Manufacturing of 3D microstructures using novel UPSAMS process (ultra precision manufacturing of self-assembled micro systems)

This paper introduces a new microfabrication technique, Ultraprecision Manufacturing of Self-Assembled Micro-Systems (UPSAMS), which combines ultraprecision micromachining, such as milling, turning, drilling, and grinding with sacrificial/structural multilayer manufacturing processes to produce self-assembled, 3D microsystems and associated mesoscale interfaces from a variety of materials for MEMS applications. With this process, a new class of microsystems can be developed that is highly three dimensional, precisely machined, and automatically assembled.