|
Abstract:
|
The
interest
on
the
microworld
was
started
by
Richard
Feynman
(Nobel
prize
in
physics
in
1965,
one
of
the
members
in
Project
Manhattan)
in
his
famous
speech
in
1959
[1],
where
he
claimed
that
it
was
possible
to
“imagine
encyclopedias
written
in
the
head
of
a
pin,
all
the
information
and
knowledge
mankind
had
achieved
in
their
history,
all
the
books
in
the
world
written
in
a
cube
with
a
width
of
one
fifth
of
an
inch”;
these
words
caused
laughter
on
the
assistants
of
the
speech.
The
following
years
have
proven
that
Feynman’s
words
were
not
as
foolish
as
they
were
interpreted
those
days.
Progress
has
lead
to
the
point
where
miniaturization
is
a
crucial
matter.
Thus,
there
is
a
need
for
ways
to
produce
items
in
a
microscale,
overcoming
the
difficulties
of
having
to
deal
with
really
small
parts.
The
process
of
building
micro-‐
products
has
been
marked
by
its
high
cost,
due
to
the
requirement
of
human
workers
to
manipulate
the
pieces
with
the
use
of
microscopes;
an
automation
of
the
systems
was
required
for
overcoming
the
high
costs
of
producing
microscaled
products.
There
is
where
it
appears
the
concept
of
a
Micro
Assembly
Workstation
(MAW):
an
automated
and
higly
reconfigurable
modular
factory
for
the
assembly
2
of
objects
with
microscale
and/or
mesoscale
features
under
microscale
tolerances
[2].
As
stated
in
[3],
the
basic
requirements
of
an
automated
microassembly
is
that
it
must
be
able
to
transport
parts
and
components
of
microscale
and
be
able
to
manipulate
them
so
that
precise
spatial
relation
with
microscale
tolerances
can
be
established
for
the
alignment
and
parts
insertion.
Following
the
definitions
established
in
[4]
the
essential
tools
and
equipment
required
in
an
experimental
MAW
include:
§ A
vision
system
equipped
with
either
high-‐powered
stereomicroscope
with
long
working
distance,
and/or
high-‐resolution
camera
and
monitor.
The
latter
is
used
to
provide
guidance
and
feedback
during
and
after
the
assembly.
§ A
micro
positioner
with
resolution
at
40
nm
for
work
piece,
microgripper
manipulation
and
position
control.
§ Micro
gripper
or
tweezers
with
actuators
for
pick
and
place
operations
to
complete
specific
microassembly
tasks.
§ A
high
resolution,
high
precision
transfer
tool
for
handling
parts
and
components.
§ A
real-‐time
computer
vision
for
controlling
servo
mechanisms
and
motors
for
alignment |
