Manipulation and assembly of micro parts is an issue facing new problems (small joining tolerances, surface forces dominating effect or even micro-device breakage for excessive force, positioning errors due to changes in temperature, vibrations or contamination [56]) that there were not encountered in conventional size production.

Besides this, handling and packaging of micro components is crucial to their application, and currently makes more than even 80% of the total costs in some applications [38] (see Fig. 2.28a-b).

Regarding quality assurance and metrology, process control is the key to the successful manufacture of micro scale devices and products. Functional tests of micro products are important to determine product performance. This implies dynamic testing under various operating conditions, and the simultaneous monitoring of product performance.

Standardization in the field of micro technology is required if some sort of unified language has to be developed. Input from both the MEMS and the precision-engineering world are necessary in order to define common guidelines regarding tolerances, measuring instruments as well as measurement and calibration methods [78].

Moreover, in the case of small product dimensions, the ratio between surface area and dimensions causes metrological problems. As product dimensions become smaller, the ability to distinguish between surface and linear dimension becomes more difficult. There is a need for instruments capable of measuring real 3D micro products though a few attempts have been made in this direction (see Fig. 2.28c).

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