During recent years, there has been a trend towards the miniaturization of the products and of the tools necessary in the industrial processes, including those for micromanipulation. For micromanipulation, the best devices are microgrippers built such as the compliant mechanisms. In this paper, a modular structure for a micromanipulation cell is proposed. The cell has three main modules: a base platform for the working area, a micro-positioning system, and a micromanipulation system. Each module has different design variants which can be combined for specific applications, the FE (finite elements). The analysis and experimental results validate the prototype proposed for this study. In the end, an application of the SiMFlex manipulation cell for an optical microscope is proposed.

Metal powder compaction in rigid dies often suffers from high ejection forces, non-uniform density, and accelerated tool wear. We investigate an elastic-sleeve die concept in which a conical shrink-fit sleeve provides controllable radial confinement during pressing and elastic relaxation during extraction. An extensive experimental program on Fe-based and 316L powders, carried out in parallel with finite element analyses (SolidWorks Simulation version 2021; Marc Mentat 2005), quantified the roles of taper angle (α = 1–4°), axial pretension (Δh = 0.5–1.5 mm), and friction. Contact pressure increased from ≈52 MPa at α = 1° to ≈200 MPa at α = 3°, with negligible gains beyond 3°. For 316L, relative density reached ρ ≈ 0.889 at 325 kN with Δh = 1.5 mm; Fe–Cu–C achieved ρ ≈ 0.865 under identical conditions. The experimental results provided direct validation of the FEM, with calibrated viscoplastic simulations reproducing density–force trends within ≈±5% (mean density error ≈ 4.6%), while mid-stroke force differences (≈15–20%) reflected rearrangement/friction effects not captured by the constitutive law. The combined evidence identifies an optimal window of α ≈ 3° and Δh ≈ 1.0–1.5 mm that maximizes contact pressure and densification without overstressing the sleeve. Elastic relaxation of the sleeve facilitates extraction and suggests reduced ejection effort compared with rigid dies. These findings support elastic dies as a practical route to improved densification and tool life in powder metallurgy.

The revolutionary economic potential of micro and nanotechnology is already recognized. Micro and nano-scale technologies that use electrical, magnetic, optical, mechanical, and thermal phenomena separately or in combination are either already in the industrial phase or approaching it. The products of micro and nanotechnology are made of small quantities of material but have high functionality and added value. This paper presents such a product: a system with micro-tweezers for biomedical applications—a micromanipulator with optimized constructive characteristics, including optimal centering, consumption, and minimum size, for handling micro-particles and constructive micro components. The advantage of the proposed structure consists mainly in obtaining a large working area combined with a good working resolution due to the double actuation principle: electromagnetic and piezoelectric.

The growing demand for precision and miniaturization in micro-scale systems and biomedical applications has driven the need for highly optimized compliant mechanisms. The design of these mechatronic systems requires advanced actuators optimization, synchronizing material characteristics, geometric limitations, and mechanical structure. This study presents analysis results, emphasizing the performance of piezoelectric actuators for compliant mechanisms. Analytical results were presented for two types of actuators: stack actuators and bending actuators. We examined displacement when a different voltage was applied and designed a mini gripper as an application. Finally, experimental results for stack and bending piezoelectric actuators are presented. This study provides a solid framework for integrating simulation findings with experimental requirements in the compliant mechanisms field.

Achieving high density in complex powder metallurgy components like spur gears is often hindered by friction-induced density gradients and ejection defects. This study investigates a novel elastic die system designed to mitigate these issues through controlled radial deformation. Spur gears were compacted using Ancorsteel 2000 powder under pressures of 400–700 MPa, utilizing a tapered elastic sleeve to apply radial compression. Green and sintered densities were measured, while porosity distribution was quantified via image analysis. Additionally, a 3D finite element simulation using FORGE software was conducted to model the thermo-mechanical behavior and stress distribution during the process. Experimental trials demonstrated that the elastic relaxation of the sleeve enabled free ejection of the compacts without requiring an extraction force. Image analysis confirmed a homogenous porosity distribution across the gear teeth, and higher die pre-stressing strokes were found to correlate with increased sintered density. Finite element modeling accurately predicted critical stress concentrations of 700 MPa at the die–sleeve interface and validated the strain distribution. The results confirm that elastic die technology effectively eliminates ejection friction and improves density uniformity in complex gears, offering a viable solution for reducing tool wear and manufacturing defects in high-precision powder metallurgy.

Achieving high density in complex powder metallurgy components like spur gears is often hindered by friction-induced density gradients and ejection defects. This study investigates a novel elastic die system designed to mitigate these issues through controlled radial deformation. Spur gears were compacted using Ancorsteel 2000 powder under pressures of 400–700 MPa, utilizing a tapered elastic sleeve to apply radial compression. Green and sintered densities were measured, while porosity distribution was quantified via image analysis. Additionally, a 3D finite element simulation using FORGE software was conducted to model the thermo-mechanical behavior and stress distribution during the process. Experimental trials demonstrated that the elastic relaxation of the sleeve enabled free ejection of the compacts without requiring extraction force. Image analysis confirmed a homogenous porosity distribution across the gear teeth, and higher die pre-stressing strokes were found to correlate with increased sintered density. Finite element modeling accurately predicted critical stress concentrations of 700 MPa at the die-sleeve interface and validated the strain distribution. The results confirm that elastic die technology effectively eliminates ejection friction and improves density uniformity in complex gears, offering a viable solution for reducing tool wear and manufacturing defects in high-precision powder metallurgy.