What kind of Micromachining process to use?
If you are inexperienced with Micromachining in general, it can turn out to be difficult for you to choose a specific process for developing your microparts. Whether it is laser or another form of Micromachining, your success depends on choosing not only the right process but also the right tool.
How can you be sure if a Micromachining service provider possesses the right tool and understands your requirements? Is it possible that the provider is making the tool fit the process because that is what they possess or specialize in? There are many cases of abandoned expensive projects that fit this description.
Why make uneducated guesses? Before you try to discover the perfect process and tool by having your parts made through different vendors through a trial and error process, why not narrow down your search, saving time and money?
If someone quotes you $250,000 for a Laser Micromachining system, is it priced right and performs as promised over the long-term?
Some questions that you need to ask yourselves:
- Are you using the right Microfabrication technology?
- Are the results you expect realistic?
- Are the results promised by the Micromachining process provider realistic?
- Is the price right?
- Is your device design compatible with laser microtechnology, can it redesigned?
- Is the Micropart prototype-process adaptable for production also, rather than starting all over again?
- How finicky will the Micromachining process be? Will you end up doing 100% QC, always looking over the vendor’s shoulder?
- How robust will the laser system be? Will you end up paying a whole lot more for those lucrative AMCs?