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Project Takes Giant Leap To Make Tiny 3D Parts
01 May 2005
Last month, a group of key scientists and engineers, who specialise in manufacturing at very small scales, began a four year, multi-organisation, Grand Challenge to develop the technologies and strategic approaches required for the design and manufacture of tightlyintegrated three dimensional miniaturised products.
Co-ordinated by the MIcroSystem Engineering Centre (MISEC) at Heriot-Watt University, the group will bring together researchers from around the UK.
The challenge will include all aspects of the manufacturing cycle, from design, processing, assembly, packaging and product testing. By the end of the project, the group hopes to have cracked the issues involved in reel-to-reel production, where products can be manufactured in a similar manner to the way newspapers are printed. They will also be considering 'origami' manufacturing, where objects are created by a process of mechanical folding.
The Grand Challenge will be financed by almost £10m from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), University-based Innovative Manufacturing Research Centres (IMRCs) and industry. It will involve five IMRCs, two further partner research organisations and strong collaborative support from industry.
www.hw.ac.uk
