase Additive Manufacturing role in semiconductor industry at Formnext 2024
November 8, 2024
Trumpf, Ditzingen, Germany, has announced plans to premiere the second release of its automatic multi-laser alignment (AMA) system at Formnext 2024, scheduled to take place November 19-22. The company intends to further highlight the use of its technology in the manufacture of semiconductors by showcasing additively manufactured parts such as manifolds (used in the water and gas lines of semiconductor manufacturing equipment).
“Semiconductor manufacturers can reduce scrap and cut costs with AM technology,” stated Marco Andreetta, responsible for the semiconductor industry at Trumpf. “The innovative approach of using Additive Manufactured parts enhances the functionality and precision of semiconductor manufacturing machines and paves the way for more efficient production processes.”
The chip industry requires machines that work with optimal precision and repeatability with performance specifications in the nanometer range. The smallest of deviations can lead to defective chips (i.e., expensive scrap.)
Semiconductor manufacturers benefit from AM technology
The complex machines in the semiconductor industry depend on the precision of each individual component: fluid and gas manifolds are examples of this fact. Because of their design, the traditional manufacture of complex fluid manifolds resulted in large, heavy parts with abrupt fluid flow and stagnant zones and could be prone to leakage. The resulting pressure drops and flow-induced vibration have a negative influence on the semiconductor capital equipment.
“With AM technology, suppliers of semicon capital equipment can avoid the traditional complex manufacturing assembly and consolidate several parts into one, improving yield and reliability,” explained Andreetta.
The optimisation of the manifolds, here by Additive Manufacturing, leads to more efficient and robust components, ultimately improving the overall performance and reducing the weight of semiconductor manufacturing machines. Additively manufactured fluid manifolds can have fewer pressure drops, mechanical disturbances and lower flow-induced vibration. The geometrical freedom of AM can help reduce possible leakage points and increase part performance and reliability.
The quality required for parts used in semiconductor manufacturing machines is unparalleled, and a challenge for any manufacturing technology. With its monitoring solution for Additive Manufacturing, TRUMPF aims to fulfil these requirements with automatic multi-laser alignment (AMA) and melt pool monitoring. AMA offers TruPrint users fully automated online monitoring and correction of the positioning of the laser beam paths in relation to each other, reportedly accurate down to a few micrometers.
Trumpf’s patented AMA system visually acquires the position of ‘master’ and ‘slave’ and corrects the second one. The procedure is performed between the production of individual layers, with an interval set by the user. Trumpf technology also monitors the melt pool live during the build process. This monitoring, as well as focusing on quality, may also reduce costs as it limits the need for non-destructive testing (NDT) after production.
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