The EFAB process is the first micro-manufacturing technology to allow the fabrication of 1mm tall and taller, truly 3-D microsystems and devices with micron precision. Taller heights allow for easier interface and seemless integration into macro-scale systems, while complex 3-D designs open the door to numerous applications that require miniaturized metal parts in military, medical and consumer electronics applications.

Other micro-manufacturing technologies, such as LIGA, enable only single-layer extruded shapes and don't allow any design flexibility along the Z-axis. For applications traditionally manufactured with extrusion-based techniques, the 3-D geometries made possible by the EFAB process provide a dramatic increase in functionality and eliminate the need for additional assembly steps.

"What used to be a severe limitation of microdevices is now eliminated; building 3-D microdevices that are 1mm and taller is a huge breakthrough for our industry. For the first time, designers who want to build complex micron-precision devices can use the third dimension - the height - to meet their design goals," said Vacit Arat, president and CEO of Microfabrica. "With every enhancement to the EFAB process, Microfabrica continues to remove more and more of the traditional limitations of microtechnology."

Examples of applications that can take advantage of tall 3-D microstructures include critical components used in the military such as the safing and arming mechanisms which prevent unintended functioning of the ammunition. These require complex mechanical systems, comprised of several 3-D components working together. Unlike extrusion-based techniques, the EFAB process can build these concurrently and monolithically, giving designers much more design flexibility while eliminating the need for manual assembly.

About Microfabrica Inc.
Founded in 1999, Microfabrica Inc. is a leader in microdevice manufacturing. The company's breakthrough proprietary EFAB(r) technology brings a new paradigm to micromanufacturing, offering unprecedented flexibility, ease-of-use and quick time-to-market in a wide range of applications including wireless, consumer electronics, automotive and military/aerospace. EFAB is the first manufacturing technology that can fabricate intricate, truly three-dimensional microdevices by depositing many tens of precision metal layers. The technology opens up a world of possibilities for complex microdevices and microsystems previously impossible or impractical to manufacture using other approaches.

Microfabrica is headquartered in Burbank, California. For more information, please visit www.microfabrica.com

EFAB is a registered trademark of Microfabrica, Inc.