Miniaturization of macroscopic mechanical systems enables the opening of new areas of application for micro technological systems. Because of technological restrictions, especially when applying miniaturized conventional manufacturing techniques, shape and material deviations cannot be scaled down in the same dimension like micro parts. Thus, the long-term objective is to ensure the functioning by appropriate design measures. In doing so, determination of the transfer behavior by modeling and simulation is required. This work presents two ways for ensuring the required properties of micro gears and describes how the results do correlate. The experimental way uses the radial composite inspection as it is used in the macroscopic world. The simulative way deploys a rolling simulation by utilization of finite element analysis. The virtual prototypes are originated on measured real test gears. When comparing experiment and simulation of the rolling behavior, in some short and long wave areas deviations can be recognized. These can be ascribed to the reduction from three to two dimensions when modeling. Other deviations might be based on inaccuracies when mounting into the test rig. In other areas quite good correlations of test and simulation could be ascertained.

Regarding micro components and systems, experimental work for characterizing materials' properties as well as components' and systems' behaviors have to be supplemented by numerical analyses. These analyses should cover component and system issues. On a component level, macroscopic approaches are extended by methods allowing consideration of the influence of components' grain structures including possible defects. On a system level, the high tolerances accepted for the individual components due to production inaccuracy and their effects on the expected load distribution capability of the system are taken into account. This paper presents approaches for simulation of micro components and systems using the finite element method and multi body simulation. Methods to overcome the abovementioned issues will be shown, as well as the effects of grain structure on the stress distribution in the individual components.

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Downsizing mechanical systems requires the consideration of technological environment and restrictions. Nominal dimensions can be miniaturized, but shape and material deviations cannot be scaled down in the same way. In design these effects have to be considered and thus analyzed and evaluated in the very early activities. Simulation and test methods have to be adapted to the special characteristics of microtechnology. The present paper provides a strategy to validate micromechanical systems by means of virtual and physical testing. A standard test approach in macroscopic gear metrology, the tangential composite inspection, is used as validation tool for both test approaches. The results are very promising and show a good correlation between both miniaturized tests procedures.

Design and quality assurance of micro gear wheels and involute gear wheels involve multiple challenges regarding prediction of functionality and life cycle performance of complex and wear-resistant micromechanical systems. First of all, this is due to the fact that up to now no tolerance system for micro dimension has been defined. In second place, most measurement strategies for the dimensional characterization of involute micro gears cannot be brought forward from the macro world just as they are. There is few knowledge about the relevant quality characteristics for these micro systems, optical sensors’ precision is affected by fuzzy edges detection and no tactile scanning modes for relevant features smaller than 100 μm exist, which is the scale normally applied in macroscopic dimensions. Simulation methods for analyzing the influence on the whole system of different components’ geometrical deviations are very valuable to supplement the knowledge based on real tests. Furthermore, it could be also necessary to consider the material’s anisotropy caused by the not negligible grain structure to evaluate the stress field correctly. Therefore, a new approach for design and quality assurance needs to be developed, in order to assure the functionality and long-term performance of molded micro systems. This work uses a planetary gear train as a demonstrator. A validation of the entire product functionality test chain has to be conducted to come closer to an integrated robust design approach for mechanical micro systems — from simulation in the early design stages to test and to quality assurance of large series production. This paper outlines a threefold methodological approach integrating dimensional measurement, virtual tests based on real geometry and physical tests of real gears. The measurement of the micro systems components both in disassembled as in assembled state is conducted using multisensory coordinate measurement machines. Based on the measured contours of real gears, virtual gears are derived and meshed for its subsequent use in adequate FEA model. Simultaneously, the gears are mounted and tested on a micro gear test rig. Both simulation and test rig conduct a radial composite inspection adapted to the micro scale; results are then compared. Micro gears molded of zirconium oxide were selected as a demonstrator for the presented methodology. These 12 teeth gears, with a diameter of approximately 2.0 mm and a modulus of 169 μm, are produced within Collaborative Research Center (CRC) 499 “Development, Production and Quality Assurance of Primary-Shaped Micro Parts made of Metallic and Ceramic Materials” of the German Research Foundation (DFG).