'Micromachining' technology, an extension of conventional semiconductor processing methods, allows for massively parallel fabrication of micro-mechanical components on a chip. Interaction between integrated electronics and mechanics has enabled the implementation of Micro Electro Mechanical Systems (MEMS)on a chip, with applications varying as widely as mechanical sensors, micro-optics and micro-fluidic handling systems, to name a few. In the forum, we will have a peek inside the "Micromachinist's toolbox" to understand how these MEMS components are fabricated and, from there, explore their possibilities and the limitations, and extrapolate where the most suited application areas are. This generic Micromachining/MEMS tutorial is illustrated with a variety of real-world case studies.