Capillary Forces in Microassembly discusses the use of capillary forces as a gripping principle in microscale assembly. Clearly written and well-organized, this text brings together physical concepts at the microscale with practical applications in micromanipulation. Throughout this work, the reader will find a review of the existing gripping principles, elements to model capillary forces as well as descriptions of the simulation and experimental test bench developed to study the design parameters. Using well-known concepts from surface science (such as surface tension, capillary effects, wettability, and contact angles) as inputs to mechanical models, the amount of effort required to handle micro-components is predicted. These developments are then applied in a case study concerning the pick and place of balls in a watch ball bearing.
Researchers and engineers involved in micromanipulation and precision assembly will find this a highly useful reference for microassembly system design and analysis.
Researchers and engineers involved in micromanipulation and precision assembly will find this a highly useful reference for microassembly system design and analysis.
From the reviews:
"Presented in five parts this text considers the use of capillary forces as a means to grip and assemble micrometre scale structures. ... This book reads easily and is well presented in terms of technical figures and mathematical detail. ... topics discussed are illustrated via a number of examples and, ultimately a thorough case study involving a watch bearing. ... serves best as a reference for those specialists working in the field or for a postgraduate researcher looking for a clear explanation of microassembly principles." (Matthew R. Foreman, Contemporary Physics, Vol. 51 (6), 2010)
"Presented in five parts this text considers the use of capillary forces as a means to grip and assemble micrometre scale structures. ... This book reads easily and is well presented in terms of technical figures and mathematical detail. ... topics discussed are illustrated via a number of examples and, ultimately a thorough case study involving a watch bearing. ... serves best as a reference for those specialists working in the field or for a postgraduate researcher looking for a clear explanation of microassembly principles." (Matthew R. Foreman, Contemporary Physics, Vol. 51 (6), 2010)