Bidirectional singulation saw and method

A cutting system for use in singulation of substrates and dicing of wafers, comprising:

• a first and a second linear transport means arranged parallel to each other;
• wherein the first transport means comprises a first linear actuator and a first carrier support moveable by the first linear actuator;
• wherein the second transport means comprises a second linear actuator and a second carrier support moveable by the second linear actuator;
• and wherein each of the first and second linear transport means has three sequential points separated from each other and serving as a load/unload station, a vision position station, and a singulation/cutting station for the first carrier support and the second carrier support;
• wherein the first and second linear actuators are parallel to one another, and each carrier support moves along the corresponding linear actuator and stops at each one of the stations;
• means for positioning the first carrier support and the second carrier support sequentially from the load/unload station to the vision position station and then to the singulation/cutting station;
• wherein the first carrier support and the second carrier support reciprocally move in an X-axis direction from and to the singulation/cutting station;
• and
• singulation/cutting means for separating semiconductor type substrates/wafer devices one from another by cutting the substrate/wafer as it passes in both X directions;
• wherein the substrate/wafer is mounted on the carrier supports;
• and wherein the cutting of the substrate/wafer on the first/second carrier support on the first/second linear transport means may be done when the loading/unloading and positioning the substrate/wafer on the second/first carrier support ready for cutting on the second/first second linear transport means, thereby reducing lost cutting time to a minimum.