3/11/2006, Friday at 6.30 pm - 9.00 pm.
Programme:
6.30 pm - 7.00 pm Registration and Refreshment
7.00 pm - 7.30 pm A short introduction of the IET & FL 2007 by Dr Lai Weng Kin
7.30 pm - 8.45 pm Talk by En. Mohamed Ansari
8.45 pm - 9.00 pm Q and A Session
Venue: Dewan Sri Gangsa, Level 2, The BayView Hotel Georgetown, Penang
All members and non-members are welcome to attend.
Title of Talk
Microelectromechanical Systems (MEMS) Technology
Targeted audience:
Engineers, Technology Managers, Technopreuners, and Engineering students.
{mospagebreak title=Speaker's CV}
Speaker's CV
En. Mohamed Ansari
En. Mohamed Ansari received his B.Eng.(Mechanical Engg), from Madras University
(Crescent Engineering College) in 1994, PGDiploma in Plastics Engineering from
Central Institute of Plastics Engineering and Technology (CIPET) Ahmedabad, in
1995, and M.Eng.(CIM) computer-integrated manufacturing from Anna University,
Chennai, India (1999-2002). He was working with Al-Jawdah Plastic Factory,
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, as Production Engineer (1996 -97). From 1997 to 2002, he
has been a Lecturer with Crescent Engineering College, Chennai, India.
Currently, he is attached with Asian Institute of Medicine, Science and
Technology (AIMST) as a Senior Lecturer in the School of Engineering, Faculty
of Engineering and Computer Technology, Sungai Petani. His current research
includes Polymer nanocomposites, CAD/CAM/CAE, Rapid Prototyping and Product
Development.
En. Ansari has conducted short courses in Mould Design, Rapid Prototyping, Film
Extrusion Defect Analyses, AutoCAD, and organised seminars and conferences.
He has presented more than 10 technical papers in the national and
international conferences. He has supervised student's project both in
undergraduate and graduate level. Currently, he is supervising 2 students'
projects in the field of Polymer Composites. He is also doing his PhD
(Part-Time) in Polymer Composites from the School of Materials, Mineral
Resources Engineering,Universiti Sains Malaysia,Nibong Tebal,Penang, Malaysia.
{mospagebreak title=Description of the Talk and For Whom}
Description of the Talk and For Whom
Over the last twenty years, microscale machines have been developed, and their
uses are growing rapidly. They currently represent the lowest size limits of
commercially available machines. Microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) are
more recent. They have small moveable structures such as mirrors, or cantilever
beams, which are typically coupled to very small motors that are actuated using
electromagnetic introduction or electrostatic forces. MEMS are largely based on
silicon single crystal machining technology, which has evolved from the
techniques developed by the microelectronic industry. These are currently used
as very sensitive and accurate sensors, small, portable and fast chemical
analysers, and optical switches, but their uses will expand in the future.
This presentation explores developments and applications in MEMS technology.
In the local scenario, the industry such as MEMS Technology Berhad has already
endeavored into activities such as the manufacturing, packaging and
engineering of Micro-Electro-Mechanical-Systems based on sensors product.
The company has started shipment of silicon microphones and is today one of two
companies worldwide with working parts in the market.
In terms of growth, MEMS consumption for mobile handsets reached US$157mil in
2005. With optical networking finally emerging as a growth segment, as well as
the rapid integration of radio frequency MEMS and microphones in cell phones,
the communications market will be a key driver of overall growth. In addition
to the microphones and bulk acoustic resonators that have dominated the MEMS
market to date, there are emerging opportunities for inertial sensors
(principally accelerometers) and several types of radio frequency components
including band/mode switches, matching elements (such as digital varactors)
and oscillators.
Development in MEMS focuses on niche products in communications because the
automotive and computing segments, long mainstays of the MEMS
(micro-electro-mechanical systems) industry in terms of revenues, are projected
to be displaced by the communications and industrial segment within the next
five years.
{mospagebreak title=Reported by Lai W.K., CEng., MIET}
Evening Talk : Microelectromechanical Systems (MEMS) Technology
Reported by Lai W.K., CEng., MIETMicromechanical systems or MEMS as they are commonly known, although have been around for more than twenty years, became popular as the newer micromachines which have smaller dimensions became available. These have small moveable structures.
{mosimage}
Figure 1: Block diagram of a typical micro-mechanical system
The evening talk on MEMS technology was held at the Bayview Hotel in Georgetown, on Friday 3 November 2006. The speaker is Mohamad Ansari, a senior lecturer in the School of Engineering at AIMST. He holds a mechanical engineering degree from Madras University, a postgraduate diploma in plastic engineering from CIPET in Ahmedabad, as well as a Masters in computer-integrated manufacturing from Anna University, Chenai.
{mosimage}
Participants listening attentively to the speaker at the evening event held in Penang recently
Mohamed Ansari started the evening’s talk with a brief introduction to MEMS and the role of microengineering in such systems. He then spent a significant amount of time to describe the various micromachining techniques, ranging from bulk silicon machining, surface micromachining, excimer laser machining, to photolithography techniques.
In addition to such processes which are fundamental to MEMS, actuators play a very significant role too, as illustrated in figure 1. In addition to magnetic actuators, piezoelectric, thermal and hydraulic actuators are also widely used in MEMS. The speaker also spent some time to explain the fundamental principles of how these actuators work and their role in MEMS. This was followed with a description on how these work with the various sensors, for example, radiation sensors, thermal sensors, chemical sensors, etc. that go into MEMS. Although MEMS have been widely used in the automotive and computing industry segments, other market segments have started to find MEMS useful, e.g. communications industry, etc. One rapid growth area for MEMS in recent years has been applications targeted for mobile handphones.
Personally, it has been an informative talk as the speaker covered many of the important areas related to MEMS at an appropriate pace that we can all easily follow. Ansari illustrated the material with enough figures and examples for each of the important areas. MEMS being a relatively new technical area, even though many of the related and supporting techniques are known to many of us for several years, but the fact that these have now been brought together to produce useful and practical products which benefit society should be of some interest and excitement to many of us. From this talk it is apparent that MEMS is still a relatively new and exciting area with vast R&D (research and development) and commercial potential.
Even though there was only a small number of participants present at this evening’s event, there was a lively Q&A session with several questions from the floor for the speaker. These fundamentally touched on the potential "killer applications" for MEMS, how the smaller local players can prototype MEMS applications, and the MEMS programme at AIMST. At the end of the evening’s event, the Honorary Secretary on behalf of IET Malaysia Network, gave Mohamed Ansari a token of appreciation for his efforts and time in sharing some aspects of MEMS with the local IET community.I reckon the organizers should be complemented for sparing no efforts in inviting Mohamed Ansari to share his knowledge and experience in MEMS with the engineering community, - especially those from the northern region of Penang, (northern) Perak and Kedah. Participants were invited to some light refreshments after the talk.
{mospagebreak title=REGISTRATION}
REGISTRATION FOR Talk on Microelectromechanical Systems (MEMS) Technology
- November 3, 2006 :
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Please fax or e-mail the above details to The IET Malaysia Branch at :
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For further information, kindly contact the IET Malaysia Branch.
IET Malaysia Branch
Tel : 03-5635 3368
Fax : 03-5636 0368
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