From sawing semiconductor and photovoltaic wafers using diamond wire to machining structural parts for EUV lithography and vacuum components for plasma chambers up to quartz processing – as diverse as the electronics industry is, as individual are the solutions.
We help you understand the complex requirements of quartz machining. Quartz glass is colorless, containing 99.999% pure silica. It is made by melting and re-solidifying quartz (sand or man-made) in a high-temperature furnace. Its special properties, such as low coefficient of thermal expansion, good chemical resistance, dielectric strength of approx. 40kV/mm, transmittance for radiation of 170nm-5µm, allow for a wide range of applications. Quartz glass is extensively used in modern technologies such as semiconductor, photoelectricity, laser, optics, chemical engineering and metallurgy.
Quartz is very hard and brittle. Cutting it doesn’t create elongated chips, but very small particles.
Without flocculants, the small particles can only be filtered out with great effort. This often results in a high dirt load, even when centrifuges are used.
There are therefore processes in which filtration is not carried out at all, with negative effects on process and workpiece quality (e.g. scratched surfaces). For a stable process, is is crucial to control the behavior of the small particles.
A major challenge in quartz machining is the high abrasion of very fine particles. Not only, but especially in grinding applications.
These particles get deposited anywhere in the machine and are often difficult to remove, which can damage the machine over time.
Quartz applications are often prone to foam. This is made worse by the high particle load, as antifoams tend to bind to the particles and are no longer available to the cutting fluid.
Also, if the fluid is not the right one, the smallest particles float on the surface and prevent the air from leaving the fluid, which results in additional foam.
Many of the special challenges are caused by the small particles that get produced during quartz processing. We have developed special cutting fluids that influence the behavior of these particles in the fluid and machines, ensuring stable production processes and high surface quality on the workpieces.
We see ourselves as link between chemistry and mechanics. We understand the requirements of both OEM and machining and can therefore offer solutions that help you position yourself as a reliable partner who can meet the complex requirements of quartz machining.
Depending on the process, we want the small particles to behave differently. Systems without filtration, for example, require fast sedimentation so that the particles can be easily removed from the tank.
In systems with centrifuges, on the other hand, we want to keep them in suspension so that we can centrifuge them out as much as possible.
With our fluids, we ensure that quartz products leave as few residues as possibe on surfaces and in the machines.
We also ensure that any residues can be easily removed when dry, as they otherwise accumulate over time.
We combine low-foam formulations with antifoams that do not stick to the quartz particles. This reduces foam formation and prevents the antifoam from being removed from the fluid.
Our fluids also ensure that the entire particles get wetted. This prevents even the smallest ones from floating on the surface, allowing the air to leave the fluid freely.
Benefit from our knowledge and experience in the electronics industry in general and in quartz machining in particular. Our experienced team of machining experts and chemists will always find the right solution for you.