MATERIALS/PROCESSES/FINISHES 33
Micro-manufacturing now offers advantages for specialist processes
Fig. 1.
Miniaturisation is not new, but manufacturing mechanical,
electromechanical and fluidic components on a micro scale is rapidly developing into a recognisable industry in itself. Alistair Rae reports on a selection of the latest developments in this exciting field.
La miniaturisation n’est pas un phénomène nouveau, mais la fabrication de composants mécaniques, électromécaniques et fluidiques miniaturisés est rapidement en train de devenir une industrie distincte. Alistair Rae présente quelques-uns des nouveaux développements dans ce domaine passionnant.
Miniaturisierung ist nicht neu, aber die Herstellung mechanischer, elektromechanischer und Fluidkomponenten auf einer Mikroskala entwickelt sich rasch zu einer eigenen Industrie. Alistair Rae berichtet über eine Auswahl der neuesten Entwicklungen in diesem spannenden Gebiet.
Battenfeld’s all-electric Microsystem 50 micro-injection moulding machine can produce parts with
single-digit milligram weights.
O
ver the past few years a new industry has developed to serve the growing demand for micro-manufacturing. While
miniaturisation has been ongoing since the commercialisation of the transistor some 50 years ago, it is only recently that it has been viable to manufacture high volumes of mechanical and electromechanical components with features in the sub-millimetre range. The focus for these technologies has been on
products and systems for the medical/ pharmaceutical, communications, sensors, defence/aerospace and mobile telephony markets. Given the highly specialised
nature of micro-manufacturing, most companies that develop production equipment or offer these services concentrate on one or a very limited number of technologies, such as micro-injection moulding, laser fabrication or micro-EDM (electro-discharge machining). Of course, there is also some interaction between the technologies, such as the need to micro-machine mould tools for micro-injection moulding. One of the leading manufacturers of micro-injection moulding machines is
Cronoplast, with its Babyplast family of benchtop machines. Materials that can be moulded include thermoplastics – such as polypropylene (PP), polyamide (PA), acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), polycarbonate (PC), polybutylene terephthalate (PBT), polyoxymethylene (POM), polyphenylene sulphide (PPS) and polyetheretherketone (PEEK) – as well as filled materials, waxes, thermoplastic elastomers, and powdered ceramics and metals for sintering.
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Fig. 2. This micro-sized electrical connector with insert- moulded pins is typical of the components that can be produced on a Battenfeld Microsystem 50.
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