Processes

Manufacturing processes convert raw material into desired parts to make usable and saleable products. All manufacturing processes are evaluated and then selected for specific applications based on the type and amount of energy involved, the process mechanism and its capability (including accuracy and repeatability), environmental effects, and economy. In addition to these measures, micromanufacturing processes also need to be evaluated on the quality of the removal (or plastic deformation or addition) of the smallest amount of material in one cycle, as well as the achievable precision of the related micromanufacturing equipment. This chapter begins by describing the status of the micromanufacturing processes observed during the WTEC visits to Asia and Europe. The state-of-the-art of micromanufacturing processes in the U.S. is also included in this chapter. The sites visited in Asia and Europe include industry, universities and research organizations. Specific issues of process mechanism, modeling and simulation, surface integrity, and scaling effects are summarized in the second part of this chapter.