Micro/Nano Manufacturing

Within the last few years we have seen a growing tendency that many of the products are getting smaller and smaller. This is the case for products which we use both privately and in industry. This miniaturization is often characterized by a strong integration of micro mechanics and micro electronics. It is a continuously increasing challenge to create the operational basis for an industrial production of microtechnological products. As the products through product development processes are made applicable to a large number of customers, the pressure in regard to developing production technologies that make it possible to produce the products at a reasonable price and in large numbers is growing. These two demands further point at the use of metal, polymers and ceramics (or combinations of these) as materials to be used for microtechnological components and products.


In the light of this development IPL has established a cross-disciplinary research programme with the purpose of creating an industrial production basis for microtechnological products/components through technology and product development. Thus the discipline of Micro/Nano Manufacturing at IPL can be defined as the activities that enable an industrial production of components within the dimensional scale of micrometers and nanometers. The components themselves may be of these dimensions, but also larger components with functional characteristics within the micrometer/nanometer area are included as an essential part of the activities. The driving force of the development is miniaturization. IPL will primarily focus on industrial production of components in metal, polymers and ceramics.