microplaten

Microplaten is a term used in precision engineering and microfabrication to describe a small, flat, rigid working surface that serves as a reference plane in specialized equipment. It appears in contexts such as micro-assembly, micro-imprinting, lithography, and small-format stamping, where a highly planar surface is required to align components, transfer patterns, or condition contact surfaces at submillimeter scales.

Construction and materials typically involve tool steel, hardened aluminum, ceramic, or composite materials. The surface is finished by grinding and lapping to achieve high flatness and low roughness, with thickness generally ranging from a few millimeters to several tens of millimeters to balance rigidity and weight. Surface roughness (Ra) for high-precision applications is commonly in the range of 0.1 to 0.5 micrometers. In some cases, microplatens receive coatings or texturing to improve wear resistance or reduce sticking during operation.

Applications span micro-assembly fixtures, precision presses, embossing and stamping of micro-features, micro-contact printing, and wafer or substrate handling where a stable, uniform reference plane is essential. The performance of a microplaten is influenced by its flatness, parallelism, and thermal stability; long-term accuracy depends on proper mounting, temperature control, and avoidance of contamination or distortion under load.

Manufacturing methods include precision grinding, lapping, and milling, followed by careful finishing and cleaning. Maintenance focuses on preserving surface integrity and alignment accuracy, with periodic calibration against a known standard.

See also: platen, die, microfabrication, MEMS, lithography, and precision metrology.