Case Study in Biomimetic Design: Handling and Assembly of Microparts

This paper describes the application of the biomimetic design process to the development of automated gripping devices for microparts. Handling and assembly of micromechanical parts is complicated by size effects that occur when part dimensions are scaled down. A common complication involves sticking between the gripping device and the micropart, which hinders the automation of picking and releasing operations.

This paper presents the identification and use of biological analogies to solve the problem of sticking during microassembly. Selected release techniques based on DNA transcription and the abscission process in plants inspired concepts of new automated handling devices for microobjects. The design, development and testing of a gripping device based on biological principles for the automated handling and assembly of a microscrew is presented.