Hittech Group

“It’s time to spotlight electron optics with some of the best experts in the business," says Pieter Kappelhof, our Director of Technology and Dutch Society for Precision Engineering (DSPE) board member. In the city of Veldhoven, in the heart of the Dutch semicon industry, the DSPE organises on October 8 an exclusive day with the following subjects and speakers:    • Electron microscopy: Principles, Electron Optics and Operating Modes - Nicolae Podaru from Thermo Fisher • Aberration correction for Low-Voltage SEM in an Optomechatronical context - Diederik Maas from TNO • The application of an electron optics system in a wafer inspection machine from ASML - Martijn Maassen from ASML • Laser Phase Plate and its Application in Transmission Electron Microscopy - Pleun Dona from Thermo Fisher • Integrated microscopy with coincident electron, photon, and ion beams - Jacob Hoogenboom from TU Delft • Level sensing in e-beam lithography - Aditya Narayanan, PhD from Raith • Integration of Laser Interferometry for Vibration Sensing in Scanning Electron Microscopy - René Cartaya López from Zeiss • Optical Systems in a Multi-Beam Electron Microscope - Wilco Zuidema from Delmic • Groundbreaking technology to solve some of the humanities toughest challenges - Patrick de Jager from Birds   How does Pieter Kappelhof see the future for electron optics? Pieter: “The need to zoom in on an atomic level is growing in analytical equipment. For example, pharmaceutical and medical companies use more and more electron microscopes to analyse their biochemical processes. In the semiconductor market, it is widespread for companies to work on the nanometer level. Hittech is ready to support these developments and companies. We are investing in cleanroom facilities in the Netherlands, Germany, and Malaysia for assembly combined with state-of-the-art tools and equipment such as RGA measurement devices. However, the production side of the process is also becoming more advanced in measuring and controlling the changing electromagnetic properties of materials during machining. These fascinating developments will be put to good use in the upcoming years.”   Go to the page in the comment to register for the event.    We thank Thermo Fisher for the photo taken from their public image library.

This is Hittech Multin in The Hague (NL). With eight other Hittech companies spread across the Netherlands, Germany and Malaysia, Hittech Multin has been part of the Hittech Group since 2004. In this post, we dive into their history, how they became part of our Hittech Group, and their contribution to our international client portfolio.   We asked their Director of Sales & Marketing, Philip Bakker, about the early days of Hittech Multin: “Multin had its history in the early 90s when three engineering agencies joined forces as the Multin Technology Group under the ownership of Priva, an innovative company from the Westland region that is specialised in sustainable climate control. The idea was to implement the mechatronics knowledge from Multin into the horticultural sector, but when ASML knocked on the door in 1998, Multin entered into a future in semicon instead. I joined in 2000, and in 2004, the company was acquired by the Hittech Group. Thirty years later, we have a vast track record and still excel in developing and assembling complex mechatronic products.”   In the video we made this year, we elaborate on Hittech Multin’s strengths and added values in the group and towards our clients. Today, the company serves as the group’s Design for Excellence engineering centre, where they specialise in developing entirely new products and value engineering to optimise existing products and systems. They operate in various market sectors, including semicon, analytical equipment and MedTech, adhering to the highest achievable industrial quality standards. For instance, they are ISO 13485 Certified for developing and producing medtech systems.   Please look at the video and let us know what you think. The video can also be viewed on our YouTube channel. The link is in the comments.

In this photo, the structural cooperation between Hittech Multin and SPECTRAL Industries started with a letter of intent. Frans Hoffmans (in the photo right), Managing Director of Hittech Multin, explains the details of the cooperation: “On 27 August, Hittech Multin and Spectral Industries signed a letter of intent underlining the two companies’ intention to work together structurally in the coming years. Hittech Multin will further develop Spectral Industries’s products and set up robust production. We see them as one of the most promising scale-ups in the region, and they probably will grow into a renowned player in the market for analytical instrumentation.”   Spectral Industries CTO Marijn Sandtke (in the photo on the left) and CEO Ad Maas: “At this stage of our successful existence, scaling up production and supplying reliable monitoring systems on a large scale is essential for a successful introduction into the market. The pleasant cooperation with Hittech Multin in the past in optical and opto-mechatronic development projects and their reputation as a high-quality full system supplier in the South Holland region made us choose them as partners.”   Pieter Kappelhof, Director of Technology of the Hittech Group: “I believe Spectral’s LIBS systems offer a unique opportunity to use spectral measurement techniques to continuously measure in-line raw material quality in mining. In-line measurement is a great improvement in the efficiency of the mining process. It has the attention of the global mining industry given the rapidly growing need for rare earth materials such as lithium.”

