Limits of very small manufacturing processes:

Lathe:

Smallest part at a "typical" job shop: min. diameter 1/32" = 800 microns

Smallest hole that can be drilled - 5.9 mils (dia.)
Company Small Parts Inc., Miami Lakes, FL 33014-0650
Repeatable and non-repeatable runout = 2/1e6 of an inch

Milling Machine:

CNC Milling machines: typical accuracy = 2-3 mil = 50-75 microns
source: Accurate Manufacturing Company: 510-653-1414

Smallest drill bit: about 0.0135 mil = 0.34 microns
Smallest end mill: about .4 mm = 400 microns
source: www.Micro100.com

Disco saw:

Width of cut = 64 micron (um)
Max. depth = 640 um

Punching:

Smallest punch diameters = 62.5 mils
Company - Small Parts Inc.

Waterjet Cutting:

Smallest Hole: varies according to material but a
good hole is 1.0mm diameter with
abrasive in solution.

Smallest Kerf: again, varies according to material
but a good line is 0.762mm for a
solution with abrasive and 0.0762mm
without abrasive.

Source: Waterjet Consultants (330)633-7698

Smallest hole and kerf - 10 mils
Source : Composiflex, Inc. PA 16506

Smallest kerf: 0.003"
Smallest hole: 0.003"
Source:Hydrojet Services, Inc., Reading PA

Ultrasonic Milling:

Smallest mill pieces = 40um
Source: Glenmils

Diamond Turning:

Machine accuracy of 1 micron/M. 1/10 wave peak to
valley smoothness.

Source: Oak Ridge Centers for Manufacturing Technology
(800)356-4USA

Figuring of ductile materials on a diamond turning m/c
Source: NASA
Surface finish : 50 angstroms (A)
Figure accuracies : 200 nm

EDM:

Machining accuracy (not quite was was asked for, but pretty close.)
15 microns
Source: Corisma Machine (Taiwan)

Smallest holes - 4 mils
tolerance - +/- 0.2 mils
Source : AMI Machining, Irvine, CA 92614

Smallest hole: 0.0008"/2um
Source: NMT Inc., Nanticoke PA

Laser machining:

Smallest hole and kerf size depends on aspect ratio
desired. For vertical sidewalls and 10:1 aspect ratio,
around 1 micron.

Source: Dr. David Gillegt (800) EXCIMER

Smallest hole and kerf - 10um
Advanced Electronic Packaging Facility,
Cornell University

Smallest hole: 0.0012"/30um -- Source: Industrial Laser Source

Printed Circuit Board:

Min lines/spaces: 2 mil = 100 microns for both lines and spaces
(most boards use 4 mil lines/spaces)

Source: Data Circuits (San Jose)

Smallest trace widths - 4mils
drill hole sizes - 10 mils
Source: Cirexx Corporation

Offset Printing:

2400 dpi = 10 microns
Source: http://www.charrette.com/offset.html

Chemo-mechanical Polishing:

Minimum thickness is 25.4 microns. Maximum
Flatness is 25 RMS.

Source: Aerochem, Inc.

Minimum removable thickness = 0.05 mu
Source: Pall Corporation, New York 11548

Electroplating:



Thickness of deposition: 0.00005 inch
Source: Cal-Aurum Industries, Huntington Beach, CA

Injection molding:


.001" tolerance for any material = 23 microns
Source: Dawson Tool & Die
Hayward 782-7154
Mechanics Tool & Supply (retailer)
Oakland 568-6060

Ceramic Low Pressure Injection Molding
to 3 mil tolerance
Ceramco
source: http://www.jobshop.com/jobcyclopedia/cyclo/papers/ceramicpartspaper.html

Metal Injection Molding
to 3 mil tolerance
source: http://www.jobshop.com/jobcyclopedia/cyclo/papers/metalinjmold3.html

Kinetics, Inc.
10085 SW Commerce Circle
Wilsonville, OR 97070
503-682-3093
Fax 503-682-1610
Paul A Hauck, Dir. of Sales/Mktg.
Judy Anderson, Cust. Service Rep.

Plastic Injection Molding
to 1 mil tolerance
Hillsman Modular Molding, Inc.
source: http://www.jobshop.com/jobcyclopedia/cyclo/papers/plasticinjmold 3.html

Plastics .0005" -- Schlotter Precision Products, New Hope, PA
Metals .003"/in, 45 RMS roughness -- Talbot Assoc. inc., Springfield NJ

Silk screening:


Electron Beam Writing:

Smallest printable image in resist: ~10nm

Source: Nicholas Rau
2-8897

X-Ray Lithography:

Smallest printable image in resist: ~5nm

Source: Center for Advanced Microstructures
and Devices
(504)925-7070

Chemically Etched Parts

Non/ferrous alloy 0.005-0.0032" thick, tolerances to 10% of thickness
PMI, Hayward CA

Smallest watch gear:


Smallest screw:


Screw diameter: .0583" to .060"
Source: Harris and Bodini
1122 Harrison St
San Fran, CA 94103
(415)861-8300
fax: (415) 552-0796
COST: $48 for 100 screws

Smallest screw sizes - 62.5 mils
Small Parts Inc.

Smallest DC motor:

6mm diameter
source: http://www.micromo.com

Vigor micromotor
dia - 0.96 inch
Company - Modern Jewellers Supply Inc., Boston, MA

Caliper Resolution

.0005" = 13 microns (Cory Machine Shop)
Best resolution on calipers : 10 microns

Micrometer Resolution

.00005" = 1.3 microns

Source: Cory Machine Shop

mitutoyo digimatic caliper without output. 0-6" with .0005" resolution.
mitutoyo digimatic micrometer w/o output. 0-1" with .00005" resolution.
both can be purchased together from Rutland tool and supply for $227.
16700 E. Gale Ave., City of Industry, CA 91745-0587. Phone#: 800-289-4787.
Fax #: 800-444-4787.


Best resolution with micrometer : 0.01 mm Mititoyo -------------------------------------------------------------------------

This page brought to you courtesy of:
Nick Rau
Ingrid Ma
Patrick Rhiel
Elliot Hui
Behin Behrang
Robert Conant
Ashwin A. Seshia
John Heck