Abstract: Apparatus and a method for orienting individual bonding sites of a lead frame having a plurality of bonding sites includes a universal work station in a work holder. The work holder comprises a gripper mechanism which is mounted on a transverse rail or bar for grasping a lead frame at an edge portion thereof while exposed in a supply magazine. The jaws of the gripper mechanism are pivoted in a horizontal direction which permits the exposed edge of the lead frame to be aligned parallel to a reference plane in a theta orientation direction. While oriented in the theta orientation direction, the lead frame is moved precisely to the window of the work station of the work holder where it is clamped by the top plate and lower plate of the work station before being subsequently bonded.

Abstract: Apparatus and a method for orienting individual bonding sites of a lead frame having a plurality of bonding sites includes a universal work station in a work holder. The work holder comprises a gripper mechanism which is mounted on a transverse rail or bar for grasping a lead frame at an edge portion thereof while exposed in a supply magazine. The jaws of the gripper mechanism are pivoted in a horizontal direction which permits the exposed edge of the lead frame to be aligned parallel to a reference plane in a theta orientation direction. While oriented in the theta orientation direction, the lead frame is moved precisely to the window of the work station of the work holder where it is clamped by the top plate and lower plate of the work station before being subsequently bonded.

Abstract: A wire bonding apparatus and method incorporating a pattern recognition system wherein there is stored, in a teach mode, signatures representing a pre-determined point on a chip to be bonded, the signatures being obtained at respective 90.degree. locations of the pedestal which carries the chip. Automatic re-calibration provides for rotating the pedestal to each of four 90.degree. apart spaced angles and finding the respective recorded signatures and the corresponding positions, and calculating the true center of rotation as a function of the four positions thus found. A specialized algorithm is used for correcting error which may be introduced if the chip is not rotated at precisely 90.degree. intervals during the process of finding the respective signatures. The system carries out re-calibration automatically every N packages bonded.

Abstract: The present invention provides a new and improved workstation for holding a semiconductor device opposite the bonding tool of an automatic wire bonder during a bonding operation. The workstation is mounted on a retractable pedestal which is vertically and rotationally movable by a high speed vertical axis drive motor and a high speed theta drive motor which are mounted on a workstation base in fixed positions and coupled to said pedestal for imparting motion thereto. The movable pedestal and workstation are adapted to unload a semiconductor device from a boat or holder and accurately position the top of the semiconductor device at a predetermined bonding height opposite the bonding tool.

Abstract: An apparatus having a reservoir for enclosing a fluid and a valve for selectively applying gas under pressure to said reservoir and venting said reservoir to the ambient air. A controller supplies a pulse of predetermined duration selected from a plurality of durations to actuate the valve to apply the gas under pressure to the reservoir for expelling a predetermined amount of ink therefrom through a tube by compensation for dynamic effects. The ink is transferred from one end of the tube to a selected item of a sheet of items by moving the end of the tube closely adjacent to the sheet while the ink is being expelled from the reservoir and through the tube for transfer to the individual item.