Modular system concept for ultra-precision assembly

This article describes the successful implementation of a modular system concept for ultra precision assembly tasks by means of the accurate alignment of light emitting and receiving modules in front of buried waveguides in optical circuit boards. The constitutive result of a Saxon research project FGM is a modular designed assembling system, that enables vertical fine positioning and gripper integrated angle adjustment in opposition to conventional Surface Mount Technology. Today these sensitive components are mounted and adjusted predominantly manually under special laboratory conditions. The technical challenge is to develop new methods and assembling components for high-precision and reproducible packaging in an automated assembling process. This is an important step to reduce the fabrication costs drastically and to smooth the way from a pure laboratory method to an industrial solution concept.