DISCO DAD3220 dicing saw

Where the DAD3220 fits

The DISCO DAD3220 is a compact, semi-automatic dicing saw. It became a common choice for university labs, MEMS groups and small packaging lines that need to cut wafers into dies without the footprint of a fully automatic saw. You load a wafer or substrate on tape and frame, align the streets under the microscope and the saw cuts the programmed pattern, channel by channel.

Used DISCO DAD3220 saws are popular because they are small, well documented and straightforward for students to learn. They handle silicon, glass and ceramic substrates up to 150 mm, and with the right blades they cut sensors, photonic chips and test structures cleanly. For 200 mm frames or high-volume dicing, a larger DISCO platform is the better fit.

What we inspect on a used DAD3220

• Spindle. Run-out, noise and temperature over a run-in, air-bearing pressure and spindle cooling flow. The spindle is the most expensive part on the saw.
• Chuck table. Flatness, porous surface condition, vacuum hold-down and theta rotation.
• X axis and covers. Bellows and waterproof covers, where cutting water and slurry cause most of the wear. A torn bellows lets slurry into the drive.
• Y and Z axes. Index accuracy and Z height repeatability during blade height set-up.
• Alignment optics. Microscope, camera, illumination and the image alignment routine.
• Water system. Cutting water nozzles, flow switches and filters, and the spindle coolant circuit.
• Test cuts. We dice a test wafer and measure kerf width, chipping and straightness. The results go in the inspection report.

Refurbishment scope

A typical refurbishment replaces the X axis bellows and covers, cleans and repairs the cutting water system, renews the chuck table if its surface is worn or clogged, and replaces air and water fittings. We check the spindle under load and quote its repair or replacement separately when needed. The saw is then recalibrated for blade height and index, and run on test cuts. Grading follows our Certified, Refurbished, Inspected or As-is scale; see our refurbishment service for how we scope this work.

Upgrades and spare parts

Most upgrades are about material and process. Changing to glass or ceramic dicing means new blades, flanges and often a different feed rate and dressing routine. Better filtration on cutting water extends nozzle life and keeps the work cleaner. Bellows, chuck tables, nozzles, flanges and sensors are the usual spare parts, available through our spare parts service.

Facilities

• Mains power to the nameplate rating of the saw
• Clean dry air at the specified pressure for the air-bearing spindle; air quality matters for spindle life
• Cutting water (DI water is typical) and a drain
• Spindle cooling water or a chiller, depending on configuration
• Exhaust for mist, depending on site rules
• A tape mounter and frames, if you do not already have them

Buying advice

Check the spindle first and ask for its service history. Then confirm your largest wafer and frame size, because the DAD3220 stops at 150 mm. Plan the clean dry air supply carefully: oil or water in the spindle air is the most common cause of early spindle failure. A short operator training session on blade dressing, height set-up and recipe creation saves blades and wafers in the first months. Wire bonders and die placement tools for the diced chips are in our back-end range.