A Contribution to the Simulation of Molded Micro Components and Systems With Regard to the Grain Structure

Experimental work for characterizing materials’ properties as well as components’ and systems’ behaviors have to be supplemented by numerical analyses when regarding micro components and systems. In order to accomplish a complete possibilities’ overview for micro machines these analyses should cover both component and system issues. On a component level, established macroscopic approaches are extended by methods that allow the consideration of components’ grain structures influence, including possible superficial and internal defects. Because of technological restrictions, especially when applying miniaturized conventional manufacturing techniques, shape and material deviations cannot be scaled down in the same dimensions like micro parts. Thus, high tolerances accepted for the individual components and their effects on the expected transfer behavior of the whole system are taken primarily into account. This paper presents approaches for the simulation of micro components and systems using the Finite Element Method and Multi Body Simulation. Methods to overcome the above mentioned issues will be shown, as well as the effects of grain structure on the stress distribution in the individual components. Some effects over the system’s behavior of this inhomogeneous stress distribution are also discussed.