Integrated, multidisciplinary approaches for micro-manufacturing research, and new opportunities and challenges to micro-manufacturing

Abstract

Increased demands on micro-products and miniaturised systems/devices have been a main driver to the rapid growth of the interest in research in micro- and nano-manufacturing. Currently, micro-manufacturing research is bridging ‘nano-manufacturing’ and ‘macro-manufacturing’ and hence, helping to transform nanotechnology into real-world and affordable products, for which it is developing multi-length scale and multi-materials manufacturing capabilities. It is also playing more roles in helping transforming traditional industry and products to more competitive ones. Nevertheless, besides being shifted from ‘process focus’ to ‘market/product’ driven research and technological developments addressing production capability, product quality, pilot production lines and sustainability, there is clearly a need for micro-manufacturing research to adopt integrated, multidisciplinary approaches to address development-related issues concurrently, in order to shorten the development cycles for product realisation. It is believed that to transfer laboratory processes to industrial applications within much shorter timescales, the associated issues should be addressed with collaborations among different, relevant disciplines. European Union–funded integrated projects have demonstrated such efforts. Product development–centred approaches brought in expertise and resources in product design, material, analysis, testing, tools, machines, automation and manufacturing system integration as well as in life-cycle engineering to address the development needs. At the same time, due to ever updated interests in new products and enabling manufacturing technologies with a view to meeting increased demands from, for example, healthcare, on quality of life, for wealth creation, social engagement and sustainable development, there are new challenges to micro- and nano-manufacturing research, which also suggest tremendous opportunities.