What Micromanipulator does

The Micromanipulator Company designs, develops, and manufactures high-precision analytical probe stations and supporting accessories for semiconductor testing. Founded in 1956 in Carson City, Nevada, the company is credited with inventing analytical probing and has operated continuously for over 60 years, building a substantial global installed base. Its products serve wafer-level and decapsulated packaged-part probing applications across failure analysis, device characterization, reliability testing, and design verification, with named end-users spanning semiconductor manufacturers, failure analysis labs, research institutions, and MEMS/compound-semi developers.

The core product architecture spans manual probe stations (e.g., 8060, 4060, 450PM, P300J), semi-automatic stations (P200L, P300L, P300A), and patented system-level platforms. The VERSA Double Sided Probe System is positioned as a patent-protected platform combining wafer-level to board-level double-sided probing with thermal capability. The 2210-LS System Level Probe Station (patent pending) extends this to board-mounted and decapsulated IC probing for automotive temperature requirements (-40°C to 125°C). Underlying technologies include the H1000 thermal chuck system (-65°C to 400°C with sputtered platinum surface), Perpetual Focus Technology, True Guard Technology, and the NETPROBE-7 control software with wafer mapping, theta alignment, sub-die, and pattern recognition features plus drivers for Keysight, Keithley, and LabVIEW. A cost-tier sub-brand, Mechatronics, extends the portfolio to budget-conscious buyers.

The business model is hardware-led with recurring consumables and aftermarket services. Revenue streams include probe station sales (manual, semi-automatic, automated), accessories and consumables (probe tips, holders, positioners — over 90 probe tip SKUs), full life-cycle support services (on-site technical support, preventative maintenance, upgrades for obsolete tools), and refurbished equipment. Major equipment is sold via quotation with financing options; consumables are sold through an owned e-commerce store with tiered volume discounts (up to 40% off at 100+ boxes of probe tips). Distribution combines direct enterprise sales, a global network of field representatives and distributors, the e-commerce storefront, and factory-direct refurbished sales. No external funding, acquisitions, or public-market activity are disclosed.

Name

Micromanipulator

Legal name

The Micromanipulator Company

Website

https://micromanipulator.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1956

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Micromanipulator Company designs and manufactures high-precision analytical probe stations, thermal chucks, and accessories for semiconductor wafer-level and packaged-part testing. Founded in 1956 in Carson City, Nevada, it serves semiconductor manufacturers, failure analysis labs, research institutions, and MEMS developers globally.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Semiconductor Test Equipment

NAICS

Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing (334516), Instrument Manufacturing for Measuring and Testing Electricity and Electrical Signals (334515)

SIC

Laboratory Analytical Instruments (3826), Instruments For Meas & Testing Of Electricity & Elec Signals (3825)

akta.pro primary industry

Test, Probe & Burn-In Equipment (Wafer Sort/Final Test) (HDAHAEAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Metrology, Inspection & Process Control Equipment (HDAHAEAH), Metrology, Inspection & Machine Tool Accessories (CMMs, Probing, Gauging) (IMAHADAK)

Keywords

• Semiconductor probe stations
• Wafer probing equipment
• Failure analysis stations
• RF microwave testing
• Thermal chuck systems

Headquarters

HQ city

Carson City

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Probe Stations: Sale of high-performance probe stations including manual, semi-automatic, and automated systems for wafer level and decapsulated packaged part probing. Stations are configurable with various thermal, RF, and high-power capabilities.
2. Accessories and Consumables: Sales of probe tips, probe holders, probe positioners, patch cords, and thermal chucks. Over 90 probe tip selections available. Accessories can be purchased through online store.
3. Full Life-Cycle Support Services: On-site technical support, engineering consultation, extended warranties, preventative maintenance programs, and upgrade paths for obsolete tools.
4. Refurbished Equipment: Sale of factory-refurbished probe stations and demo equipment at reduced prices with factory warranty.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Micromanipulator designs, develops, and manufactures high-precision analytical probe stations, thermal chuck systems, manipulators, probe holders, and probe tips for semiconductor wafer-level and decapsulated packaged-part testing. The company sells probe stations ranging from manual and semi-automatic to specialty systems for RF/mmW, high-power, low-current, MEMS, silicon photonics, and vibrometer applications, with thermal ranges from -65C to 400C and a complementary accessories/consumables catalog distributed via direct sales and e-commerce.

