Micro Handling Devices Supported by Electrostatic Forces

The handling of micro parts made of dielectric material can be affected by electrostatic forces. This work presents new handling devices taking advantage of electrostatic forces. These forces are generated by simple configurations of electrodes or by charges located on surfaces of insulators. High resolution force measurements show electrostatic effects such as gas discharges and leak currents. Active neutralization was applied by ionizers to discharge the handling devices and the parts to be handled. This method improved the process reliability significantly. Further, the influence of surface charges on the process reliability of pick and place operations of mechanical micro grippers was investigated.