If you want to know more about the latest developments in the design and production of optomechanical products, apply for the 14th Wetzlar Autumn Meeting, “Modern Optical Manufacturing” in Wetzlar (DE). On day two at 14:15H of this two-day event with thirty international speakers, our Director of Technology, Pieter Kappelhof, will represent our German company, Hittech Prontor GmbH.   Pieter Kappelhof: “This year, I have a double role at the Wetzlar Autumn Meeting. First, I will present my mission to improve materials knowledge at the design stage of opto-mechanics. But I also used my network from my role as a board member of the Dutch Society for Precision Engineering (DSPE) to invite companies from the Netherlands, such as ASML, TNO, Anteryon B.V. and Nedinsco, to give presentations for the parallel session on day two of the meeting about optical manufacturing in the Netherlands.”   The Wetzlar Autumn Meeting “Modern Optical Manufacturing” is organised by Photonics Hub and will be held on Tuesday, September 24 and Wednesday, September 25. Registration is possible via the online registration link in the comments. The number of participants for company tours to VIAOPTIC GmbH, Ernst Leitz Wetzlar GmbH and Leica Camera AG is limited. Places will be allocated in the order in which registrations are received. Participants are responsible for organising their own transport from Leitz Park to the Wetzlar City Hall.    In the photo, Pieter Kappelhof is giving a presentation for DSPE.

The Netherlands is one of only three countries (besides the U.S. and Japan) with a complete semiconductor value chain. Eighty-five per cent of all chips worldwide are manufactured using Dutch semiconductor equipment in their design, development, and manufacturing processes.   The Dutch have a 400-year trade relationship with Taiwan. Today, the Netherlands remains Taiwan’s second-most important trading partner in Europe. This year marks the 10th anniversary of the Netherlands’ participation in the 2024 SEMICON Taiwan. Several Dutch companies and research institutes, including Hittech, participated in the Taiwan Innovation and Cooperation Conference in the first week of September.   Our Chief Commercial Officer Ralph Stassen, second from left in the photo, calls the conference a big success. Ralph: “It is great to see Dutch companies at the forefront of integrated photonics and advanced packaging. The ground-breaking new technologies are on the verge of industrialisation, a process in which Hittech can contribute.”   #TeamSemiconNL

How can contamination and galvanic oxidation be avoided when cleaning ultrasonic stations for aluminium and ferrous metals? We found the answer in Penang, Malaysia, from Paul Morach, Managing Director of our company Hittech Wemac.   Paul Morach: "The cleaning of machined products is essential for the intended function of machined parts in module assemblies, but it also comes with some critical questions. For example, how clean is clean? And who can confirm that the expected cleanliness meets customers' specifications? How do we control the product flow and ensure the quality of the parts and on-time delivery to customers? For those reasons, we invested in a modern, state-of-the-art cleaning machine with segregated cleaning steps for aluminium and ferrous metals. Many companies use the same cleaning systems, particularly ultrasonic stations for aluminium and ferrous metals, which, over time, lead to contamination and, subsequently, galvanic oxidation. With the help of bright light inspection before the cleaning process and ultraviolet light inspection after the cleaning process, we ensure adherence to customer specifications and part requirements. We clean in a class 7 environment according to ISO 14644 and assemble according to class 4 cleanliness if required."

