Process development for the assembly of microsystems with hot melt adhesives

In the assembly of microsystems, a reliable, precise, and fast joining process remains an open challenge. An approach using hot melt adhesives to join these micro parts is investigated within this article. A relevant issue with hot melt adhesives is introducing heat into the assembly process. This heat management can be achieved using either an active or passive concept. These concepts and their influence on process design are discussed. The realization of active heat management within a gripper is discussed in detail. Experimental results from an exemplary process show the applicability of the hybrid assembly process using hot melt adhesives.