Hughes 2460 HMC-2460 Automatic Wire Bonder WD-8700D1 Rev F w/ Panasonic WV-5350

Hughes 2460 HMC-2460 Automatic Wire Bonder WD-8700D1 Rev F w/ Panasonic WV-5350

The Hughes Aircraft Model 2460 (also identified as HMC-2460) is a semi-automatic thermosonic/thermocompression wire bonder designed for precision interconnection of semiconductor die in IC packaging and microelectronics assembly. Built by Hughes Aircraft Company's Industrial Products Division in Carlsbad, California, the Model 2460 bonds fine gold or aluminum wire between die bond pads and package leads using a combination of heat, ultrasonic energy, and controlled bonding force. This system is configured as the WD-8700D1 control unit at Revision F and includes an integrated Panasonic WV-5350 video monitor and a Hughes operator's manual.

Specifications & What's Included

• Manufacturer: Hughes Aircraft Company – Industrial Products Division, Carlsbad, California
• Model: 2460 (HMC-2460)
• Control Unit Model: WD-8700D1, Revision F
• Type: Automatic Wire Bonder System
• Overall System Dimensions: 48" W x 37" D x 66" H (integrated cabinet)
• Microscope: Bausch & Lomb stereo binocular microscope with dual eyepieces
• Integrated Video Monitor: Panasonic WV-5350
• Monitor Power: 120V AC, 60Hz, 23W / 12V DC, 0.9A
• Monitor Video Input: 1 Vp-p, 75 Ohm (BNC)
• Monitor Rear Connectors: BNC Video IN/OUT, BNC Sync IN/OUT; DC-Rest, Sync INT/EXT, H.AFC switches
• Front Panel Controls: Electronic Flame Off (On/Off, Clamp, Go, Miss indicators), Fiber Light Source (Brightness), Cal/Run/Test selector, Flow Rate control (Increase/Decrease), Feed and Tension adjustments
• LED Setpoint Display: Red 3-digit numeric display (reading 027 in photos)
• Emergency Stop: Red mushroom-head button on front panel
• Run/Program/Off and Start/Standby switches on monitor panel
• Internal Control Card Cage: Two-tier rack with multiple PCB controller boards installed
• Cabinet: Integrated steel cabinet base with ventilated lower section
• Included: Hughes Automatic Wire Bonder Operator's Manual (spiral-bound, Industrial Products Division) and additional material packet (visible in photos)

Applications

Automatic wire bonders like the Hughes Model 2460 are the primary interconnect tool in semiconductor device packaging — used to attach fine-diameter gold or aluminum wire between the bond pads on a bare IC die and the leads or pads of its package (DIP, flatpack, ceramic, TO-can, hybrid substrate, and similar). Hughes Aircraft's Industrial Products Division was a significant supplier of wire bonding equipment to the U.S. defense electronics and aerospace industries from the 1960s through the 1980s, and the Model 2460 family was widely deployed in military-spec hybrid microcircuit production lines, government contractor facilities, and university semiconductor research labs. The system's integrated video monitor allows the operator to view the bonding area in real time for setup, process monitoring, and quality inspection. Today these machines are sought by small-volume semiconductor assembly shops, university research programs, vintage electronics restorers, and defense contractors maintaining legacy production lines that require MIL-SPEC wire bonding processes. The Bausch & Lomb optical head provides the magnification needed for precise placement on fine-pitch die.