In many production processes, including assembly, people remain indispensable. With the highly skilled work being done in our companies, it is essential to have employees trained well and to share know-how. Digital work instruction (DWI) software is one tool that can be used to optimise this process. In a recent study, TNO digitaal interviewed eight companies in the Netherlands that use DWI software to investigate their motivations for implementing such software and to share their experiences.   The researched companies use various software providers, from Visual Factory, Azumuta, and 3DValue to VKS. Hittech Multin in The Hague, one of the study participants, has been using DWI software from VKS - Visual Knowledge Share since 2018.   Chantal Lovisa, our DWI specialist, who was also responsible for implementing VKS at Hittech Multin, shares her experience. “The main advantage of using a digital work instruction system such as VKS is version control of the work instructions. Only the latest approved and released version of the work instruction is provided in production, meaning the operator will never use the wrong version. Besides that, the work instructions made with VKS are more visual and standardised. Each slide has an image of the assembly step, a brief description of the action, and a short bill of materials. However, VKS brings more than only digital work instructions. The work instructions can be extended with checklists, videos, training requirements and tool connections, which makes Hittech Multin ready for the future.”   Please refer to the download link below for more information about the benefits of using DWI Software and the study's conclusions. https://lnkd.in/edTKfKsz

Ralph Stassen, CCO of the Hittech Group, presented Hittech Prontor GmbH in Bad Wildbad, Germany, to a group of entrepreneurs on a trade mission in Baden-Württemberg. Ralph: "With Hittech Prontor, we were able to add a great company with complementary competencies to our group. It also gave us access to an extensive supplier network here in southern Germany, in addition to our existing supplier network in the Netherlands."   Renée Versteegde-Derks, Project Manager at Brainport Industries and one of the trade mission's organisers, emphasised the value of such events. "Thanks to our joint approach, we were received on a high level at companies such as TRUMPF and SCHUNK, where we could exchange ideas about cooperation." The EUV laser from TRUMPF in the photo is a good example of high-tech cooperation between the Netherlands and Baden Württemberg. The recent delegation trip showed a solid basis for further cooperation. Versteegde-Derks emphasises the need for collaboration due to the industry's increasing complexity: "To remain innovative and competitive as a chain, it is essential to maintain and strengthen our cooperation. Baden-Württemberg is a very suitable partner, and several parties in Baden-Württemberg have expressed interest in return visits to Brainport Industries."   Again, thanks to Brainport Industries and the BOM (Brabantse Ontwikkelings Maatschappij) for organising this trade mission.

This is a lens adjustment mechanism that uses piezo actuators. This technology allows for minute and exact lens adjustments over several degrees of freedom, enabling precise control over the lens's position, orientation, and focal length. Hittech Bihca is responsible for assembling this high-tech subsystem, and its Managing Director, Koen Mentink, explains what makes this product special. “Next to making complex large carriers with high precision, we also make small assemblies. An example of such a small assembly is the lens adjustment in the photo that uses piezo actuators. The lens adjustment is needed to focus a measuring beam inside a semiconductor machine, which can tilt three different axes. Piezo actuators obviously can adjust with very small increments, and therefore, the assembly needs to be very accurate as well. Some assembly steps contain a process called laser welding, which must be done meticulously. The assembly also consists of several different material types, which adds to the complexity. It is a perfect example of how we can work together with our customer by giving design input to make it possible to machine and manufacture a complex assembly in an economically viable way.”

Hiring new colleagues from foreign cultures requires more than a contract. Our company, Hittech Bihca, is less than 7 km from Germany, and they have more than enough experience looking over the borders.   The three guys in the photo are from three different countries (Portugal, Italy, and Romania) who wanted to build a new life in the Netherlands using their technical expertise. With the help of Jan-Willem Lueksen from JAWS | Technisch Intermediair, we found these highly skilled and motivated new colleagues and prepared them for work and life in The Netherlands.   Heleen Van der Sloot Floors, HR professional at Hittech Bihca, explains this onboarding process. “Next to the administrative part of recruiting international staff, we deal with housing and language barriers. The team from JAWS is a great help with the housing part, and we help to take care of the language barrier. Understanding and speaking English is a must for joining our team. But there is more: we also care about community building outside the office. For example, one colleague from Romania has a wife and child, so we helped them find a proper daycare solution for the child so they could both work.”