An apparatus for subdividing a sheet of brittle insulating material with a plurality of semiconductor chips disposed thereon. The chips are separated by row and column kerfs each of which contains a respective scribed line. The subdivision of the sheet is accomplished by placing the sheet in a flexible conformable carrier having an open grid, formed of ribs, with each rib positioned over a respective scribe line on the surface of the sheet and forcing the sheet against an arched anvil, thereby fracturing the sheet along the scribe lines.