Modeling for effective computer support to MEMS product development

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Date
2004-04-26Author
Sinha, Niraj
Type
ThesisDegree Level
MastersMetadata
Show full item recordAbstract
Microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) are miniaturized devices with high functionality. In recent years, MEMS products have become increasingly dominant in every aspect of the commercial market place. As the MEMS technology is in its infant stage and has several unique features compared to macro-scale products, it is faced with several challenges. One of them is that design and fabrication knowledge is very intrigue and thus very difficult to be accessible. An effective computer support to the MEMS product development is thus very important. This thesis study undertakes a thorough investigation into the MEMS product development process and its computer support. Specifically, the study examines the state-of-the-art in computer aided design systems in light of the support of product functionality. It is shown that MEMS product development involves high degree of uncertainty, which calls for an unconventional computer support. At this point, this study proposes an approach to construct a knowledge base in a fairly flexible and real-time manner. This approach is based on the extended function-behavior-structure framework and the template technique proposed in this thesis. The other finding is that the MEMS product development resembles the one-of-a-kind product (OKP) development. Therefore software tools for the OKP product development process can be applied to the MEMS product development process. These tools are examined, and further extensions upon them are proposed. Throughout the thesis, a microdispensing system is used as an example for illustration of concepts described in this thesis.
Degree
Master of Science (M.Sc.)Department
Mechanical EngineeringProgram
Mechanical EngineeringSupervisor
Zhang, W. J. (Chris)Committee
Schneider, Kevin; Oguocha, Ikechukwuka N.; Burton, Richard T.Copyright Date
April 2004Subject
General Knowledge base
MEMS
OKP development process
Workflow management