Members' Profiles

Fuji ElectricCo., Ltd.
1. The Challenge of Micromachine Technology
Micromachine technology at Fuji Electric Co., Ltd.
began with the development of sensors. Examples ofour current products include accelerometers for
activating automobile airbags, pressure sensors forplant monitoring, and gas leakage sensors for domesticuse.
In a government research program called"Research on Hazardous Environment Robots," wedeveloped 3-axis tactile sensors to be fitted in thefingertips of robots. Here, multiple micromachined
strain sensors are mounted on a silicon substrate todetect three-dimensional force components. Robots
equipped with these sensors are now able to grip softobjects, like a rubber ball.
2. Development of Micromachine TechnologyFuji Electric Co., Ltd. took part in theMicromachine Technology Project of the Industrial
Science and Technology Frontier (ISTF) Programfrom the beginning, studying primarily the
manufacture of micro-actuators. In Phase I of theproject that began in FY 1991, we pursued thefeasibility of such micro-actuators as anelectromagnetic motor with a rotor diameter of just 1mm.
Phase II, which began in FY 1996, saw sevencompanies collaborate to develop a "microfactory."
The microfactory was an attempt at extreme sizereduction of manufacturing equipment, shrinking
processing and assembly units to fit into a space about
the size of a desktop. In Phase II, we were responsible
for a two-dimensional micro-conveyor used to convey
parts and finished products between operating units.
Fig. 1 shows an external view of the microconveyor, the surface of which is lined with square

Akira Takai
General Manager
Corporate Technology Planning Office and Corporate R&D Center

coils having a side length of 1 mm. By controlling anelectric current supplied to each coil separately, it ispossible to move a carrier with a permanent magnet ina desired direction.
3. Future Stance
While achievements from the ten-year ISTF
Program range from actuator driving technology tomicromachining/assembling technology, thin-film
formation technology, and material technologies, weconsider thin-film technology and micromachining
technology to be the most promising areas for futuredevelopment. In addition to actuators, we expect
these technologies will be applied to a wide range ofproducts, including sensors and electronic parts.
Fig. 2 shows a thin-film coil having sides 4 mm inlength directly formed on the surface of an IC using
thin-film formation technology. This process will be
useful in manufacturing smaller power sources forportable equipment. In this way, we hope to apply
technologies cultivated in the MicromachineTechnology Project in the development of many
products.

Fig.1 Micro-conveyor

Fig.2 Thin-film coil formed on an IC (4x4 mm)

9Matsushita ElectricIndustrial Co., Ltd.
1. Endeavors in Micromachine Technology
Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. has beenworking toward establishing design technologies formicromechanisms, as well as micromachining, assembly,and evaluation techniques to cope with the increasing
integration and size-reduction of information-processing
equipment. We participated in the Industrial Scienceand Technology Frontier (ISTF) Program by conducting
research on the system integration of travelling devices.
2. Development of Micromachine Technology
A travelling device developed by Matsushita
Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. (Fig. 1) implements
locomotive functions by rapidly decelerating the highspeed rotations (40,000 rpm) of a motor andincreasing torque. We developed micromachine baseand system integration technologies for developingmicromechanisms by applying these integratedfunctions to a chain-type micromachine system forinspection of outer tube surfaces in cooperation with
Mitsubishi Electric Corporation and Sumitomo ElectricIndustries, Ltd. In particular, we developed suchelement technologies as mechanical interfacing (adesign technology for micromechanisms that involves
tribology), high-precision micromachining andmeasuring technologies, and high-precision assemblytechnology. We manufactured numerous uniform
micromachine parts, assembled reducers, and worked
to achieve a low loss in drive trains.
Mechanical interfacing is a technology forimproving performance through studying reduction
methods and improving the contact surfaces ofcomponents in order to develop a reducer suitable foruse in micro-spaces. We succeeded in developing a
reducer with a reduction ratio of 1/200 and a size of 5
x 3.5 x 1.5 mm based on the planetary gear system(Fig. 2) constructed of a micro-gear in a 0.03 module.
We attempted to improve the drive train efficiency bystudying the bearing construction and improving theMasaaki Adachi
Director
Advanced Technology Research Laboratories

surface quality to decrease the friction coefficient andwear of the gear.
High-precision micromachining, measuring, andassembly are technologies for efficiently processing andassembling numerous microparts and with great
precision and uniformity. By developing a moresophisticated form of electric discharge micromachining,
we can reliably supply many microparts for constructing
travelling devices. In our attempts to further improve
precision in machining, we demonstrated the value of amethod for on-machine measuring of micro-texturesusing a microvibration probe (minimum diameter of 20mm and length of 1 mm). In order to produce many
micromachines from machined parts more efficiently,
we developed and demonstrated the effects of a selfaligning/self-assembly technology using excimer laser
beam machining to etch a sacrificial layer.
We integrated these basic technologies to mount a
travelling device in the tube inspecting micromachinesystem, demonstrating that the rotational drive of thedrive device can be converted to horizontal andvertical locomotion of the inspection system.
3. Future Endeavors
Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. hopes toadd to its achievements in the ISTF Program bycombining those results with other micromachinetechnologies and applying these technologies to suchproducts as information-processing equipment.

1mm
1mm

Fig.1 Traveling device

Fig.2 Planetary gear system

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