AMANDA - surface micromachining, molding, and diaphragm transfer

AMANDA is a process which combines surface micromachining, molding, and dia phragm transfer to produce microcomponents from polymers. It allows low-cos t production of reliable microdevices by batch processing. Lifetimes for mi cropumps of more than 7600 h have been demonstrated. The pumps are produced at our laboratory in a small-scale production line for 150 DM per unit. Th is price could be reduced to 50 DM per unit when 20,000 are ordered. Other devices, such as microvalves and transducers for pressure and flow sensing were fabricated with AMANDA as well. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science S.A. All rig hts reserved.