Manufacturing of Devices for the Parallel Precision Alignment of Multiple Micro Components

Abstract

Micro components are available in a variety of shapes typically sizing from 1 mm down to 0.01 mm. Their mass production is quite common using state of the art production technology. Micro spheres for example, are on the one hand available in lot sizes up to some thousands in a constant quality within micron accuracy [1]. On the other hand they are quite commonly provided as bulk material with diameter variations of up to 10 % in each lot size [2]. In both cases, the bulk micro components are usually arranged in incoherent batches which are packed in plastic bags or small jars for handling and shipping. The decollating of single components for follow-up micro assembly processes is complicated by the wellknown effects in micro handling such as dominating adhesion and friction forces [3]. These effects limit the post processing of bulk micro components to manual work in order to sort and align the single micro components prior to their exposure to an automated assembly line. To enable a sophisticated and automated handling of the single micro components, automated sorting and alignment mechanisms are necessary to arrange the bulk micro components in a well defined pattern structure which is essential to achieving an efficient automated micro assembly.

A Novel Method and Mechanism for Micro-Sphere Singularization

“…A mechanism for the simultaneous alignment and ordering of a fixed quantity of micro-spheres in a defined position was developed in [ 7 ]. This mechanism is composed of an array of cavities that exploit an airflow to suck the spheres, supporting the alignment.…”

An integrated and compact device for microassembly exploiting electrostatic sorting and capillary grasping

“…They overcome adhesion forces by air flows that sucked microcomponents into cavities [6] or liquid flows that pushed microballs in separated holes with known locations [7]. Other systems use vibration to randomly separate parts [8] or exploit hydrophobic and hydrophilic zones [9].…”