Accelerated X-ray inspection tool from lab prototype to fab-ready production
Project snapshot
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Challenge
Move directly from lab prototype to fab-ready production tool in seven months
Semiconductor startup Silicon Valley X-Ray (SVXR) had proven its X-ray inspection technology on a laboratory tool and needed to rapidly deliver a production-worthy system for installation in a customer fab in Asia.
The project required bypassing traditional alpha and beta builds and moving straight from prototype to production. The tool had to meet strict SEMI and safety standards, deliver high reliability and maintainability, and be manufactured to production quality on an extremely compressed schedule. SVXR did not have the time or capital to build an internal engineering and manufacturing organization, making an experienced external partner essential.
Innovation
Semiconductor-proven design and build at production speed
We partnered with SVXR to design, build, and scale a fab-ready X-ray inspection system, applying deep semiconductor tool expertise to compress development timelines without compromising quality.
To achieve this, we:
- Designed and built a production-ready prototype in six months, meeting SEMI, safety, and reliability requirements, including a custom lead-lined enclosure with specialized x-ray safe FFU intakes.
- Took the system directly from lab concept to fab qualification, eliminating the need for alpha and beta builds.
- Achieved fab acceptance within 18 months from project start.
- Delivered four additional production systems immediately following fab acceptance.
- Established scalable manufacturing capability, supporting parallel builds and future volume ramp.
- Supported a cost-reduction roadmap to improve margins and long-term profitability.
Result
Faster time to market with fab-ready tool established a dominant new inspection category
The production-ready system was accepted at a Taiwan semiconductor fab almost exactly 18 months after project initiation. SVXR rapidly established itself as the leading supplier of high-volume, inline X-ray inspection tools — delivering performance up to 100× faster than competing solutions.
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