Product overview

The Micromanipulator Company offers a comprehensive portfolio of analytical probe stations and accessories for semiconductor testing. The core offerings include VERSA Double Sided and Modular Probe Systems (patented system-level platforms), semi-automatic stations (P200L, P300L, P300A), manual stations (8060, 4060, 450PM), and specialty systems for silicon photonics, vibrometer testing, high power, and mmW applications. Supporting the probe stations are thermal systems (H1000), probe positioners/manipulators, probe holders, and probe tips. The company also offers a sub-brand, Mechatronics, for cost-effective entry-level solutions. The portfolio supports wafer sizes from <200mm to 300mm, temperature ranges from -65C to 400C, and applications including failure analysis, device characterization, reliability testing, and high-frequency measurements up to 500GHz.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Micromanipulator Probe Stations: High performance, efficient analytical probe stations and accessories for both wafer level and decapsulated packaged part probing. Includes thermal chucks, sub-micron positioners, and high-performance probe heads.
• Mechatronics

Products and services

• VERSA Double Sided Probe System World's first true system-level flip chip and double-sided probe system with above and below ambient temperature capabilities (-40C to 125C), featuring integrated vibration isolation and patented design for wafer, die, and board level testing up to 26 inches square.
• VERSA Modular Probe System Patented modular probe system enabling wafer level to board level testing with customizable thermal options, supporting backside, double-sided, high-speed signal acquisition, and optical inspection applications.
• P200L Semi-Automatic Probe Station 200mm semiautomatic wafer prober with optional NETPROBE-7 control software featuring wafer map, integrated video, theta alignment, sub-die, and pattern recognition; configurable for DC, RF, Microwave, and High Power applications with temperature range from -65C to 400C.
• P300L Semi-Automatic Probe Station 300mm semiautomatic wafer prober with NETPROBE-7 control software, featuring leadscrew-leadnut stage design, single-point ground, integrated thermal chuck plumbing, and temperature range from -55C to 300C.
• P300J Motorized Manual Probe Station 300mm manual wafer prober with joystick control and exclusive MicroTouch motorized controls, featuring single-point ground, dry/dark environment, and integrated thermal chuck plumbing for low current, sub-micron positioning applications.
• P300A Semi-Automatic Probe Station Most advanced 300mm semiautomatic wafer prober featuring NETPROBE-7 software with Navigator, Interactive Video, Memory List, Wafer Map, EdgeSense pattern recognition, closed-loop operation, and massive stage and platen drives.
• 8060 Manual Probe Station Highest performance manual 150mm-200mm wafer prober offering sub-micron positioning, true single point ground, one-handed platen and microscope quick lift for demanding analytical test professionals.
• 4060 Manual Probe Station High efficiency general purpose 150mm-200mm manual analytical probe station designed for everyday failure analysis, device characterization, and reliability testing applications.
• 450PM Manual Probe Station Upgradeable manual 150mm-200mm wafer prober designed to grow with applications, featuring industry-leading upgradeability options with ambient to 400C thermal capability and low cost of ownership.
• 2210-LS System Level Probe Station World's first true system-level probe station with above and below ambient temperature capabilities, designed for automotive temperature requirements for board probing, board mounted decapsulated IC probing, and wafer probing up to 300mm.
• H1000 Thermal System Thermal chuck system offering -65C to 400C temperature range with coaxial, triaxial, and high power configurations, featuring sputter platinum surface, best planarity performance, and isolation specifications for low noise measurement applications.
• High Frequency Manipulators High frequency probe positioners with left/right neutral operation, true linear motion, 100 TPI XYZ drive, supporting GS, SG, GSG, and other popular probe head configurations with planarity and theta controls.
• High Power Probe Holders Probe holders designed for high power applications with compatibility for Keithley and Keysight power sources and analyzers, supporting configurations from 2.5kV to 5kV.
• 7A Tungsten Fine Probe Tip Tungsten fine probe tip for small geometry probing with 0.35um point radius, nickel shank, designed for finest lines on small pitch applications.
• 7B Tungsten Probe Tip General purpose tungsten probe tip with bendable shank and tip, 0.5um point radius, suitable for general purpose probing applications.
• 7C C-Bend Dumet Probe Tip Dumet wire probe tip with bendable shank and cat whisker pure tungsten tip for lead-in-wire applications with vacuum tight glass-to-metal seal.
• 7D Tungsten Carbide Probe Tip Cutting probe tip made from tungsten carbide wire with ground point for larger point radius tolerance, designed for durability in high-wear applications.
• Silicon Photonics Probe Stations Probe stations optimized for silicon photonics testing with horizontal and vertical edge coupling, fiber alignment technology, and thermal testing capabilities from -65C to 400C.
• Vibrometer Probe Stations Microscope-based measurement systems for vibrometer testing validating dynamics and topography of microsystems with real-time vibration analysis up to 2.5 GHz and sub-picometer displacement resolution.
• High Power Optimized Probe Stations Probe stations optimized for high power measurements featuring anti-arching technologies, low contact resistance, and compatibility with Keysight and Keithley equipment.
• mmW Optimized Probe Stations Wafer level probe stations optimized for DC-500GHz mmW measurements with unrivaled calibration, Perpetual Focus Technology, and support for SG, GS, GSG probe configurations.
• Laser Cutting System (LS635B) Air-cooled diode-pumped laser system with up to 50 Hz repetition rate, selectable wavelengths (1064nm, 532nm, 355nm, 266nm), for semiconductor failure analysis, laser marking, and precision sample modification.
• Mechatronics Probe Station Sub-Brand Budget-friendly probe station sub-brand leveraging Micromanipulator designs to provide easy-to-use probing equipment at industry-leading prices, including manipulators, probe holders, and probe tips.
• Factory-Refurbished Equipment Factory-refurbished probe stations and demo equipment sold at reduced prices with factory warranty and support.
• Full Life-Cycle Support Services On-site technical support, engineering consultation, extended warranties, preventative maintenance programs, and upgrade paths for obsolete tools.

