Modularization of Microsystems and Standardization of Interfaces

Smart sensors, actuators and control systems fitting into distributed control architectures have been identified as the main applications of microelectromechanical systems in industrial areas like machinery and plant manufacturing, production control, power systems, and home and building control. However, their present use is restricted by the insufficient availability of customer-adapted microsystems in medium-scale units at market-acceptable cost. A flexible modular design and production framework for microelectromechanical systems allows for the distributed design and production of MEMS modules. The modular approach enables the economically efficient design and medium-scale production of customer-adapted smart microsystems. Since the definition of interfaces between the system has to be precise and complete, the initialization of a standardization process is indispensable.