Most manufacturing companies operate under a set of core values, attributes and principles—either clearly stated or implied—that inform and guide the actions and decisions of all employees, from the CEO to the operator on the plant floor.

The lifeblood of young industries like micro and nano manufacturing is turning research into new products. This column addresses how the commercialization process can be improved from the perspective of John Hart, assistant professor of Mechanical Engineering, Chemical Engineering and Art+Design at the University of Michigan.

Unlike traditional circuit boards, flexible circuits feature plastic substrates that allow them to bend during use. In certain medical procedures, for example, flex circuits are better able than their rigid counterparts to handle the bending and twisting involved in moving a tiny electronic device to its destination inside the body.

One of the challenges of micromachining is polishing post-machined part surfaces. On some microparts, the surface-roughness dimensions approach those of the part’s features. In an effort to improve manual polishing techniques, researchers have examined pulsed laser micropolishing (PLμP).