Quantifiable outcome

• Temperature range from frost-free -40°C to 125°C for automotive testing
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature9 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Technical University of Denmark (DTU) - Department of Electrical EngineeringcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 April 2016DTU Electrical Engineering adopted Micromanipulator's latest system level probing technology, the model 2210-LS system level prober, for Internet of Things development. DTU installed their first 2210-LS for research purposes, establishing a technology partnership for advanced semiconductor testing research.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Direct peers

• Wentworth Laboratories: Wentworth Laboratories designs and manufactures probe stations and wafer probers for semiconductor failure analysis and device characterization, with comparable manual and semi-automatic platforms targeting similar research and fab customers.
• MPI Corporation: MPI manufactures advanced wafer probe stations, RF/mmW probes, and thermal systems serving semiconductor test, photonics, and MEMS applications, directly overlapping with Micromanipulator's P-series and VERSA product lines.
• Signatone: Signatone is a direct competitor in analytical probe stations, offering manual, semi-automatic, and high-frequency probing systems used in wafer-level test and failure analysis, serving the same customer base as Micromanipulator.
• FormFactor: FormFactor (including legacy Cascade Microtech) is the largest dedicated provider of wafer probe stations and analytical probing solutions globally, competing head-to-head with Micromanipulator across wafer-level, RF/mmW, and high-power probing.
• SUSS MicroTec: SUSS MicroTec provides mask aligners, wafer bonders, and probe stations for semiconductor and MEMS test, with overlapping manual and semi-automatic probing products targeting similar fab and failure-analysis customers.
• Everbeing: Everbeing International manufactures probe stations and probers for the semiconductor industry, offering manual, semi-automatic, and fully automatic systems that overlap with Micromanipulator's core product portfolio.

Emerging players

• Onto Innovation: Onto Innovation offers inspection, metrology, and advanced packaging test solutions that intersect with Micromanipulator's failure-analysis and characterization workflows, increasingly competing in adjacent test modalities.

Broad incumbents

• Keysight Technologies: Keysight is a dominant test-and-measurement incumbent whose parametric testers and analytical software are integrated with Micromanipulator stations; while primarily a partner, Keysight also offers adjacent probing solutions and competes in the broader wafer-test stack.
• Tokyo Seimitsu (Accretech): Accretech/Tokyo Seimitsu manufactures wafer probers and semiconductor production equipment, competing in the broader prober market with both R&D-focused and high-volume production systems.
• Keithley Instruments (Tektronix): Keithley supplies the parametric testers, source measure units, and analytical software commonly paired with Micromanipulator stations; it is a key integration partner and a broad incumbent in semiconductor electrical test.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/micromanipulator

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Micromanipulator