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DK-03 · Robotics and Motion
Micro Assembly Technology
Handling and joining small components where the part is too small to place by hand
Overview
What This Machine Does
Below a certain size, manual assembly stops being slow and starts being impossible. The part cannot be gripped reliably, the placement tolerance is tighter than a person can see, and static or surface tension moves the component after it is released.
Micro assembly equipment addresses that with fine motion, appropriate gripping, and in cycle verification that the component is actually where it is supposed to be. Delkotech builds these stations around the component and the tolerance the assembly requires.
Because the failure mode at this scale is usually invisible to the operator, verification in cycle is not optional. The station checks presence and position rather than trusting that the placement worked.
From the original specification: Micro-assembly technology is listed among Delkotech's services.
Key Benefits
What It Changes on Your Floor
Placement below manual capability
Positions that cannot be achieved by hand become a repeatable machine cycle.
Verification in cycle
Presence and position checked as part of the cycle, because the failure is not visible to an operator.
Gentle handling
Gripping selected for the component so it is held without being damaged.
Controlled environment for the process
Static, airflow and contamination are considered in the station design, not left to chance.
Repeatable across the batch
The thousandth placement matches the first, which is the whole point at this scale.
Application Scenarios
Where It Is Used
Small component placement
Placing components into a sub-assembly at a tolerance beyond hand assembly.
Precision joining
Bonding, seating or fastening small parts at a controlled position.
Sensor and contact assembly
Positioning small functional elements where alignment determines whether the assembly works.
In line verification
Confirming the placement before the assembly moves to the next operation.
Who It Is For
Plants That Ask for This Machine
- Device manufacturers assembling components below comfortable manual size
- Producers whose yield loss is concentrated in one small placement operation
- Plants where the placement failure is only found at final test
- Manufacturers moving a laboratory process into repeatable production
Problems It Solves
Tolerance beyond human capability
If the tolerance is tighter than a person can consistently achieve, more training will not fix it.
Invisible failures
A misplaced micro component often looks correct. Without in cycle verification it reaches final test, or the customer.
Component damage
Fine parts are damaged by gripping meant for larger components.
Yield loss at one station
One difficult placement can dominate the scrap rate of an otherwise capable line.
Technical Features
How It Is Built
Fine motion axes
Resolution and stability sized to the placement tolerance required.
Component appropriate gripping
Vacuum, mechanical or specialised gripping selected for the component.
In cycle verification
Presence and position confirmed before the assembly is released.
Controlled presentation
Components delivered in a known orientation rather than picked from bulk.
Reject separation
Failed assemblies separated automatically rather than marked for later sorting.
Traceable results
Placement results recorded per assembly where traceability is required.
Specifications
Specification Sheet
Delkotech builds to order, so dimensional and performance values are set against your part at design review, then measured and recorded before shipment. Values not yet fixed for your project are marked TBC rather than guessed.
| Station type | Micro assembly placement and verification station |
|---|---|
| Placement tolerance | TBC - confirmed at design review |
| Component size range | TBC - confirmed at design review |
| Cycle time | TBC - confirmed at design review |
| Motion resolution | TBC - confirmed at design review |
| Gripping method | Selected for the component at design review |
| Verification | In cycle presence and position confirmation |
| Reject handling | Automatic separation of failed assemblies |
| Control platform | PLC with HMI, platform agreed with the customer |
| Data output | Per assembly results available to plant systems |
| Environmental control | Static and contamination controls specified per application |
| Electrical supply | TBC - confirmed at design review |
| Compressed air | TBC - confirmed at design review |
| Built at | Delkotech facility, Vaughan, Ontario, Canada |
| Handles | Small components, sub-assemblies and precision elements as specified |
|---|---|
| Tooling | Machined and wire eroded tooling with application specific contact faces |
| Structure | Rigid machined base sized for stability at fine resolution |
| Contact surfaces | Materials chosen to avoid marking, static build up or contamination |
Manufacturing Process
From Enquiry to Commissioned Machine
Component and tolerance study
The component, the placement tolerance and the failure mode are reviewed with real samples.
Gripping and verification concept
How the part is held and how success is confirmed are agreed before detail design.
Design and build
Station designed and built at the Vaughan facility.
Capability proving
Repeat placements measured against the required tolerance.
Failure mode testing
Known bad conditions introduced to confirm the verification catches them.
Installation and training
Installed and handed over with operator and maintenance training.
Quality Control
What Is Checked Before It Ships
- Motion resolution and repeatability measured and recorded
- Repeat placements measured against the required tolerance
- Verification proved against deliberately induced failures
- Continuous run to confirm stability over a batch
- Handover records include capability results
Certifications
Compliance Position
Built to be validated to current regulatory standards, with documentation supporting validation supplied at handover. Cleanroom or specific environmental classifications, if required, are agreed at contract stage and listed as TBC until confirmed.
Customization Options
- Tooling for a specific component geometry
- Verification method chosen for the failure mode that matters
- Environmental controls for static or contamination sensitive assemblies
- Traceability records per assembly
- Standalone station or integration into a line
- Manual or automatic component presentation
Comparison
Compared With the Alternatives
| Manual assembly under magnification | Possible for prototypes and very low volume. At production volume the yield and the operator strain both become limiting. |
|---|---|
| General purpose robot | Good reach and flexibility, but resolution and stability at micro scale usually require a purpose built station. |
| Outsourcing the operation | Removes the capital cost and adds a logistics loop plus a dependency on someone else's yield. |
Use Guide
Running It Well
Keep the station clean
At this scale, contamination that would be invisible on a larger assembly is a defect.
Do not defeat the verification
If the station rejects assemblies, the correct response is to investigate the placement, not to relax the check.
Handle components as designed
Presentation is part of the process. Loading components differently changes the result.
Re-verify after maintenance
Anything that disturbs the motion system should be followed by a capability check before production restarts.
Questions
Micro Assembly Technology Questions
What placement tolerance can you achieve?
It depends on the component, the gripping method and the verification. Tolerance is agreed at the component study, then measured and recorded before shipment, so the number in your specification is one we have demonstrated.
How do we know the placement worked?
Verification is part of the cycle. Presence and position are confirmed before the assembly is released, and the check is proved against deliberately induced failures during build.
Can the station handle more than one component?
Yes, where the components share a handling approach. Send the full range at enquiry so tooling covers the family rather than one part.
Do you need a cleanroom?
Only if your process does. Static and contamination controls are specified against your requirement. If a classified environment is required, that is agreed at contract stage.
What data does it produce?
Per assembly placement results can be recorded and made available to your plant systems where traceability is required.
How do we start?
Send real component samples with the assembly drawing and the tolerance that matters. At this scale, samples tell us more than a specification does.
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Get a Quotation for This Machine
Send the part drawing, the operation and the rate you need. You will get a concept and a defined scope, not a brochure.