Numerical modelling methodology for design of miniaturised integrated products - an application to 3D CMM micro-probe development

This paper presents an integrated numerically-driven modelling methodology for the design of miniaturised/integrated (Mintegrated) products and the selection/control of associated manufacturing processes. The focus is on the numerical techniques and methods that underpin several design procedures aiding the embodiment design stage of product development. A design assistant tool is developed as an end-user navigation interface that captures recommended design activities for the development of novel micro-integrated products and the supporting tools for their realisation. The main focus is placed on those design procedures comprising numerical methods for the simulation and modelling of the performance and behaviour of a product or process, and the analysis of their design in terms of risk of failure, capability of satisfying specification limits and optimality. The methodology enables an efficient and fast design process and can be applied to a wide range of micro-product developments. The applications range from the fabrication of micro- and nano-scale structures and components for heterogeneous systems, to micro-fluidics, metrology and embedded test devices. In this study, a number of design procedures and associated numerical techniques are demonstrated for the design of a new three-dimensional coordinate measuring machine (CMM) micro-probe developed at the National Physical Laboratory (NPL, UK).