Avoid investment risks:
The modularity of our Nanorobotics is in particular helpful for the configuration of our Micro Production Systems. It is not necessary to purchase the whole system at once, and we recommend to configure such a complex machine in a growth process step by step (see arguments at: Micro Production Systems).

First stage of expansion:
The following description is a suggestion for a typical Nanorobotics starter kit configuration. The core components at the beginning are microgrippers forming microassembly stages, but such a kit can also start e.g. with a micro tensile machine or even a Scanning Force Microscope as first expansion stage. Our microassembly stages are well known for their precise positioning and handling capabilities. Handling of optical fibers the size of a single hair is a standard application. But even smaller parts can be assembled, as described in the Application Paper KOSMA.

The following image shows a microassembly stage as example for a first expansion stage of our Micro Production Systems:

Microassembly stage as first expansion step of our Micro Production Systems

The shown configuration includes two modules NMT 50 as XY-stage with 50mm x 50mm stroke on the base, one NMT-Z20 and an NMG Nanomotor Gripper combined with a calibrated force sensor. The force sensor feels the force applied with the gripper in z-direction.
In this setup the XY-stage is placed at the bottom and the NMT-Z20 comes from the top to lift the gripper up and down. So the gripper stays in the focus of a microscope. In another setup all NMT modules can come from the top to move the gripper in X, Y and Z direction. All NMT modules have 1 nm resolution in movement and a repeatability better 60 nm.

This microassembly stage can be controlled in four different ways:

1. Manually with keypad and (Force Feedback-) joystick.
2. Semi automatic: programmed sequences of absolute positions and keypad or joystick manipulation in between.
3. Fully automated process in closed loop operation with position sensors.
4. Teaching of objects with a vision system and automated process in closed loop operation, when our vision system is added.

Second stage of expansion:
Another sample configuration with more equipment is shown in the following images:

Microassembly as second expansion stage of our Micro Production Systems

The shown configuration includes some more degrees of freedom in movement and more endeffectors:

1. Base stage: X, Y, rotation.
2. At the bridge: 2 XYZ Manipulators
3. 3 different Microgrippers (Nanomotor driven: NMG, electrostatic gripper and vacuum gripper)
4. Micro adhesive bonding dispenser
5. Micro Tensile Testing modules with calibrated force sensor (mN-N range) and cantilever force sensor (nN-uN range)
6. Wide range zoom video microscope
7. High resolution video microscope
8. 3 Cold light sources
9. Process Control Sequencer for automation

The third possible expansion can be adding one of the two big base stages: with 100mm x 100mm or 350mm x 350mm stroke, as show at: Micro Production Systems.