A Flexible Microrobot-Based Microassembly Station

Abstract. A wide range of microcomponents can today be produced using various microfabrication techniques. The assembly of complex microsystems consisting of several single components (i.e. hybrid microsystems) is, however, a difficult task that is seen to be a real challenge for the robotic research community. It is necessary to conceive flexible, highly precise and fast microassembly methods. In this paper, the development of a microrobot-based microassembly station is presented. Mobile piezoelectric microrobots with dimensions of some cm3 and with at least 5 DOF can perform various manipulations either under a light microscope or within the vacuum chamber of a scanning electron microscope. The components of the station developed and its control system are described. The latter comprises a visionbased sensor system for automatic robot control, user interfaces, a re-configurable parallel computer array and an assembly planning system. Specific problems that occur when using microrobot...

• Type: Journal
• Year: 2000
• Where: JIRS
• Authors: Sergej Fatikow, Jörg Seyfried, Stephan Fahlbusch, A. Buerkle, F. Schmoeckel
• Keywords: Assembly Planning, JIRS 2000, Mobile Piezoelectric Microrobots, Various Microfabrication Techniques