Modern electromechanical technology can help plant engineers to reduce the environmental impact of some of their operations. New electro-mechanical technology is steadily finding applications in areas traditionally served by pneumatic and hydraulic systems and offers an efficient and cost-effective alternative to fluid power. It eliminates leaks, is quieter and requires less maintenance than older technologies.
Micro Electromechanical Systems (MEMS) is the integration of mechanical elements, sensors, actuators and electronics on a common silicon substrate using microfabrication techniques. MEMS are a hot area of research because they integrate sensing, analyzing and responding on the same silicon substrate hence promising realization of complete systems-on-a-chip. As MEMS are manufactured using batch fabrication techniques similar to IC technology, MEMS are expected to deliver high functionality at low prices.
Current systems are limited by the capability of sensors and actuators, as these are bulkier and less reliable than the microelectronic circuit. In a MEM system the sensors act as the ‘eyes’ and gather data about the environment. The microelectronic circuit, which is the ‘brain’, processes the data and accordingly controls the mechanical systems, the ‘arms’ of the MEMS, to modify the environment suitably. The electronics on the MEMS are manufactured using IC techniques while micro machining techniques are used to produce the mechanical and electromechanical parts.