Taiwan Precision Machining Firm Combines Super Drill EDM Capability With On-Site Hydrogen Generation to Serve Semiconductor Manufacturers
As demand from artificial intelligence, high-performance computing, and advanced packaging continues to rise, the semiconductor industry's requirements for high precision, micro-scale features, and stable, repeatable processes are becoming increasingly stringent. Against this backdrop, OCEAN TECHNOLOGIES CO., LTD. (brand name OCEAN), a Taiwan-based company with years of expertise in CNC micro-hole electrical discharge machining (EDM), has successfully moved into the semiconductor components and process-equipment supply chain through two proprietary core technologies: the HP2 micro-hole EDM circuit and discharge milling. The development reflects the cross-domain R&D strength that Taiwan's precision machinery industry is now bringing to the semiconductor field.
Why Micro-Hole Precision Is a Growing Challenge for Semiconductor Manufacturing
According to OCEAN TECHNOLOGIES, semiconductor processes place extremely high demands on micro-hole diameter, depth-to-diameter ratio, verticality, and machining consistency — requirements that conventional processing technologies find difficult to meet while balancing precision, efficiency, and yield at the same time.
This is the gap OCEAN's super drill EDM technology was developed to close. The company's HP2 micro-hole EDM circuit has been engineered to deliver mass-production-grade stability across a wide range of hole sizes and depth-to-diameter ratios.
HP2 Micro-Hole EDM Circuit: Key Capabilities
| Parameter |
Specification |
| Machinable hole diameter |
0.05 – 3.0 mm |
| Depth-to-diameter ratio |
Up to 10 – 300x, depending on hole size |
| Verticality |
0.02 – 0.05 mm |
| Production readiness |
Mass-production-grade stability |
| Recent milestone: SiC micro-hole |
0.08 mm diameter (currently in customer qualification) |
| Recent milestone: silicon photonics optical connector |
0.1 mm micro-hole machining |
Beyond these headline figures, the same core technology has been extended into adjacent, equally demanding applications: electrostatic chucks, micro-probe guide holes, and chip cooling mold components — all areas where a single out-of-tolerance hole can compromise an entire downstream assembly.
FAQ: Micro-hole EDM for semiconductor components
What makes micro-hole EDM different from conventional drilling for semiconductor parts?
Conventional mechanical drilling struggles to maintain verticality and consistency at sub-0.1 mm diameters, particularly in hard, brittle materials such as SiC. A super drill EDM process removes material through controlled electrical discharge rather than mechanical force, which reduces tool wear and mechanical stress on the workpiece, making it better suited to high depth-to-diameter, high-precision holes.
Has OCEAN's SiC micro-hole process already reached customers?
The 0.08 mm SiC micro-hole process is currently at the customer testing and evaluation stage, following successful completion of several benchmark cases.
Discharge Milling: Cutting Cycle Time Without Sacrificing Precision
Micro-hole drilling addresses one bottleneck; deep, high-aspect-ratio groove machining addresses another. OCEAN's self-developed discharge milling technology was built specifically for high-efficiency, high depth-to-diameter deep-groove machining, and is already deployed in high-speed precision electronic connector molds and IC test temperature-control components — two categories where cycle time directly affects a customer's own production throughput.
The technology achieves a depth-to-diameter ratio of up to 20x, at a speed several times faster than conventional EDM. In practical terms, a process that previously took approximately 2.5 hours can now be completed in roughly 25 minutes — without requiring a dedicated electrode for each job, which meaningfully lowers both labor time and electrode consumable costs. Despite the speed gain, machining accuracy remains at ±0.05 mm, with a surface roughness of Ra 0.8–2.0 μm, meeting the dual requirement of efficiency and consistent quality that buyers in connector and IC test tooling typically demand.
Discharge Milling at a Glance
| Metric |
Result |
| Depth-to-diameter ratio |
Up to 20x |
| Cycle time reduction |
~2.5 hours reduced to ~25 minutes |
| Electrode requirement |
No dedicated electrode needed per job |
| Machining accuracy |
±0.05 mm |
| Surface roughness |
Ra 0.8 – 2.0 μm |
| Primary applications |
High-speed connector molds, IC test temperature-control components |
Beyond Machining: On-Site Hydrogen Generation
Alongside its machining technology, OCEAN is also actively developing hydrogen energy systems. Its hydrogen system converts electricity into high-purity hydrogen in real time, enabling on-site production and immediate on-site use. This reduces the transportation, storage, leakage, and energy-loss risks associated with conventional hydrogen supply models.
OCEAN's current hydrogen system can produce up to 6 cubic meters of hydrogen per hour. The company has indicated that, going forward, it hopes to bring this system into semiconductor fab utility systems as a localized hydrogen supply solution for production lines.
FAQ: On-site hydrogen generation
How does OCEAN's hydrogen system differ from conventional hydrogen supply?
Rather than relying on delivered and stored hydrogen, OCEAN's system generates high-purity hydrogen from electricity in real time at the point of use, reducing the transportation, storage, and leakage risks of conventional supply chains.
What is the current production capacity of OCEAN's hydrogen system?
The system currently produces up to 6 cubic meters of hydrogen per hour, with future potential to be integrated into semiconductor fab utility systems.
Looking Ahead: Deepening R&D in Emerging Semiconductor Applications
OCEAN TECHNOLOGIES has stated it will continue to invest R&D resources into deepening the application of its technologies in third-generation semiconductors, silicon photonics, advanced packaging, and high-end precision component manufacturing. The company is also expanding its own OCEAN brand into international markets, with the goal of becoming an indispensable precision machining technology partner within Taiwan's semiconductor supply chain, and helping Taiwan's precision machinery and semiconductor industries advance together on the global stage.
About OCEAN TECHNOLOGIES CO., LTD.
OCEAN TECHNOLOGIES CO., LTD. is a Taiwan-based precision machining company built on years of expertise in CNC micro-hole EDM and discharge milling, now extending that foundation into third-generation semiconductor, silicon photonics, advanced packaging, and high-end precision component manufacturing. The company's flagship platform, the River 600 CNC Super Drill EDM, brings OCEAN's HP2 micro-hole EDM circuit into a production-ready CNC system, combining fine hole diameter control, high depth-to-diameter ratio machining, and repeatable verticality for manufacturers evaluating new micro-hole processes.
Companies interested in micro-hole EDM, discharge milling, or on-site hydrogen generation are welcome to contact OCEAN TECHNOLOGIES CO., LTD. to discuss their requirements.
