Awhile ago, I posted a request for information on purchasing a hot
embosser. I have finally summarized what people emailed me and what I
learned while purchasing this machine.

  There is only a single supplier of hot embossers designed for
micromachining applications; Jenoptik (they have a web page). There are
other companies that supply hot embossrs, but they are for more
tradiational industries. It is unclear if these other machines will do
what the MEMS community needs. I received e-mail from people who were
considering building their own machines, but I don't know how that has
progressed.

  The feeling in the MEMS community is that the present Jenoptik
machines are R and D/small production run machines, not machines for
mass production. This isn't surprizing considering the infancy of the
plastic MEMS field. I would assume as soon as someone needs a production
machine, that a comapny somewhere will offer it.

   Ken Westra
   Manager/Staff Scientist
   MicroFab at the University of Alberta