Swiss CNC Machining for Semiconductor Precision Components
43 Swiss-type lathes — CITIZEN A20, A16, BNC40, Tsugami B206 — producing wafer lift pins, probe contacts, sensor shafts, and test socket parts to ±0.005 mm at diameters from Ø0.5 mm.
Why Swiss-Type Machining Is the Right Process
Semiconductor components combine extreme diameter-to-length ratios with micron-level tolerances. Swiss machining addresses this by design — not by compromise.
Swiss-Type Lathe
- Guide bushing supports stock within 0.5–2 mm of the cutting edge — zero deflection on parts up to 150 mm long
- Sliding headstock feeds material axially, enabling continuous machining of complete parts in one chuck without re-fixturing
- Simultaneous front & back spindle operations (sub-spindle) reduce cycle time and eliminate re-datum errors
- Live tooling on C-axis cuts cross-holes, slots, and flats without a secondary operation — preserving datum integrity
- Bar-fed automation supports high-volume lots with run-to-run repeatability PPM < 1000
- CITIZEN A20 fleet: Ø0.5–25 mm at ±0.005 mm — smallest-diameter semiconductor pins held in production
Conventional CNC Lathe
- Fixed headstock: workpiece unsupported at cutting zone — causes deflection and taper on slender shafts
- L/D ratios above 4:1 require tailstock support, introducing datum shift and limiting feature access
- Multiple setups required for back-end features — each re-fixturing adds positional error ≥ 0.01 mm
- Radial cutting forces on thin-wall or small-diameter stock cause chatter, degrading Ra surface finish
- Manual bar loading limits lot sizes and increases operator variability between parts
- Min. practical diameter Ø3–5 mm before geometry control becomes marginal
Semiconductor Components We Produce
From individual probe pins to complete wafer-handling subassemblies, our Swiss fleet handles the full range of precision components found in semiconductor equipment.
Wafer Lift Pins & Elevator Pins
Precision pins that raise and lower silicon wafers in process chambers without particle generation or surface contact. Critical for lithography, etch, and CVD stations.
- DiameterØ1–10 mm
- Tolerance±0.005 mm OD
- LengthUp to 150 mm
- MaterialSS 303, Al₂O₃ tipped, PEEK
- FinishRa ≤ 0.4 μm, electropolished
Probe Pin Plungers & Barrels
Plunger and barrel assemblies for pogo-type spring probes used in IC test sockets, burn-in sockets, and wafer-level probe cards. Bore concentricity is critical for spring life and contact reliability.
- ODØ0.5–6 mm
- OD tol.±0.005 mm
- Bore Ra≤ 0.2 μm
- Roundness≤ 0.002 mm
- MaterialBeCu C17200, Brass C360, SS 303
Precision Sensor Shafts & Spindles
Long, slender shafts for semiconductor metrology sensors, alignment stages, and motion-control assemblies. Swiss guide-bushing support eliminates deflection across the full working length.
- DiameterØ1–25 mm
- L/D ratioUp to 20:1
- Straightness≤ 0.005 mm/100 mm
- MaterialSS 316L, Ti Gr.5, Invar 36
- FinishRa ≤ 0.8 μm, passivated
Test Socket Contact Pins
High-cycle contact pins for ATE test sockets and IC burn-in fixtures. Controlled OD, bore ID, and tip geometry ensure stable contact resistance and mechanical repeatability over 500,000+ cycles.
- ODØ0.5–3 mm
- Tip optionsFlat, crown, sharp, serrated
- Cycle life≥ 500,000 mating cycles
- PlatingNi + Hard Au, Pd + Au, Rhodium
- MaterialBeCu C17200, Phos-Bronze C510
Alignment Pins & Dowel Pins
High-precision locating pins for wafer stage alignment, photomask registration, and equipment module mating. Ground to h5/h6 tolerance with controlled cylindricity for repeatable registration.
- DiameterØ1–20 mm, h5/h6
- Cylindricity≤ 0.002 mm
- Length5–120 mm
- MaterialSS 440C, Tool Steel, Carbide
- FinishRa ≤ 0.2 μm, hardened HRC 58+
Connector Contacts & EV Charging Terminals
High-volume Swiss-turned electrical contacts for semiconductor equipment connectors, EV battery management, and robotic end-effector power feeds. Selective gold plating zones per drawing.
- OD rangeØ0.5–20 mm
- Volume50K–1M pcs/month
- PlatingSelective Au / Ni / Ag
- MaterialBeCu, Brass, Cu alloy
- ReferencePOGO PIN, EV terminal, robot arm
Precision Specifications
All values are production-qualified on CITIZEN and Tsugami Swiss-type machines — not laboratory claims. CMM verification is performed every lot on critical features.
OD / ID Linear Tolerance
Standard production capability; ±0.003 mm achievable on short feature lengths with CITIZEN A20/A16
Minimum Part Diameter
Production-qualified minimum using CITIZEN A20; guide-bushing eliminates slender-part deflection
Cylindricity & Roundness
Critical for probe pin barrel bore and alignment pin mating — verified with Mitutoyo CMM every lot
Bore Surface Finish
Probe pin barrel ID — achieved with fine-boring tools and superfinishing passes. Roughness meter verified.
Shaft Straightness
Long-shaft sensor components; guide-bushing support maintains this across full 150 mm working length
CMM Measurement Resolution
Mitutoyo CMM with 0.001 mm resolution ensures measurement system uncertainty stays well below tolerance
Semiconductor Applications We Serve
Our Swiss CNC capacity supports upstream wafer processing, chip-level electrical test, packaging, and the broader semiconductor equipment supply chain.
