P04 – High Throughput Handling of Micro Samples

P04 - High Throughput Handling

To ensure a low effort, fast and reliable handling of all samples that have to pass through the primary shaping, microstructuring and short-term characterization processes in high throughput, a comprehensive understanding of the handling of micro samples is required. A particular challenge is the handling of spherical samples with a diameter of less than 1000 microns. Besides the geometric properties of the micro samples further versatile requirements resulting from the different subprojects of the method „Farbige Zustände“ apply to the sample handling. During the microstructuring and testing processes the micro samples are exposed to thermal and various mechanical loads, which must be tolerated by handling and fixing solutions. The processes include the thermal microstructuring by heat treatment, tests for machinability, micro indention tests or the mechanical microstructuring by blasting. These requirements are extended by the aim of high throughput. In previous research projects handling technologies for micro components were intensively studied. Mechanical gripping technologies, clamping and feeding systems, which were developed there are not suitable for high throughput and the proposed investigations. Furthermore the known boundary conditions of the planned collaborative research center indicate that a single handling mode is not sufficient to handle the micro samples according to the requirements, because they are needed correspondingly to the tests as bulk material or as individual loose or fixed parts. The aim of this subproject P04 is therefore the design and evaluation of design methods for multimodal transport and handling systems, which can handle the micro samples fast, with low effort and high process reliability, transfer the samples between modes for the following provision.

The creation of understanding cause-effect relationships between handling system, clamping devices and micro sample is absolutely necessary to establish a high throughput suitable, uniform handling method in the collaborative research center. Apart from the identification of an energy self-sufficient clamping device for micro samples, which can be declamped reliably and without unintentional microstructuring of the sample, the influence of clamping methods has to be determined on form closure, traction and/ or adhesive bond based on process capability. Possible clamping principles are embedding in adhesives or low melting alloys, placing the micro samples in trays or the use of suction clamping nests.

Publications

Hogreve, S., Teetz, P., Tracht, K. „Form- und stoffschlüssiges Spannen von Mikrokugeln – Niedrigschmelzende Legierungen und schnell härtende Klebstoffe als Spannmittel in der Mikrotechnik“, wt Werkstattstechnik online 105 (9) (2015), 633-639.