Apr 28 2008
The Fraunhofer Center for Manufacturing Innovation, Boston University Photonics Center and the BU Center for Nanoscience and Nanobiotechnology hosted the prestigious Society of Manufacturing Engineers this week for a tour of their world class facilities located on the campus of Boston University.
The intensive tour included demonstrations of their new technological advancements in the areas of, MEMS/NEMS (Micro/Nano-Electro-Mechanical- Systems), MOEMS (Micro-Opto-Electrical- Mechanical- Systems), photonics, micromachining and nanobiotechnologies.
Participants viewed advanced microscopy techniques, clean room processes, ultra-precision machining, and direct laser writing techniques for developing novel NEMS, MEMS, and precision fabricated materials, structures, and parts.
Some of the application areas include: fabrication of micro deformable mirrors, cantilevers, micro arrays, micro needles, drug delivery systems, microfluidic chips, lenses, micro alignment devices, micro-scale heat engines, coolers, fuel cell chips, micro and nano electronics, tissue engineering, prosthetics, biological scaffolds, wound dressing, fractal waveguides, micro-fluidic diagnostic systems, and precision mechanical devices.
"Novel processes and innovative manufacturing techniques are constantly emerging which are helping to facilitate the commercialization of exciting new products in virtually every field of science and technology. The positive effects of this continued development will provide long term benefits," states Bill Mosolgo of the Fraunhofer Center in Boston, MA.