SINGAPORE--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Kulicke and Soffa Industries, Inc. (NASDAQ: KLIC) ("Kulicke & Soffa", "K&S" or the "Company") today announced the launch of their new, enhanced capability, hybrid wedge bonder, the Asterion. This single platform addresses the industry's growing and changing applications needs by handling a multitude of interconnect materials including large and small aluminum wire, copper wire, PowerRibbonTM, as well as aluminum copper-clad ribbon.

The Asterion hybrid solution expands the Company's extensive wedge bonding offerings by delivering a list of solution oriented enhancements focusing on:

• Heightened Productivity with a large bondable area (300mm x 300mm); improved MTBA with enhanced PR plus Geometric Model mode; and faster cycle time with direct drive motion system and advanced PR modes
• Improved Performance due to a very stable platform for greater bond placement repeatability; and extremely consistent process results
• Advanced capabilities with innovative software and hardware features such as ultrasonic normalization, host communications, common data transfer and traceability functions; a Loop Former option that enables advanced square loop profiles; and advanced interconnect capability with an improved configurable bond head
• Ease of Use is given a boost with a new Bond Head Set-up Aid; an Intuitive Graphical User Interface (Windows 7 OS); a Graphical Editor for convenient program editing; Context Sensitive Help; and Easy Program Conversion from 3600/3700Plus to Asterion

"These new enhancements add meaningful production value over our powerful and well-received 3600Plus wedge platform," said Chan Pin Chong, Kulicke & Soffa's Vice President of the wedge bond, blades and consumables business lines. "Built on an enhanced architecture, Asterion's expanded bond area and intuitive user tools are expected to continue addressing the demanding production requirements of existing customers, but also add value in advance interconnect applications for aluminum, copper wire and ribbon, due to its increased flexibility and intelligent improvements."

The Asterion will debut at the SEMICON China show at the Shanghai New International Expo Centre, Hall W4, Booth #4423, from March 17-19, 2015.

About Kulicke & Soffa

Kulicke & Soffa (NASDAQ: KLIC) is a global leader in the design and manufacture of semiconductor, LED and electronic assembly equipment. As a pioneer in this industry, K&S has provided customers with market leading packaging solutions for decades. In recent years, K&S has expanded its product offerings through strategic acquisitions and organic development, adding advanced packaging, advanced SMT, wedge bonding and a broader range of expendable tools to its core ball bonding products. Combined with its extensive expertise in process technology, K&S is well positioned to help customers meet the challenges of assembling the next-generation semiconductor and LED devices. (www.kns.com)

Kulicke & Soffa Industries, Inc.
Sheila Frese
Public Relations
P: +1-949-399-2930
F: +1-949-660-0444
sfrese@kns.com
or
Joseph Elgindy
Investor Relations & Strategic Planning
P: +1-215-784-7518
F: +1-215-784-6180
jelgindy@kns.com