Industry

Microprocess technology:

Microprocess technology is a technology of the future. The development of reactors, mixers and heat exchangers with structure sizes of a few micrometres is becoming increasingly important for the chemical and pharmaceutical industry as well as for biotechnology and nanotechnology. The BMBF is therefore funding industrially-led collaborative projects which aim for a targeted transfer of microprocess technology into industrial production.

Organic functioning systems for microsystems technology:

Organic functioning systems enable various combinations of individual components in complex microsystems. For example, an organic sensor chip could consist of microfluid structures and actuators, appropriate sensors and an additional evaluation and communication unit. In addition, organic systems enable low-cost structuring and production technologies, for example through the printing of polymer electronics in the roll-to-roll process. The use of organic functional materials offers a whole range of advantages compared with traditional semiconductor technologies: For instance, the simple integration of various functionalities, free forming, use of technologies with low-cost production processes, and suitability for mass production.  

Magnetic Micro- and Nanotechnologies:

Everyone is familiar with magnets. But we are only now really finding out what one can do with magnets at micro and nano level. For example, magnet-based bioanalysis systems could enable fast and inexpensive AIDS tests. Technologies based on magnetic effects which were still pure basic research just a few years ago are now highly valued in industry. Microcomponents based on magnetic effects have a lot of advantages. They operate under rough external conditions, use little energy, are low-maintenance and can be adapted to various uses very flexibly.

Micro-Nano Integration for Microsystems Technology:

Without micro - no nano. Nanotechnology can only be used in marketable products when there are interfaces with the larger structured macro surroundings. Microsystems technology provides these interfaces through micro-nano integration. It will play an important role in future, i.a. in the field of automobile technology, medical technology or in the development of autonomous, networked sensor systems, also known as "e-grains". Micro-nano integration will provide an impulse for the development of microsystems technology and the establishment of completely new markets in the long term.

Measuring and Testing Technology:

Measuring and testing technology is very important for the competitive production of microsystems. The key issue is the first-class quality of the components. Users are facing a bottleneck in industrial production since concepts which have been tried and tested in the fields of microelectronics, precision engineering and material analysis can only be applied to microsystems technology to a limited extent. The BMBF is therefore funding industrially-led collaborations to develop innovative solutions for measuring and testing technology on a micrometre scale.  

Autonomous Networked Sensor Systems:

Frozen power lines warn of an imminent cable overload, fire brigade officers receive constant information on the state of health of their fire fighters during a firefighting operation: All this is made possible by tiny sensors which are linked by radio. Such systems could soon perform valuable services in industry and process automation, as well as in the field of security and personal safety. An autonomous networked sensor system consists of a large number of microsystems which are distributed on the examination object. Although mostly no larger than a sugar cube, these systems are extremely versatile: They can measure and process important parameters in their surroundings such as vibrations or temperature; they can transmit and receive data wirelessly; and they have an independent source of energy.

Intelligent Technical Textiles:

Interaction between the highly developed technologies of microsystems and textiles provides enormous opportunities for the German textile industry with its predominance of small and medium-sized companies. German companies are already among the world's leaders in the field of technical textiles. These companies rely on the constant development of new products in order to maintain and extend their lead. The health sector and the security sector are promising fields of application for intelligent technical textiles. The BMBF is therefore funding the development of innovative solutions in the field of microsystems technology.

Application Centres for Microsystems Technology:

 Fast product development and the quick transfer to inexpensive industrial production are becoming more and more important for companies in the microsystems technology sector if they are to assert themselves in the face of international competition. In order to support small and medium-sized enterprises in this innovation process, the BMBF is funding the establishment of new types of application centres for microsystems technology. These are intended to facilitate access to R&D and production resources precisely for small and medium-sized companies. Under a pilot scheme, MST application centres are testing concepts for making better use of available capacities for product development and the relevant production processes, marketing these products and integrating them in the value-added chain.