Workshop: Micro/Meso-Mechanical Manufacturing; Evanston, IL

这项拨款将资助组织一个关于微/中机械制造的国际研讨会。总体目标是更好地理解围绕微/中观尺度（M4）机械制造的需求和问题；从根本上和在工业实践中，找出使能技术、弱点和科学障碍；制定研发需求和战略，加快M4的部署。一个辅助目标将是预测这项技术一旦充分发展后的潜在经济影响。重点是探索制造设备和工具小型化的可行性；以及相关机械和相关工艺的开发，例如，材料去除，变形/成型，EDM/ECM等，分别支持M4。预计本次研讨会的研究结果将作为政府、学术界和工业界制定适当计划和战略的基础，以集中的方式克服最关键的科学、技术和经济障碍，并确定M4所需的使能技术。具体的共识回应和建议将包含在一份书面报告中，内容包括：(1)M4的最新技术；（二）潜在的经济影响；（三）存在的科技壁垒；(4)使能技术；(5)美国落后的关键领域，以及(6)关于如何加速可行的M4技术的开发和实施的具体优先研发议程。

This grant provides funding to organize an international workshop on micro/meso-mechanical manufacturing. The overarching objectives are to better understand the needs for and issues that surround mechanical manufacturing at the micro/meso scale (M4); to identify enabling technologies as well as weaknesses and scientific barriers, both fundamentally and in the industrial practice of M4; and to formulate research and development needs and strategies so as to accelerate the deployment of M4. A subsidiary goal will be the projection of the potential economic impact of this technology once fully developed. The emphasis will be on the exploration of the feasibility of the miniaturization of the manufacturing equipment and tooling; and the development of associated mechanical and allied processes, e.g., material removal, deformation/forming, and EDM/ECM and others, respectively, in support of M4.It is anticipated that the findings of this workshop will serve as a basis, for government, academia, and industry to formulate appropriate programs and strategies to overcome, in a concentrated manner, the most critical scientific, technological and economic barriers and to identify the requisite enabling technologies for M4. Specific consensus responses, and recommendations will be contained in a written report on: (1) the state-of-the-art in M4; (2) its potential economic impact; (3) existing scientific and technological barriers; (4) enabling technologies; (5) critical areas in which the United States is falling behind, and (6) a specific prioritized R&D agenda on how to accelerate the development and implementation of viable M4 technologies.