Capabilities
CNC Precision Machining
CNC grinding and milling for quartz, sapphire, and advanced ceramics, with tolerances and surface finish reviewed by drawing, material, and inspection scope.
CNC Precision Machining of Quartz & Ceramics
Precision machining of brittle non-metallic materials — fused quartz, sapphire, and technical ceramics — requires fundamentally different strategies from metal machining. Material brittleness, thermal sensitivity, and chemical reactivity to conventional coolants all demand specialized equipment, tooling, and process parameters.
At Tuguan Semiconductor, CNC precision machining is a core competency. Grinding and milling plans are reviewed by material, geometry, surface requirement, and contamination-control needs.
Process Capabilities
Cylindrical Grinding (OD & ID)
External diameter (OD) and internal bore (ID) grinding is performed on our CNC cylindrical grinding machines equipped with diamond wheels.
| Specification | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|
| OD tolerance | Per drawing | Reviewed for critical dimensions |
| ID tolerance | Per drawing | Reviewed for critical dimensions |
| Roundness | Per drawing | Reviewed for critical dimensions |
| Surface roughness | Per surface requirement | Reviewed by process route |
| Max OD | Reviewed by material form | Reviewed by material form |
| Max length | Reviewed by material form | Reviewed by material form |
Surface Grinding & Lapping
Flat-surface grinding uses diamond cup wheels or segments; critical flatness is achieved by multi-pass lapping.
| Specification | Value |
|---|---|
| Flatness | Specified per drawing and inspection method |
| Parallelism (opposite faces) | Specified per drawing and inspection method |
| Surface roughness | Specified per surface requirement |
| Max plate size | Reviewed by material form and flatness requirement |
Profile Grinding (Contour & Radius)
Five-axis CNC grinding allows complex profiles, chamfers, radii, and tapers to be generated in a single setup — minimizing repositioning error.
| Feature | Capability |
|---|---|
| Profile radius (convex/concave) | Down to R 1 mm |
| Angular features | Per drawing review |
| Complex contour accuracy | Per drawing review |
Why Diamond Tooling Only?
Quartz glass (hardness ~600 HV) and technical ceramics (hardness 1000–2700 HV) are 2–5× harder than hardened steel. Conventional abrasive wheels (corundum, silicon carbide) wear rapidly and risk contaminating the workpiece with abrasive particles. Diamond wheels provide:
- Long tool life — 10–20× longer than conventional abrasives on quartz
- Controlled chip formation — smaller chips reduce subsurface damage
- Consistent surface finish — predictable Ra throughout the wheel’s life
- Lower metallic contamination risk — abrasive and coolant choices are reviewed by material and process requirements
Controlled Machining Workflow
All CNC machining of semiconductor-grade components is performed with:
- Water-based coolant review — coolant and cleaning route selected by material and application
- Material-aware job planning — contamination-control needs reviewed by material family
- Enclosed machining where applicable — particle-control requirements discussed before quotation
After machining, cleaning and packaging requirements should be confirmed before quotation based on the application cleanliness target.
Supported Materials
| Material | Machinability | Key Tooling Requirement |
|---|---|---|
| Natural fused quartz | ★★★★☆ | Resin-bond diamond wheels |
| Synthetic fused silica | ★★★★☆ | Resin-bond diamond wheels |
| Sapphire | ★★★☆☆ | Metal-bond diamond, fine grit |
| Alumina (99.5%) | ★★★☆☆ | Resin/metal bond diamond |
| Silicon nitride | ★★★☆☆ | Metal-bond diamond |
| Silicon carbide | ★★☆☆☆ | Metal-bond diamond, coarse pre-grind |
| Boron nitride | ★★★★★ | Carbide or HSS tooling acceptable |
Lead Time Factors
Lead time depends on material availability, drawing complexity, quantity, machining steps, and inspection requirements. Rush requests can be reviewed based on current production capacity.