Semiconductor Advanced Packaging & Test worked example

Probe Card Cost at 98% probe card utilization: a worked example

This scenario runs the probe card cost calculation on the strong side: 98% probe card utilization, with every other input held at its documented default. Use it to spread vertical or MEMS probe card investment across a part's wafer-sort campaign.

The inputs for this scenario

  • Wafers probed: 8,000 wafers (unchanged)
  • Probe card cost per wafer: 3.2 $/wafer (unchanged)
  • Probe card utilization: 98 % (raised for this scenario; the documented default is 85)
  • Cleaning and maintenance reserve: 6,000 $ (unchanged)

Working through the calculation

  • Applying the documented formula (Total = wafers probed x card cost per wafer x utilization% + maintenance reserve) to the inputs above produces each figure below.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 31,088 $ for total probe card cost, the number this scenario is built around.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 3.89 $ / piece for probe card cost per unit.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 25,088 $ for variable probe card cost.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 6,000 $ for fixed probe card cost adder.

How this compares with the baseline

  • Against the tool's baseline example, where probe card utilization sits at 85% and the headline result is 27,760 $, this scenario comes in 11.99% above the baseline at 31,088 $.
  • Use it when pricing a wafer sort program, comparing probe card technologies, or deciding whether to rebuild or replace a card near end of life. Treat this as a target state: the delta against the baseline quantifies what the improvement is worth before you commit to chasing it.

Results at a glance

  • Total probe card cost: 31,088 $ (headline result)
  • Probe card cost per unit: 3.89 $ / piece
  • Variable probe card cost: 25,088 $
  • Fixed probe card cost adder: 6,000 $

Run it with your numbers

  • Every input above is editable in the live Probe Card Cost calculator, which recalculates instantly and can be shared with the inputs intact.

Last reviewed 2026-05-12.