We stock used wafer grinders from DISCO, Okamoto, Strasbaugh, Tokyo Seimitsu and other platforms — back grinders, TAIKO grinders, in-feed surface grinders and combined grind-polish systems. The machine that fits your line depends on four things: the wafer material, the starting and target thickness, the TTV requirement, and the process route (conventional BG, TAIKO, or DBG). Most used-grinder purchases that go wrong fail at one of these four points — not at the base specification. Tell us your requirements and we'll shortlist the units that actually work on your line.
We've seen buyers order a "wafer grinder" expecting a conventional back grinder, then discover the unit is configured for TAIKO processing — the two use different chuck tables, wheel paths and handling systems. Final thickness, edge support, singulation order and downstream handling change the required machine and process package.
Used for controlled backside material removal before dicing or package assembly. Selection depends on wafer size, target thickness, rough and fine grinding stages, wheel choice, thickness measurement and wafer handling. At thickness below 100µm, the risk of wafer breakage increases sharply — thin-wafer handling specification and wheel selection become critical.
The inner wafer area is thinned while an outer support ring is retained. This route can reduce handling risk and warpage for very thin wafers, but it requires a compatible machine, chuck table and validated process package. Do not assume a conventional grinder can be converted without confirming the chuck and wheel configuration.
In a Dicing Before Grinding route, partial dicing is performed before backside grinding. Grinder selection must be coordinated with the Dicing Saw, protective tape, frame mounting and downstream cleaning process.
Two wafer grinders with the same model name can have very different capabilities. The installed spindle count, chuck table, thickness gauge, wheel package and loader configuration matter more than the platform name alone. Review the current inventory, then send us your wafer and process requirements for a configuration check.
automatic wafer grinder. 300mm, 2-axis, 3-chuck. Within-wafer ≤3 μm, wafer-to-wafer ±3 μm. Works with DBG and DFP8160 po...
Ultra-thin wafer grinding and polishing. Backside grind plus stress relief in one pass, stable to 25 μm and below. 3-axi...
8" wafer thinning. DFG8540 replacement. Centering and cleaning both went non-contact — camera positioning, two-flui...
DISCO DFG8830 automatic wafer grinder handles hard brittle substrates including SiC, sapphire and compound semiconductor...
We've seen buyers focus on final thickness during machine selection, then discover the grinder cannot hold TTV within the required tolerance — or leaves a subsurface damage layer that fails die-strength testing. Wafer grinding quality is not defined by final thickness alone. TTV, surface damage, edge condition, warpage and breakage risk must be reviewed together.
TTV is the difference between the maximum and minimum thickness of the ground wafer surface. It directly affects chip stacking reliability and overall device yield. Machine geometry, chuck condition, spindle stability, in-process measurement and wheel selection all influence thickness uniformity. Real-time angle compensation can improve TTV by over 500% compared to fixed-angle grinding.
Rough and fine grinding remove material at different rates. Stress-relief polishing or another finishing step may be needed for the required die strength. Do not assume the grinder alone can deliver the final surface condition — confirm whether polishing capability is installed or must be added separately.
Very thin, bonded, bumped or structured wafers require suitable tape support, chuck contact, handling and edge protection. At thickness below 100µm, the risk of wafer breakage increases sharply — thin-wafer handling specification and wheel selection are essential.
Grinding debris, DI-water management and cleaning affect the next step. Coordinate the grinder with the Wafer Cleaner route.
We've seen buyers select a grinder based on silicon experience, then discover that SiC's hardness — 9.5 on the Mohs scale — requires completely different spindle power, wheel specification and removal rate. Hardness, brittleness, surface structure and bonded layers change spindle load, wheel selection, removal rate, cooling and handling. Confirm the actual wafer rather than relying on a general material label.
Automation is not simply a choice between manual and automatic. The correct route depends on wafer risk, lot size, recipe stability, cassette handling, measurement, traceability and integration with mounting, polishing or dicing.
Useful for process development, low-volume production, difficult materials and projects that need operator control or flexible sample loading. Thickness measurement can typically be added as an option.
Supports cassette loading, automated transfer, recipe control, thickness measurement and repeatable production for qualified wafer flows. The optional thin-wafer handling specification is necessary for processing wafers below 100µm.
Coordinates wafer mounting, grinding, stress relief, frame mounting, cleaning and dicing when ultra-thin handling requires a connected process route.
We've seen buyers purchase a used grinder based on a model number, then discover the spindle bearings were near end-of-life or the thickness gauge calibration was out of date — issues that cost more than the initial savings. Used wafer grinder prices and suitability depend on the installed hardware, process history, maintenance condition and accessories. A quotation should identify the machine that will actually be supplied.
Confirm the complete model, production year, serial information, current location and operating status.
Review spindle count and condition, chuck size, chuck surface, wheel mounts, dresser and compatible wafer diameter.
Identify contact or non-contact measurement, calibration status, automatic compensation and available process data.
Check cassette type, aligner, transfer robot, tape route, end effector and compatibility with fragile or ultra-thin wafers.
Confirm software version, recipe storage, language, SECS/GEM or host communication and included computer hardware.
Review spindle service, bearings, seals, DI-water and exhaust systems, transformers, manuals, spare parts and refurbishment scope.
These questions help separate the process route, wafer risk and actual equipment configuration before a quotation is prepared.
A wafer grinder removes material from the backside of a semiconductor wafer to achieve the required thickness, TTV and surface condition before dicing, stacking, packaging or another downstream process.
TTV (Total Thickness Variation) is the difference between the maximum and minimum thickness of the ground wafer surface. It directly affects chip stacking reliability and overall device yield. At thickness below 100µm, the risk of wafer breakage increases sharply — thin-wafer handling specification and wheel selection become critical.
Grinding removes bulk material efficiently with a grinding wheel. Polishing or another stress-relief process may be added afterward to reduce the grinding damage layer, improve surface condition and support die-strength requirements. A combined grinder-polisher can handle both steps, but not all grinders include polishing capability.
The TAIKO process is a wafer back-grinding method that leaves an outer support ring while thinning the inner wafer area. It can reduce handling risk and warpage, but requires a compatible machine and qualified process conditions. Do not assume a conventional grinder can be converted without confirming the chuck and wheel configuration.
Not automatically. SiC and other hard, brittle substrates may require different spindle rigidity, power, wheel specification, removal rate, cooling and process qualification. SiC's hardness — 9.5 on the Mohs scale — makes conventional grinding challenging, and laser-assisted methods are emerging as an alternative. Confirm the actual machine and wheel package.
There is no reliable universal price. Cost depends on the brand, model, year, wafer size, spindle and chuck configuration, thickness gauge, loader, software, maintenance history, refurbishment scope and included accessories. Request a configuration-based quotation.
Send the wafer material, diameter, target thickness, TTV, process route, automation level, preferred condition and destination. We'll confirm availability, configuration completeness and process compatibility within 4 business hours.