Exponential Assembly
George Skidmore*, a, Eric Parkera, Matthew Ellisa, Neil Sarkara, b, and Ralph
Merklea
aZyvex,
Richardson, TX 75081 USA
bUniversity of Waterloo
This is an abstract
for a presentation given at the
Eighth
Foresight Conference on Molecular Nanotechnology.
The full article is available at http://www.foresight.org/Conferences/MNT8/Papers/Skidmore/index.html.
A replicative assembly methodology may be based on assembly stations each
with two degrees of rotational freedom. These stations share translational
degrees of freedom in the three cartesian axes by using a common translating
mechanism. The methodology provides replication of the assembly stations,
but due to the common translating mechanism and control computer it cannot
be termed self-replicating. The term �exponential assembly� is proposed to
differentiate this from self-replication. The exponential assembly
architecture can use parts made from many manufacturing methods, provided
that parts of considerable complexity can be produced. Because integrated
circuit manufacturing methods used for micro-electro-mechanical systems
(MEMS) allow for large numbers of complex components to be produced, it is
one possible method for pursuing such an approach to manufacturing. The
methodology is scalable and therefore useful for producing assembly stations
and other devices at ever-decreasing length scales. A description of the
necessary components for exponential assembly and the effort underway to
design and build such a system using MEMS components will be presented.
*Corresponding Address:
George Skidmore, PhD.
Manager Top Down Assembly Group
Zyvex LLC
1321 North Plano Rd
Richardson, TX 75081 USA
Email: [email protected]
Web: http://www.zyvex.com
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