Title: Integrated design of micro-electromechanical systems

Authors: A. De Grave, D. Brissaud

Addresses: Department of Manufacturing Engineering and Management, Technical University of Denmark, DK-2800 Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark. ' Laboratoire G-SCOP/3S, BP 53, F-38041 Grenoble Cedex 9, France

Abstract: Emerging technologies of Micro-Electromechanical Systems (MEMS) are applications such as airbag accelerometers. Micro-products present many physical differences from macro-products. Moreover, there is a high level of integration in multiple fields of physics with strongly coupled effects. Manufacturing is mainly coming from the silicon industry. Our interest is to highlight the differences between designing MEMS and designing classical ICs or mechanical devices, to propose new methods and aided-tools supporting the design process. Our methodology is based on an ethnographic approach through industrial immersion to propose a socio-technological description of the design process and MEMS design tools.

Keywords: MEMS design flow; sociotechnical systems; design process; microelectromechanical systems; ethnography.

DOI: 10.1504/JDR.2007.015180

Journal of Design Research, 2007 Vol.5 No.4, pp.416 - 434

Published online: 20 Sep 2007 *

Full-text access for editors Full-text access for subscribers Purchase this article Comment on this article