This document summarizes a presentation given at the 2011 IEEE Software Test Workshop in San Diego from June 12-15. The presentation discussed cost drivers in probe card design and manufacturing from architecture to zero defects. It covered topics like non-recurring engineering expenses, advanced process technologies, cost savings through standards, and the importance of maintaining sufficient profit margins. The presentation aimed to help people understand the true costs of different architectures and encouraged partnerships between suppliers and customers.

1. June 12 to 15, 2011
San Diego, CA
Probe
Card
Cost
Drivers
from
Architecture
to
Zero
Defects
Ira
Feldman
Feldman
Engineering
Corp.

2. Overview
• Cost,
Price,
&
Cost
Drivers
• Serial
Processing
–
Drilling
Example
• NRE
• Advanced
Process
Technology
• Profitless
Prosperity
• Cost
Savings
• Summary
Note: price/cost examples are approximate and from multiple
vendors not necessarily those identified or shown.
June 12 to 15, 2011 IEEE SW Test Workshop 2

3. Price
Value
Cost
Gross Profit = Price – Cost
Gross Margin = Gross Profit / Price
June 12 to 15, 2011 IEEE SW Test Workshop 3

4. Vertical Probe Head
Printed Circuit Board
BGA (Solder Attach)
Space Transformer
Upper
Guide Plate
Spacer
Lower
Guide Plate
MicroProbe Apollo Probes
June 12 to 15, 2011 IEEE SW Test Workshop 4

5. Machine Shop
Cost Drivers
Programming
Material
Setup Time
Run Time
Inspection
Yield
June 12 to 15, 2011 IEEE SW Test Workshop 5

6. Don’t bother… “Ferrari”
June 12 to 15, 2011 IEEE SW Test Workshop 6

7. Machine
Cost
$300,000
Machine
Cost
Annual
Maintenance
7%
25%
uElizaEon
$31.44
/hr
Useful
Life
7
years
85%
uElizaEon
$9.25
/hr
Total
Cost
$447,000
FaciliEes
Annual
Cost
$35,000
Tooling
per
hole
$
0.05
Total
Annual
Cost
$68,857
Don’t bother… “Ferrari”
June 12 to 15, 2011 IEEE SW Test Workshop 7

8. Make vs. Buy
Utilization
Lead Time
Quality
Fixed vs. Variable Cost
Cost (Make) vs. Price (Buy)
June 12 to 15, 2011 IEEE SW Test Workshop 8

9. Non Recurring Engineering
Expense
Architecture Design Tester Customer
R&D NRE NRE NRE
Design Input X X
Probes ?
Guide Plates X
Space Transformer X
Interposer ?
PCB Design X (External?) X ?
PCB Fab External ? ?
Mechanical H/W ? X ?
Electronics
Metrology
Packaging
NRE ?
X
?
X
X
?
?
?
June 12 to 15, 2011 IEEE SW Test Workshop 9

10. Outgoing Metrology
June 12 to 15, 2011 IEEE SW Test Workshop 10

11. ISC
Interposers
Spring Pin Elastomeric Molded Frame
NRE $.5 - 1 K $2 - 3 K $20 - 30 K
Small Area
$ / contact $1 - 10 $.50 - .60 < $.20 - .40
Large Area NRE $10 - 15 K $100 - 150 K
(1/4 wafer +)
$ / contact $.40 - . 50 < $.10 - .20
www.ksdk.co.jp ISC InterCon Systems
June 12 to 15, 2011 IEEE SW Test Workshop 11

12. Space Transformers
Sequential
Punch
Material &
Processing
June 12 to 15, 2011 IEEE SW Test Workshop 12

13. Advanced Process Technology
Cost Drivers
Process Steps
Masks
Substrates
Material
Active Area
Yield
Defect Density
Layers
Equipment
Rework / Repair
June 12 to 15, 2011 IEEE SW Test Workshop 13

14. Whitespace
Design 1 Design 2
Design 1 Design 2
FormFactor Harmony XP
June 12 to 15, 2011 IEEE SW Test Workshop 14

15. Solution
FormFactor Smart Matrix
June 12 to 15, 2011 IEEE SW Test Workshop 15

16. June 12 to 15, 2011
IEEE SW Test Workshop
16
FORM – 9 years; MJC – 5 years; JEM- 5 years; VRGY - 7 years

17. Costs Savings
STANDARDS
Input Data Formats
Probe Depth
Testhead Configurations
Specifications
June 12 to 15, 2011 IEEE SW Test Workshop 17

18. Summary
• Understand
true
cost
of
architectures
– Beware
of
NRE
– New
architectures
needed
for
cost
reducEons
• Maintain
sufficient
Gross
Margin
– Company
health
– Funding
for
R&D
• Honest
supplier
–
customer
partnerships
June 12 to 15, 2011 IEEE SW Test Workshop 18

19. Acknowledgments
• Amphenol
InterCon
Systems
• BucklingBeam
• FormFactor
• ISC
• Kern
• Robin
McAdams
• MicroProbe
• Sergio
Perez
• SV
Probe
• Frank
Swiatowiec
June 12 to 15, 2011 IEEE SW Test Workshop 19

20. Thank
You!
Ira
Feldman
ira@feldmanengineering.com
Visit
my
blog
www.hightechbizdev.com
for
my
summary
of
SWTW
June 12 to 15, 2011 IEEE SW Test Workshop 20