Wafer Processing And Assembly Equipment Market Size, Share, Opportunities, And Trends By Equipment Type (Chemical Mechanical Polishing (CMP), Etching, Thin Film Deposition, Photoresist Processing, Assembly Equipment), By Product Type (DRAM, NAND, Foundry, Others), And By Geography - Forecasts From 2023 To 2028

Wafer Processing and Assembly Equipment Market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 4.12% to reach US$24.379 billion in 2028 from US$18.375 billion in 2021.

Market Overview:

Wafer processing equipment comes in various shapes and sizes, but most specialize in crystal growth and depositing or removing materials from a wafer. This device removes and deposits materials on and off the wafer until a complete circuit is built on it. Following the fabrication of wafers and the construction of a circuit on the wafer, assembly equipment is used to pack them into finished products ready for use in various applications. Due to the increasing demand for consumer electronics, the wafer processing and assembly equipment market is anticipated to expand. As the market for electronic products has grown, so have consumer expectations for new devices' better features. Customers demand thinner wafers and ultra-smooth surfaces for seamless integration into electronic goods.

Wafer Processing and Assembly Equipment Market Drivers

• Application in consumer electronics

During the forecast period, wafer processing and assembly equipment market revenues are expected to increase due to increased consumer electronics device usage and consumption. Sensors and miniaturized electronics are in high demand in this industry. For instance, in May 2022, the 2D Experimental Pilot Line (2D-EPL), a project developed by the Graphene Flagship, started production on its first wafer run that can be customized. This first phase of a five-run multi-project wafer (MPW) focused on sensor applications. Developers can test graphene-based sensors on a wide scale and inexpensively using the 2D Experimental Pilot Line. A €20 million initiative called the 2D-EPL aims to develop prototype electronics and sensors based on graphene and related materials (GRMs) and integrate them into silicon semiconductor platforms that are already in use. In addition to developing essential tools, materials, and processes, the initiative also improves and scales up the production of graphene-based electronics.

• Growth in the sector due to future-based technologies like AI/ML, ADAS, and 5G. 

Globally, businesses are concentrating their efforts on growing industries. The market leaders have used mergers and acquisitions to increase their geographic reach over the years. For example, in December 2021, YES, a major manufacturer of process equipment for semiconductor advanced packaging, life sciences, and "More-than-Moore" applications, announced the acquisition of SPEC (Semiconductor Process Equipment Corporation) of Valencia, California, for an undisclosed sum. The acquisition brings together two long-standing, reputable semiconductor equipment vendors with a combined industry experience of more than 70 years. YES is now better positioned to fulfill the expanding expectations of current and future customers in developing areas like HPC, AI/ML, 5G, autonomous driving, augmented reality, and other computationally intensive applications, thanks to the acquisition of SPEC.

Wafer Processing and Assembly Equipment Market Segmentation Analysis

• Significant market growth is expected for the thin-film deposition segment due to its application in modern technology.

Technological advancements like 5G and AI are anticipated to hasten the transition to smart societies, where the digitization of all types of sectors will improve industrial performance and increase consumer convenience. Actuators are required to activate devices depending on signals from many types of sensors due to the increasing degrees of multifunctionality in autonomous driving, AR/VR, security, and smartphone applications. Actuators are expected to be in great demand, and important challenges in their development, such as downsizing, lower production costs, less power consumption, and higher performance, have come to the forefront. To overcome the technical obstacles preventing the development of MEMS devices, which are crucial in applications ranging from autonomous driving to upcoming wearable devices, ULVAC, Inc. announced the successful launch of PZT piezoelectric thin-film sputtering technology and high-volume manufacturing (HVM) solution in august 2019. This technology also makes it feasible to miniaturize, lower the cost of production, consume less energy, and enhance performance by enabling MEMS devices to be integrated with semiconductors (CMOS). Therefore, it is anticipated that the developments in the automotive sector will generate considerable prospects for market expansion.

• The application of NAND and DRAM has been growing over the years.

Further thickness reduction is needed for memory devices due to the requirement to improve the memory capacity of single packages, higher data transmission speeds, and power consumption mostly driven by mobile applications. Typical memory devices like 2D NAND/DRAM employ silicon wafers thicker than 200 m. These applications are driving up the market demand for NAND/DRAM. Companies are adopting new equipment to increase their productivity. For instance, The Ultra C VI single wafer tool, the most recent addition to ACM Research, Inc.'s line of Ultra C cleaning systems, was unveiled at SEMICON China in June 2020. They are a leading provider of wafer-cleaning solutions for cutting-edge semiconductor devices. The Ultra C VI focuses on high-throughput cleaning of 3D NAND Flash devices and DRAM to accommodate the expanded manufacturing scale. The new tool, which builds on ACM's tried-and-true multi-chamber technology, has 18 chambers, a 50% increase in throughput over the Ultra C V system's 12 chambers while maintaining the same tool width and length to facilitate integration with current production lines. Additionally, in August 2021, ACM Research entered the bevel etch market to support new process steps in manufacturing 3D NAND, DRAM, and advanced logic. The new device uses a wet etch approach to get rid of several kinds of dielectric, metal, and organic material coatings and particulate impurities on the wafer edge. This strategy increases chip fabrication yield while reducing edge contamination's effect on succeeding process steps.

Wafer Processing and Assembly Equipment Market – Geographical Outlook

• The Asia Pacific region is estimated to have the fastest growth rate.

The world's fastest-growing semiconductor market is in Asia-Pacific. Due to the high demand for smartphones and other consumer electronics products from countries like China and Singapore, several vendors are establishing manufacturing facilities in the area. To meet the varied client needs, the businesses are growing their regional presence by launching new initiatives. For instance, In December 2022, the Chinese manufacturer of chipmaking tools, Kingsemi, introduced the FT (III) 300, a new iteration of its wafer coating and development machine. The machine has 36 spin processing units and a symmetrical design. The machine may expand to 48 spin processing units and slice 300 slices per hour to increase production. Additionally, the Singapore-based UTAC Holdings Ltd. (UTAC), a global semiconductor test and assembly service provider, is highlighting its expertise in cutting-edge wafer process solutions. In September 2021, the firm expanded the capabilities of its portfolio of sophisticated semiconductor manufacturing technologies to include cutting-edge plasma dicing and multi-project wafer (MPW) capabilities. Different dies can be processed on the same wafer thanks to plasma dicing. By verifying several designs on a single wafer, MPW enables semiconductor businesses to lower overall costs and time to market. MPW also allows the sharing of mask and wafer processes.

Wafer Processing And Assembly Equipment Market Scope:

The Wafer Processing and Assembly Equipment Market is segmented and analyzed as follows:

• By Equipment Type
  • Chemical Mechanical Polishing (CMP)
  • Etching
  • Thin Film Deposition
  • Photoresist Processing
  • Assembly Equipment
• By Product Type
  • DRAM
  • NAND
  • Foundry
  • Others 
• By Geography
  • North America
    • USA
    • Canada
    • Mexico
  • South America
    • Brazil
    • Argentina
    • Others
  • Europe
    • UK
    • Germany
    • France
    • Italy
    • Spain
    • Others
  • Middle East and Africa
    • Saudi Arabia
    • UAE
    • Others
  • Asia Pacific
    • China
    • Japan
    • India
    • South Korea
    • Australia
    • Others