A method of determining a bonding status between wire and at least one bonding location of a semiconductor device is provided. The method includes the steps of: (a) bonding a portion of wire to at least one bonding location of a semiconductor device using a bonding tool of a wire bonding machine; and (b) detecting whether another portion of wire engaged with the bonding tool, and separate from the portion of wire, contacts the portion of wire in a predetermined height range, thereby determining if the portion of wire is bonded to the at least one bonding location.

A mechanism is provided for identifying a wire-pull test location on a wire of a microelectronic package. A first distance between a first terminating location of the wire on the microelectronic package and a second terminating location of the wire on the microelectronic package is determined. Based on the first distance, a second distance from either the first terminating location or the second terminating location is determined as the wire-pull test location for testing a strength of a connection of the wire to at least one of the first terminating location or the second terminating location. An adjustment is performed such that a visual guide is oriented on the wire at the wire-pull test location.

A wire bonding system is provided. The wire bonding system includes (i) a bond head assembly configured to carry a wire bonding tool; and (il) a wire bonding tool replacement system for replacement of the wire bonding tool with another wire bonding tool.

According to one embodiment, a controller of a wire bonding apparatus is configured to calculate a height of a bump based on a diameter of a ball-shaped portion detected by a diameter detecting part, a first position of a bonding tool detected by a position detecting part when a load sensor detects a load at a first bonding point, and a second position of the bonding tool when the bonding tool is lowered at the first bonding point, and to bond a wire based on the calculated height of the bump.

According to one embodiment, a controller of a wire bonding apparatus is configured to calculate a height of a bump based on a diameter of a ball-shaped portion detected by a diameter detecting part, a first position of a bonding tool detected by a position detecting part when a load sensor detects a load at a bonding point, and a second position of the bonding tool when the bonding tool is lowered most at the bonding point, and to bond a wire based on the calculated height of the bump. The controller is further configured to acquire a plurality of the first positions of a plurality of the bumps formed on a chip, and to calculate a relative positional relationship of the plurality of first positions.