This web site describes ongoing microassembly research, being conducted at the department of mechanical and industrial engineering, at the University of Toronto.

Microassembly can be described as a process of manipulating the micro-objects used to build a microsystem, from their original location of fabrication, to the final location of the assembly.

The "micro"-parts used here, are fabricated by surface micromachining, and range in size from 60x70 microns to 300 x 400 microns, with a thickness of several microns.

Microassembly allows for the construction of complex 3D microsystems which cannot be constructed using micromachining alone. It is necessary for applications such as the construction of "tall" out-of-plane microstructures, such as the micro-coil shown in Fig.2, or microsystems requiring micro-parts that originate from two or more different chips or sources.

The microassembly system used here makes use of a microgripper attached to a robotic workstation. Assembly joints are created in a few ways, including "snap-lock", "stiction", "key-lock", and "inter-lock". Assembled micro-parts can be translated and rotated in 6 'degrees of freedom', from their original position.

Please explore this site, and the links within. Click on any images to view larger versions.