SGER: Exploratory Research on Manufacturing of Advanced 3-D Micro-Actuators

University Of Texas At Austin, Austin TX

Investigators

Abstract

This exploratory research grant provides the support for studies, with respect to fundamental facets as well as practical facets, of manufacturing processes of three-dimensional components in the micro-scale. Moreover, the study will include factors required to have components, so fabricated, to work together as three-dimensional micro-actuators. Letting a length-measure to represent the size of component, it is known that the volume of the component is proportional to the cube of the length-measure, and the surface of the component is proportional to the square of the length-measure. Given this fact, as one move from the much better understood macro world of manufacturing to the relatively unknown world of manufacturing in the micro world, surface dictated behavior as a part of the component would be much more important than the volume dictated behavior of the component. As such this research will place special emphasis on surfaces along with the material whose surfaces are be studied. As these components are expected to work together reliably when assembled to form actuators, materials as a factor also looms large in the studies. Other factor to be studied are method of measurement, handling, storage, among others, of micro-scale components. If successful, the results of this exploratory research will improve the fundamental understanding of processes of manufacturing three-dimensional components in the micro-scale as well as factors which need to be taken into account when these components are assembled to form micro-actuators. A dominant factors in the fundamental understanding, which will be the bases for successful application, is reliability. The hope is that the aforementioned knowledge will lead to requisite methodologies for manufacturing in the micro-scale, especially in the truly three-dimensional world.