Well equiped
Product miniaturisation enjoys equally great significance for both science and industry. The range of applications for Microsystems is virtually unlimited, extending over logistics, security, quality surveillance in production processes, and monitoring of human body functions. Developing innovative and customised products into marketable commodities is a key success factor for German companies.
In this respect key technologies like microsystems engineering play a crucial role. Microsystems technology enhances product intelligence and therefore their functionality, energy efficiency, operability, and reliability – and this on all sectors. Sensors and actuators enable microsystems to communicate with the environment, humans, machines, and radio interfaces and miniaturised energy sources lend them mobility. Berlin-Brandenburg can access an outstanding potential for the research, development and production of these systems – also on the international level. Over twenty five research and university institutes are researching into and developing microsystems and their components, processes and materials. About 130 companies in the region are working on the development and production of microsystem components. According to the latest report for this sector issued by the Berlin Technology Foundation TSB, Microsystems engineering together with optical technologies and photovoltaics achieved in 2007 a turnover of three billion euros, a growth of over a billion euros since 2002.
In the Berlin innovation strategy, microsystems engineering in conjunction with optical technologies represents one of the five fields of competence for economic growth and employment in the region.
In 2001 the six leading Berlin research institutes in the field of microsystems engineering joined forces to set up the ZEMI, the Berlin Microsystems Engineering Centre in Adlershof. One of four microsystems competence networks of national acclaim ZEMI bundles the region’s research and development potential for Microsystems engineering, acts as the central contact for industrial collaboration projects, and provides support in the form of technology transfer in particular for SMEs. This transfer exchange is supplemented with a whole range of technical services provided by the “Smart System Integration” applications centre at the Fraunhofer Institute for Reliability and Microintegration (IZM).
Berlin is both a source and a magnet for specialised personnel with excellent qualifications. Three Berlin institutes of higher education offer degree courses for Microsystems engineering. Every year the ZEMI hosts the “Microsystems Summer School” in Adlershof. Over seventy microtechnologies are covered by inhouse vocational training courses whose quality is constantly assured by a dedicated association set up by the training companies. And special laboratories and technology days present exciting insights for school groups and the next generation of Microsystems engineers.
Ralf Kerl/Nicolas Hübener/Doreen Friedrich