Designers of microelectromechanical systems, or MEMS, have great ideas, however lack the means to turn these ideas into successful commercial products.
Such is the scenario being played out in the fledging MEMS business, where engineers and scientists are collaborating on powerful technologies like blood pressure sensors and automobile airbag accelerometers. These and other products may never advance beyond the conceptual stage due to the lack of manufacturing capability available to MEMS designers.
The transition of a micro-electromechanical device from concept to high-volume production "can be a bumpy ride," says Mechanical Engineering magazine, a publication of ASME International (American Society of Mechanical Engineers). "While engineering resources exist for taking a good idea for a micro device through design, prototyping and testing -- and putting it into production -- the infrastructure for doing so is still evolving," explains the magazine in the June 2002 issue.
That infrastructure must include either in-house manufacturing capability or outside foundries that are equipped for producing microelectromechanical systems. The problem with in-house manufacturing is cost; many MEMS developers are university research centers and small technology firms "that lack the deep pockets to invest in a dedicated MEMS facility," says Mechanical Engineering.
The problem with outsourcing to foundries is that most are not equipped with standardized process systems to handle MEMS, which are designed for highly specific applications and tend to operate in niche environments. Explains Mechanical Engineering: "The diversity of microelectromechanical systems is enormous, and the implementation of the devices requires very different process sequences."
Continuing dialogue among MEMS designers and users may be key to solving standardization and manufacturing issues, and other challenges and obstacles in the MEMS landscape. In an effort to bring the technical community together for discussion and information exchange, the ASME Continuing Education Institute in 2001 launched its annual MEMS Technology Seminar. The second annual seminar was recently held, June 17-19, in Cambridge, Mass.
For more information on the Mechanical Engineering article, "MEMS Rocky Road," visit the Web site at http://www.memagazine.org
ASME International (http://www.asme.org/about)is a 125,000-member organization focused on technical, educational and research issues. ASME conducts one of the world's largest technical publishing operations, holds numerous technical conferences worldwide, and offers hundreds of professional development courses each year. ASME sets internationally recognized industrial and manufacturing codes and standards that enhance public welfare and safety.
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