Sep 1 2004
New technology developed at Monash University will make production of tiny parts with a diameter less than one millimetre simpler and could save industry millions of dollars.
The parts are currently produced in their millions and used in a variety of products like mobile phones, laptop computers, PDA's (personal digit assistants) and surgical equipment.
Dr Chris Davies from the School of Physics and Materials Engineering and a team of researchers will start forming the minute parts with a specially designed microforming device soon using a new method which uses a stamping process as opposed to the current methods of layering and cutting.
The project is the first of its kind in Australia and has attracted more than $500,000 in funding.
Dr Davies said the unique microforming method would revolutionise the industry and provide a cheaper and more efficient means of small parts production.
"Handling the parts is very tricky because they are so small, we have had to build a special device with a built in microscope so we can actually locate the material we are working with," Dr Davies said.
"The micro-electro mechanical systems (MEMS) industry has an annual turnover of around $50 billion so even if we can save a company 10 per cent on each part manufactured, the savings would be enormous," he said.
Dr Davies said the microforming industry is less than 10 years old, and likens it to car manufacturing but on a much smaller scale.
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