Nikon SLM Solutions has announced that
Veeco — a global company that is headquartered in the USA and manufactures products for the semiconductor, compound semiconductor, and related capital equipment industries — has acquired an NXG XII 600 additive manufacturing (AM) system. Veeco chose this Nikon SLM Solutions’ machine to enhance the production of high-performance components such as gas delivery systems, manifolds, and heat exchangers — all key elements in semiconductor manufacturing.
The NXG XII 600 gives Veeco the ability to create intricate designs that are impossible to replicate with traditional manufacturing methods, and thereby allow the company to ‘integrate enabling features’ into its components, ‘further pushing the boundaries of what is possible in manufacturing’.
Charlie Grace, Nikon SLM Solutions’ president and CCO, said: “We are proud to partner with Veeco and to have provided them with the NXG XII 600. The company’s success with its initial application demonstrates the immense potential of AM for the semiconductor industry, and we look forward to seeing how Veeco continues to innovate and expand the use of AM in its operations.”
Driving innovation and productivityAhmed El Desouky, Veeco’s director of AM, said: “3-D printing plays a pivotal role in driving innovation and productivity for advanced process equipment in semiconductor and compound semiconductor manufacturing. This technology not only accelerates time-to-market but also enhances the precision and efficiency of manufacturing processes.
“By leveraging the capabilities of the NXG XII 600, Veeco will push the boundaries of what is possible in semiconductor manufacturing, paving the way for new advancements and applications in the industry. This collaboration with Nikon SLM Solutions represents a significant step in our mission of innovation.”
Nikon says the NXG XII 600 was designed for high-volume, serial production. Featuring 12 lasers rated at 1,000W, this machine is up to 20-times faster compared to a standard single laser system, up to five-times faster than a four-laser machine, and offers build rates of 1,000cm
3/hr — making it capable of outputting 10,000kg of produced parts per year within its 600 x 600 x 600mm build envelope.