Wafer Processing Equipment
Components for CVD, PVD, etch, CMP, and thermal processing tools — parts that operate in vacuum, plasma, and chemically aggressive environments.
ATE & Probe Card Test
High-pin-count probe cards and automated test equipment (ATE) handlers for final test and wafer-level test in 200 mm and 300 mm fab lines.
Burn-In & IC Test Sockets
Burn-in sockets must maintain contact force and electrical continuity at 125–150 °C over hundreds of thousands of insertion cycles. BeCu C17200 contact pins are preferred.
Wafer Handling Robots
EFEM, FOUP opener, and atmospheric transfer robot components requiring particle-free surfaces, ESD-safe materials, and high positional repeatability between arm cycles.
Metrology & Inspection Systems
Optical and CMM measurement tools for in-line SPC and final inspection — sensor probe shafts, stage-motion components, and calibration artifact pins.
Semiconductor Equipment Connectors
High-density electrical connectors and contacts for tool-to-fab communication, in-chamber power delivery, and EV-adjacent battery management systems.
Materials for Semiconductor Swiss Machining
Material selection drives electrical, thermal, and mechanical performance. We stock and machine the alloys most commonly specified in semiconductor equipment.
Beryllium Copper C17200 / C17510
The primary material for spring-loaded contact pins and burn-in sockets — excellent spring-back, high conductivity, and fatigue resistance.
- HardnessHRC 36–42 (aged)
- Conductivity22% IACS (C17200)
- UTS1,100–1,380 MPa
- NoteMachined pre-age; handled per OSHA BeST
Stainless Steel 303 / 316L
Standard choice for lift pins, shafts, and structural components — corrosion resistance in wet-chemistry and HF environments.
- HardnessHRB 70–85
- UTS520–620 MPa
- FinishElectropolished, passivated
- Note316L preferred for Cr-free environments
Titanium Grade 5 (Ti-6Al-4V)
Low-outgassing, nonmagnetic shafts for vacuum chambers and EUV environments where weight and contamination control are critical.
- Density4.43 g/cm³
- UTS900 MPa
- NoteGuide-bushing support critical for Ti
- FinishRa ≤ 0.8 μm, passivated
Phosphor Bronze C510 / C511
Spring contacts and low-cost burn-in pins where BeCu is over-specified. Good springback and ≥ 200K cycle life in moderate-duty sockets.
- Conductivity15–20% IACS
- Spring temperHV 170–200
- Cost vs BeCu~40% lower
- PlatingNi + Au recommended
Surface Finishing & Plating Options
From Drawing to Delivered Parts
Our semiconductor-component workflow is designed for first-time-right production — DFM review before cutting, in-process SPC, and full traceability on every lot.
RFQ & DFM Review
Submit 2D drawing + 3D STEP. Our engineers review for Swiss machinability — guide-bushing clearance, feature access, L/D ratio, tolerance stack — and flag any DFM issues before quoting.
Material Procurement & Certification
Raw material ordered from certified mills with full material certificates. BeCu handled per OSHA BeST protocol. Stock quarantined and XRF-verified before release to production.
First Article Inspection (FAI)
First-off parts undergo 100% CMM dimensional report against drawing. Critical features (OD, bore, concentricity, Ra) verified before production lot is approved to run.
Production & In-Process SPC
Bar-fed Swiss machines run production lots with automatic in-process gauging at defined intervals. SPC charts monitor critical dimensions; out-of-control triggers immediate machine stop.
Post-Machining Operations
Deburring, superfinishing, heat treatment, and passivation performed in-house. Plating (Au, Ni, Pd, Rh) coordinated with qualified plating partners — plating thickness verified by XRF before acceptance.
Final Inspection & CMM Report
Mitutoyo CMM final check on lot-sampled parts per AQL. Surface roughness, visual, and functional checks completed. Full dimensional report, material cert, and plating cert compiled per lot.
Packaging & Delivery
Parts individually trayed or bagged in anti-static packaging. ESD-sensitive components in ESD bags. Clean parts (electropolished / passivated) bagged dry in N₂-purged packaging on request.
Why Semiconductor Teams Choose Richconn
Six reasons engineers and procurement teams return — beyond just price.
Ø0.5 mm Capability — In Production
Our CITIZEN A20 fleet holds ±0.005 mm on parts as small as Ø0.5 mm in continuous production lots — not as a lab demonstration. The smallest probe pin barrels and micro-shaft diameters run daily.
43-Machine Swiss Fleet for Capacity
With 43 Swiss-type lathes across CITIZEN, Tsugami, YM, and Nomura platforms, we absorb volume spikes without lead time degradation. 1M+ parts/month capacity for high-volume ATE contact programs.
IATF 16949 + AS9100D Dual Certification
Holding both the automotive and aerospace quality standards demonstrates a process-controlled, PPAP-capable, fully documented quality system that semiconductor OEM supplier audits regularly approve.
Bore Surface Finish Verified Every Lot
Ra ≤ 0.2 μm bore finish on probe pin barrels is measured with a calibrated roughness meter — not assumed. If it doesn't measure, it doesn't ship. ISO 10012 governs our instrument calibration system.
BeCu & Specialty Alloy Experience
Beryllium copper machining requires OSHA-compliant handling, dedicated tooling, and age-hardening coordination. Our team machines BeCu C17200 and C17510 routinely — with XRF verification and ISO 14001 environmental controls.
DFM Partnership, Not Just a Job Shop
We review every new drawing for Swiss machinability before quoting. Common issues — guide-bushing clearance conflicts, unreachable back features, tolerance stack-ups — are flagged early, saving redesign cycles.
Request Swiss CNC Machining Quote
Upload your drawing and we’ll respond within 24 hours with DFM feedback and a detailed quote. No NDA required to get started.