February 17, 1999

Almost one year ago to the day (February 11, 1998), in our vainglorious News Release of that time, we introduced the "E" Series. In the year since, we have fleshed out the series with models for wedge bonding, ball bonding, and pull testing. Now -- hold your breath -- comes our signature model, the 4500. Applause! Thank you, thank you.

West·Bond Model 4000E Series

This new "E" Version starts the twentieth year of the Model 4500 tradition. This machine was revolutionary at its inception as the first to make a wire bond connection fully under programmable software control executed digitally by motors, thus making possible the manufacture of high frequency, high power semiconductor devices where connections must be identical. The original design, with digiswitches for input and with LED's to display individual data lines by binary value, remained unchanged by customer insistence until finally supplanted by the current 4500 Model of the "B" Series. Now, Model 4~00E brings forward the new advances of the "E" Series, notably the placement of all machine mechanism above the work plane to allow unlimited access, and the setting of axis brakes to lock on target. In this model the tool, rather than the work, is moved, both for alignment and for bonding, with the work pre-rotated. There is choice of alignment by either microscope or video. New bond heads are built around a 115 KHz ultrasonic transducer and provide full three-way convertibility.

Ease of converting and adjusting are both improved by the new clamp design. The new heads are simpler and lighter. Higher ultrasonic frequency delivers its claimed advantages. Data of many wire shapes is entered via a truly readable display, and is followed with precision by the motorized step-back. A wealth of control options include selectively braked targeting axes, encoded Z-axis, work pre-rotation on center, keys to pace through different bonding modes, and alignment by television or microscope interchangeably.

Just one anomaly, there is no Model 4500E at all. Because converting between angled and vertical feed methods is so easy with the new clamps, we offer only the combined Model 4546E. Really two for the price of one. There is, however, the separate three-way convertible, Model 454647E, and a separate Model 4758, for ball-in-the-corner, as well as for shape-controlled ball bonded connections.

All of this is fully explained in the 4000E Series Specifications, which, this time, might be actually readable. The printable brochures will be included on this Website as soon as our digital photos are developed.

Fred Miller


1551 S. Harris Court,Anaheim, CA 92806
Phone: 714.978.1551
Fax: 714.978.0431

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