According to Electronic Engineering Times, a comprehensive resource for industry news, predicted in 2009 that companies are increasingly opting to invest in second-hand semiconductor equipment. Industry pundits feel that this trend is the fallout of the recession-the downturn was a time when companies realized that it was more profitable to acquire second-hand and refurbished semiconductor equipment in working condition and from a trusted source than invest significantly in a new piece of equipment.

A mechanical probe station is usually used to physically receive signals from the nodes that are placed inside any semiconductor equipment. The probe station uses manipulators that ensure the fine needles can be precisely positioned on the semiconductor device. The probe station is also widely used to analysis the failure statistics of semiconductor machinery. The increasing preference for second-hand semiconductor equipment has also meant an increase in the demand for used probe stations and rightly so! Now if you have decided to invest in one, here are some tips to help you spot one that will give you the most return on your investment:

* Settle for a well-known brand. They say "Name sells" and it does, indeed! When choosing to buy used probe stations, go to a supplier who stocks products from well-known brands. You can thus be certain that a particular piece of equipment had been originally assembled using nothing but parts of the best quality and while adhering to the most stringent production processes.

* Ensure that the used probe stations have gone through an extensive and stringent refurbishment process. Even when you are buying a used product, make sure that you receive a product that exactly matches the original factory specifications. If required, demand to know the stages of the refurbishment process from the supplier.

* Compare prices from different suppliers. Financial considerations were primarily what that prompted you to go in for used probe stations. So after you have drawn up a list of suppliers who stock equipment of only the best quality, it is time you compared their prices. Settle for the supplier who has the most competitive prices.

Now wouldn't you rather settle for a supplier who you can trust to stock only the most well-known brands of semiconductor equipment, follows a strict process for refurbishing used probe stations, and offers extremely competitive prices? Then, ClassOne Equipment is the destination for you, as it for countless other companies who value quality above everything else. They are a well-known supplier of used probe stations, used dicing saws, and used wet benches.

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