About
SA Nano-Micro Manufacturing Association
The SA Nano-Micro Manufacturing Association was initiated to bring together researchers, engineers and practitioners in the diverse fields of printed and flexible electronics, advanced sensors, diagnostic devices as well as certain advanced components such as thin films and fabrication.
The association has its origins in the approval of a Nano-Micro Manufacturing Facility (NMMF) under the DSI South African Research Infrastructure Roadmap. For that reason the initial focus will primarily be on the establishment of the DSI NMMF. In addition the association will lobby for the support of projects.
Some background of the NMMF is given below:
DSI Nano-Micro Manufacturing Facility
- The main functions of the NMMF have to include:
- Support SA R&D (Industry included)
- Be of strategic importance to SA
- Create local and global Impact
- Promote Scope and range of science- relevance, innovation, technology transfer, IP
- Be affordable but state of the art
- Have a proper governance structure
- Operate on a national level, not institutional
Envisaged focus of the NMMF
Advanced Manufacturing Technologies to produce sensors, diagnostic devices and functional elements for devices.
The initial focus is not on FAB processes where high level clean rooms are required but rather on facilities and processes that result in technologies that are:
- Low cost per devices (point-of-care diagnostics)
- Scalable for high volume (example-printing)
- Versatile (flexible, disposable, innovative)
Envisaged long term impact from NMMF
While the NMMF is not responsible for the commercialisation of technologies it is envisaged that it will be a key catalyst in this regard
