The global demand for diamond wire wafer slicing machine market is being driven by the miniaturisation of electronic device

The diamond wire wafer slicing machine uses a high-speed spindle with a diamond blade to slice silicon wafers. The machine includes a dicing saw for cutting the wafers into individual chips. Silicon, silicon carbide, gallium nitride, gallium arsenide, and ceramic, among other materials, are sliced by these machines. These wafers are used in the production of semiconductors, which are then used to make electronic components.

One of the major factors driving market growth is the shortcomings of traditional slicing machines.

Restraints in using conventional slicing machines, such as high volume of wastage while cutting the wafer, low speed of slicing the wafer, and low quality of dices, are one of the major factors attributed to market growth. To overcome the challenges associated with conventional machines, manufacturers are developing advanced wafer slicing machines. Meyer Burger, for example, introduced the ‘DW288' diamond wire wafer slicing machine in July 2017. This machine ensures maximum material utilisation while cutting and uses very little electricity. It also does not produce any slurry, which is composed of polyethylenglycol (PEG) and silicon carbide (SiC), which further helps in reducing the challenges associated with the recycling of silicon wafer.

Furthermore, the global demand for diamond wire wafer slicing machine market is being driven by the miniaturisation of electronic devices, which is driving demand for small size chips to be incorporated in electronic devices. This is due to the machines' higher accuracy in cutting wafers into smaller sizes when compared to traditional slicer machines. According to an Apple, Inc. press release from May 2018, the company announced that it will use a 7nm (nanometer) chip for the next generation iPhone, which will be known as the ‘A12' chip. This chip will be significantly smaller, faster, and more efficient than the 10-nanometer chips currently used in Apple devices. Hence, all these factor will help in propelling growth of the market.

Global Diamond Wire Wafer Slicing Machine Market: Key Trends

A key trend in the market is the increased use of large wafer sizes. According to a press release from SEMI, a leading semiconductor manufacturing company, Samsung, Intel, and IBM, among others, used 300mm diameter wafers in 2014 and are now switching to 450mm diameter wafers. As the size of the wafer grows, so does the number of dies that can be cut from it, lowering production costs and reducing product waste during the slicing process. As wafer sizes grow larger, more efficient machines are required to provide accurate cuts and produce more dies from a single wafer.

One of the major factors limiting market growth is the high cost of machines.

The high cost of diamond wire wafer slicing machines is a major stumbling block to the market's expansion. According to Coherent Market Insights' analysis, a 40HP Diamond Wire Machine costs US$ 5088.75 per unit, while a 60HP Diamond Wire Machine costs US$ 6563.75 per unit. Furthermore, the cost of maintaining these machines is very high, which is another factor impeding market growth.