World Class Manufacturing 4.0 and Nanomanufacturing

Nanomanufacturing Delta Model

Small is the new way of manufacturing big things. Nano (n) may also be referred to as a billionth. Nanomanufacturing is the extensive generation of products or systems that take advantage of the nano-scale. Nanomanufacturing mimics the physical world which builds from the cell level. At this scale, manufacturing begins at a gauge a hundred times smaller than the coronavirus. There’s a lot to be gained by building products with the precision of a nano-meter. It allows access to exploit the molecular and atomic composition of an item or system.

This enables manufacturers to operate beyond Newtonian physics and into the quantum mechanics and molecular chemistry properties of materials that are existent at the nano level. This nano-level is also referred to as the quantum realm in the metaphysical system and materials at this level exhibit enhanced optical, electronic, thermo-physical, and/or mechanical properties.

There are two approaches to nano-manufacturing, they are; bottom-up and top-down. Bottom-up manufacturing refers to building a component from the nano-scale and stacking upon it while top-down manufacturing is the wearing out of material to the nano-scale. Processes used for the bottom-up approach are; deposition, condensation, pyrolysis, welding, and assembly, while processes in the top-down include; drilling, lithography, etching, machining, and grinding.

These two approaches may take the form of chemical, physical or biological methods. The products used in nano-manufacturing are raw or value-added nano-material, nano-intermediates, and final integrated products. Nano matter exists in four structures, they are; spheres and clusters (zero-dimensional), nanofibres, nanowires and nanorods (one dimensional), films, plates, and networks (two dimensional), and structured blocks (three dimensional).

Process lock-in

Nanomanufacturing activities use nanoscale building blocks such as nanotubes, nanoparticles, nanofibres, and quantum dots. It has resulted in high efficiency, high rate, and high yielding manufacturing that has enabled the realization of world-class manufacturing goals through reduced materials and energy needs, waste, and environmental impact.

Processes that benefit from the blending of various nanoparticles increase the effectiveness of the final product when the interaction of the particles happens at the quantum level. A good case is Zentallium which is processed by the reaction of aluminum and carbon nanotubes. Zentallium has lightweight coupled with exceptional mechanical performance, nano steel alloys exhibit similar characteristics. Nanoparticles of metals have been used in processes to improve erosion resistance, abrasion resistance, strength, coefficient of friction, and thermal expansion of metal alloys.

In some manufacturing processes, nanoparticles have been used to replace rare earth elements with less constrained elements of identical or better performance. Amorphous metal nanocomposites have been used in place of neodymium in the manufacture of magnets thereby increasing magnetic strength while simultaneously reducing the size of the magnet for a given magnetic flux density and field strength. The use of expensive platinum has also benefited from nanomanufacturing as platinum-coated copper-platinum nanoparticle cores have resulted in a general reduction in platinum content in products.

Equipment optimization

Nanomanufacturing has resulted in a high degree of process control in sensing, assembling, and positioning elements at the nanoscale to achieve key performance indicators in production and service. Nanomanufacturing equipment is also equipped with nanocluster tools which allow for multiple processes to be conducted on the same nanoproduct without the need for transportation from one equipment to another.

Engineered nano-materials designed at the nano-scale take advantage of the large surface area to volume ratio exhibited in small items and quantum effects. Nanoelectronic has enabled the miniaturization of traditional electrical products with exponential improvement in performance metrics. An example is a shift from the cathode ray tube to thin-film transistors used in screens, this has enabled the use of direct touch as an input mechanism.

People empowerment

Nanomanufacturing has empowered people to re-imagine applications of traditional products. It has brought about new features in product development thus enhancing the performance of products. Features such as water-repellent, anti-reflective, self-cleaning, ultraviolet or infra-red resistance, anti-fog, antimicrobial, scratch-resistant, and electric conductivity have been enabled by nanotechnology.

Nanomanufacturing will require employees to wear appropriate personal protective equipment when working with nanomaterial as they may have the potential to be hazardous in unpredictable ways. On the positive side, bio-nanomanufacturing has resulted in effective methods of drug delivery and repair/rebuilding of damaged tissues and organs.

Nanomanufacturing is not just a technological advancement; it's a gateway to an entirely new dimension of manufacturing and product development. The quantum realm of the nano-scale holds the key to unprecedented efficiency, environmental sustainability, and groundbreaking innovations. As we continue to explore this microscopic universe, the possibilities for improving our world seem limitless. Small is indeed the new way of manufacturing big things, and it's a journey worth embarking upon.