Object manipulation

Assembly Automation

ISSN: 0144-5154

Article publication date: 1 June 2004

95

Keywords

Citation

Rigelsford, J. (2004), "Object manipulation", Assembly Automation, Vol. 24 No. 2. https://doi.org/10.1108/aa.2004.03324bad.010

Publisher

:

Emerald Group Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2004, Emerald Group Publishing Limited


Object manipulation

Object manipulation

Keywords: Patents, Fabrication, Manufacture, Machining

Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation, USAPatent number: US6,199,269Publication date: 13 March 2001Title: Manipulation of micromechanical objects

This patent presents an aid for the manipulation of micromechanical objects during fabrication and manufacture. It aims to provide a simple method for simultaneously handling large number of micromechanical objects.

A combination of microfabricated objects are disclosed which comprises a plurality of micro-tools connected via a micro attachment link to a manipulator as an aid for handling the micro-tool. This facilitates human or machine interaction with the combination of micro tools, either for subsequent processing, or for the assembly of the micro-tools into a completed product. The micro-tools are attached in a sequence that is optimised for assembly. The links allow severing of individual micro-tools from the combination as needed and the manipulator provides an aid for handling the combination via probe, pliers, clasping, mating or other device.

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