A STUDY OF MECHANICAL CONFIGURATION OPTIMIZATION IN MICROSYSTEMS

This paper shows that there are three main categories of factors that make the optimum mechanical design of micro-systems different from mac ro-systems: scale effects, a limited range of materials, and a limited range of production processes. The combined effect of these factors c an make the optimum configuration of a micro-system potentially very d ifferent from that of the same system on a macro-scale. In particular, the use of flexible elements for hinges is much more feasible and des irable on a micro-scale.