Industry
Invar Machining for Semiconductor Equipment Makers
We are a matching service, not a machine shop. Send your drawing and we match it with up to three vetted shops that machine Invar 36 and Super Invar for fab tool stages, frames and reference structures.
Why Semiconductor Equipment programs specify these alloys
Semiconductor fab tools hold cleanroom temperature to a tight band, but a tight band is not zero drift. Motors, lasers and process heat create local swings of a tenth of a degree or more, and over a few hundred millimeters that swing moves aluminum or steel enough to consume a meaningful share of an overlay or metrology budget measured in nanometres. Invar 36 and Super Invar reduce that source of error at the material level, before any active compensation is applied.
The parts that use these alloys sit inside the metrology loop: wafer stage bodies and mirror mounts, reference frames that carry encoders and interferometers, reticle handling structures and gauge fixtures. What the part is measured against, or measures relative to, is usually the reason Invar was specified rather than a cheaper, higher-expansion alternative.
Buyers vet a shop on process discipline, not just cutting ability: a documented stress relief and stabilization sequence, cleanroom-compatible cleaning and packaging, inspection at a controlled temperature after a soak, and material traceability back to a heat lot. We do not claim any matched shop holds a specific quality certification; confirm certification requirements directly with the shop.
Where Semiconductor Equipment uses Invar, Kovar and Alloy 42
Wafer stage components
Stage bodies, mirror blocks and mounts that carry the interferometer or encoder reference and must not drift as the stage moves and heats.
Metrology and reference frames
Structures that other measurements are made against, where any drift in the frame itself corrupts every reading taken relative to it.
Reticle and wafer handling fixtures
End effectors, chucks and library fixtures where repeatable positioning across temperature affects overlay and yield.
Gauge and calibration fixtures
Fixtures and gauge blocks used to qualify other tool components, where dimensional stability is the entire purpose of the part.
What to put on the RFQ, and what to vet in a supplier
We match your RFQ. You still own supplier qualification. These lines get you a comparable quote and a shop that can answer the qualification questions your program asks.
State the alloy and spec: Invar 36 or Super Invar, condition, and whether your own stabilization cycle applies.
Mark the metrology-loop features specifically, with GD&T, and loosen tolerances on everything else.
Give the operating temperature and its control band, not just a nominal cleanroom setpoint.
Call out cleanroom cleaning and packaging requirements separately from the dimensional spec.
State any residual magnetism limit if the part sits near motors or sensors.
List required reports: CMM data at 20°C, thermal cycling results if needed, and the material certificate.
Semiconductor Equipment guides
- Choosing a Supplier
Qualifying an Invar Machining Vendor as a Semiconductor Equipment OEM
How a semiconductor equipment OEM qualifies an Invar machining vendor at production scale: what changes past a one-off RFQ, second sourcing and ECR control across tool builds.
- Cost
Invar Lead Time Planning for Semiconductor Fab Tool Programs
How to stack Invar material, machining, stress relief and inspection lead time against a multi-tool semiconductor fab build schedule and ramp volume, with a worked example.
- Choosing a Supplier
Should a Semiconductor Equipment Maker Machine Invar In-House?
Build-versus-buy analysis for a semiconductor equipment maker with an in-house machine shop: what Invar needs beyond general machining, capital cost and the volume where in-house starts to pay off.
- Materials
Machining Super Invar and Invar 36 for Semiconductor Equipment
Why semiconductor and metrology equipment makers specify Invar and Super Invar for frames and reference plates, and what that means for tolerance, cleanliness and process control.
- Materials
Invar and Super Invar parts for wafer stages and reference frames
Invar semiconductor lithography parts explained: stage bodies, metrology frames, why sub-micron drift matters, cleanliness, magnetics near motors and RFQ notes.
- Choosing a Supplier
Second-Source Qualification: Requalifying an Invar Part at a New Shop
What changes when you move an existing Invar part to a second machine shop: process differences to check, first article comparison and what to document.
- Materials
Long-Term Dimensional Stability: Does Invar Age After Machining?
Whether machined Invar parts keep moving over months or years after stress relief, and what shops do to minimize long-term dimensional drift beyond the initial process.
Alloy pages: Invar 36 machining, Super Invar machining, Kovar machining, Alloy 42 machining. Spec numbers and CTE by temperature band on the Invar specs reference.
Have a drawing ready?
Send the short version now. We will ask for anything missing. For full details up front use the full RFQ form. Reply within 24 business hours.
Your files go only to the shops we match. Ask for an NDA and nothing is shared until it is signed.
Questions from Semiconductor Equipment buyers
Something else? Email .
Do you manufacture the Invar parts yourselves?
No. We are a matching service. We connect your RFQ with independent machine shops that cut Invar 36, Super Invar, Kovar and Alloy 42, and those shops deal with you directly on price and schedule.
Are the shops you match us with certified to a specific quality standard?
Some are and some are not. We do not verify or claim certifications on a shop’s behalf. State your certification requirement on the RFQ and confirm the certificate directly with the shop before award.
How many shops will quote our RFQ?
Up to three, so you can compare price, lead time and process approach directly against each other on the same drawing.
Can a matched shop handle cleanroom cleaning and packaging?
Many can. State your cleaning procedure, residue check and packaging requirement on the RFQ so shops can quote it accurately alongside the machining.
What if our program needs a vendor qualified for production volume, not just a prototype?
Say so on the RFQ, including your expected ramp volume. This affects which shops are a good match and how they price and schedule the work.