ALTER | HTV puts new chip and wafer test technologies into operation
30. January 2025
TÜV NORD GROUP subsidiary makes forward-looking investments
ALTER | HTV, TÜV NORD GROUP’s market-leading company for semiconductor technology, is setting new standards in semiconductor testing with the commissioning of state-of-the-art test technologies. The investment of more than 1 million euros in the purchase of the Advantest V93K EXA scale chip tester and the fully automated ACCRETECH UF2000 wafer prober underlines ALTER | HTV’s claim to offer its customers the best possible test technologies for end-processed semiconductor chips and on-wafer tests. Semiconductor chips are the core building blocks of digitalisation and can now be found in a vast number of applications, from computers, smartphones, data centres and robotics to vehicles, where they control central functions such as drive, driving behaviour and safety systems.
The European semiconductor industry is in a phase of rapid change. The European Union is striving to reduce its dependence on Asian manufacturers and to strengthen European production of semiconductor components and systems. The need for the most advanced semiconductor chips for use in artificial intelligence and automated, highly connected driving is driving this change.
“In a dynamic semiconductor market with rapidly changing requirements, flexible test solutions are the key to our customers’ success. With the latest generation of test systems, ALTER | HTV offers the highest test performance, variability and flexibility to fulfil current and future requirements,” says Dirk Stenkamp, CEO of TÜV NORD AG.
(from left to right: Dirk Stenkamp, CEO of TÜV NORD AG, Luis Gómez, CEO of ALTER, Holger Krumme, Managing Director of ALTER | HTV)
Flexible testing
The Advantest V93K EXA Scale is a state-of-the-art test system that will characterise the semiconductor test industry in the coming years due to its high flexibility. Equipped with the latest SmarTest 8 operating software, the EXA Scale offers a wide range of test options for analogue and digital signals. This versatility enables ALTER | HTV to react flexibly to specific customer requirements and offer customised solutions.
The fully automatic ACCRETECH UF2000 wafer prober is the market-leading tool for wafer-based electrical chip testing. With a precision of ±1.5 microns and the ability to operate around the clock, the UF2000 ensures the highest standards in reliability testing and efficiency. The ability to test at both high and low temperatures makes it a universal partner in the semiconductor production process. Semiconductor testing at different temperatures is an important aspect of reliability testing and characterisation of semiconductor chips.
Component testing, microchip programming and material analysis
For almost four decades, ALTER | HTV has ensured that customers from various industries, including automotive, process, medical, industrial and aerospace, use only the highest quality semiconductor chips. The company offers a comprehensive range of services, from selecting and testing components to programming microchips and analysing faulty components in its own accredited institute for material analysis. “The new test systems support ALTER | HTV in its pioneering role for OSAT services, Outsourced Semiconductor Assembly and Test. This enables companies from various industries to outsource their semiconductor backend processes on a customised and broad basis,” says Luis Gómez, CEO of ALTER, the parent company of ALTER | HTV.
Strengthening the business location Bensheim
With the acquisition of the new test systems, ALTER | HTV is reaffirming its commitment to Bensheim as a business location, securing jobs and confirming its role as a flexible and strong partner for its customers. “Our new technologies enable us to respond flexibly to our customers’ needs and guarantee the highest quality standards,” explains Holger Krumme, Managing Director of ALTER | HTV.
