Desktop Type Micro-factory

1999/10/06

Desktop Type Micro-factory

Mechanical Engineering Laboratory, AIST,MITI

Producing of Ultra-miniature Ball Bearing Assemblies

　The Mechanical Engineering Laboratory (MEL) of the Agency of Industrial Science and Technology (AIST) has fabricated a desktop type (70 x 50cm) micro-factory(1)　(2) that combines an ultra-miniature machine tool and a manipulator, and by using the micro-factory has succeeded for the world's first time in machining an ultra-miniature ball bearing assembly (shaft diameter 100μm, ball diameter 200μm).

Fig.1　Desktop type micro-factory
(70 x 50cm)

Fig.2-1　Ultra-miniature ball bearing assembly
(shaft diameter 100μm, ball diameter 200μm,outside diameter of 900μm and shaft length of 3mm)
left side:caver, rotar shaft, bearing housing, bearing balls

Fig.2-2　Ultra-miniature pivot ball bearing assembly （unit:μｍ）

fig.3　micro lathe

fig.4　micro milling machine

fig.5　maicro press

fig.6　maicro arm for feeding small parts

fig.7　two-finger micro-hand

Any enquiries regarding this project should be directed to e-mail: tanaka@mel.go.jp