423 METROLOGY FOR MICRO-COMPONENTS

Abstract

Large-scale geometries such as turbine blades, gears, precision ball bearing surfaces, injection molds and automotive bodies can be measured with relative ease and high accuracy using today's technologies. However, for small-scale geometries (i. e. microelectromechanical systems (MEMS)) such a technology does not exist. Accordingly, a non-dimensional comparison makes current tolerances of MEMS products comparable to tolerances achievable in 18_<th> century. The small size of MEMS products either makes them inaccessible for existing metrology instruments or makes the use of such instruments inefficient. This paper presents coordinate metrology results for micro-systems. In particular, the paper focuses on standardized algorithms developed for metrology in general, and then implements those algorithms for use in measuring small components. The algorithms are based on a least squares approach to data fitting. Both primitive geometric element analyses as well as point cloud to CAD model registration are discussed. initial results of micro-measurements are presented in the paper.