In an example embodiment, there is a method for assembling a wafer level chip scale processed (WLCSP) wafer, the wafer having a front-side surface and a back-side surface, a plurality of device die having electrical contacts on the front-side surface. The method comprises back-grinding, to a thickness, the back-side surface the wafer. A protective layer of a thickness is applied onto the back-side surface of the wafer. The wafer is mounted onto a sawing foil onto the back-side surface having the protective layer. The wafer is sawed in saw lanes of the plurality of device die on the front-side surface, the sawing occurring with a blade of a first kerf and to a first depth of the background wafer thickness; again, the wafer is sawed along the saw lanes of the plurality of device die, the sawing occurring with a blade of a second kerf, the second kerf narrower than the first kerf, and sawing to a depth of the thickness of the protective layer. The plurality of device dies is separated into individual device die. Each individual device die has a protective layer on the back-side, the protective layer having a stand-off distance from a vertical edge of the individual device die.