Recent advances in mechanical micromachining

This paper reviews some of the main drivers, developments and future requirements in the field of micromanufacturing as related to the machining process from the perspective of the recent research and development literature. For the purposes of this paper micromachining includes creation of precise two and three dimensional workpieces with dimensions in the range of a few tens of nanometers to some few millimeters by cutting using defined geometry cutting tools. The review includes topics of process physics, including materials and microstructural effects, machine tools, tooling and sensing, workpiece and design issues, software and simulation tools, and other issues, e.g. surface and edge finish, and outlook for future developments.