Analysis And Design of µ-Devices Using A Multibody Approach

The aim of this paper is to evaluate the applicability of general multibody tools in MEMS analysis. To optimize the system design of complex g-mechanical structures, simulations of kinematic and dynamic behavior have to be performed, and this type of tools can be very useful. To obtain complete dynamic analysis, a physical understanding of predominant microworld interactions is also required. In fact, due to the high surface-to-volume ratio of microsystems, forces negligible at macroscopic level play a leading role. In this paper, a brief review of predominant microworld forces, with particular attention for van der Waals interactions, is presented and "multibody analyses" are applied to a multi-DOF mu-PK structure, under study at ITIA-CNR.