When testing their chips, semiconductor manufacturers have to find a balance between developing their own equipment and purchasing solutions. Those who lead the way are faced with difficult choices. Innovation is the message, as demonstrated by the Salland Engineering test symposium.
“I’d like to challenge the vendors of automated test equipment who are here.” Peter Crabbe, director of operations at Austriamicrosystems (AMS) Sensor Belgium, took a provocative stance at a recent symposium for IC testing, organized by Salland Engineering in Zwolle. Crabbe told the test technology vendors present that AMS Sensor from Antwerp is still testing 80 percent of its image sensors with its own equipment. This is partly for historical reasons. Cmosis, incorporated by the Austrians in 2015 and now part of their sensor division, developed all its test systems itself.
While many chip manufacturers are moving their testing activities to Asia, where they’re much cheaper to perform, AMS continues to test its image chips in Europe. “To a large extent, we do this to protect our knowledge,” says Crabbe. “Also, manufacturing a test system yourself is still significantly cheaper than buying one from an ATE supplier,” he confronted his audience, which consisted largely of manufacturers of test equipment. He challenged them to innovate more.
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