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This book deals with the current methods developed around the world on robotic
microassembly. It is dedicated to Master’s and Ph.D. students, and also scientists
and engineers involved in microrobotics and also in robotics. As robotic
microassembly is a new way to manufacture microelectromechanical systems
(MEMS), companies and research institutes involved in this domain will find in
this book original methods that can be used to simulate, design, and build new
generations of hybrid tridimensional microproducts.
Microproducts are usually divided into two categories by function of the manufactured
process used. On the one hand, the standard fabrication using machining
or molding is able to produce millimetric and submillimetric pieces (e.g., gears
in watches). On the second hand, processes developed initially in microelectronics
and based on photolithography have been extended to mechanical structures
and are currently used to build MEMS (e.g., air bag sensors). In both cases, the
resolution of the details built on the product could be around the micrometer
or even less, but the global size of the pieces stays millimetric. The market of
miniaturized products, which include always more functionalities in a smaller
volume, is increasing very rapidly. In the future, the size of the piece should be
reduced below 100 μm, and the microsystem should integrate a large variety of
functions including mechanisms, electronic, and control, fluid or optic. It is the
reason why a large number of research teams are currently focused on the topic
of microassembly. |
