This invention uses surface tension to align a z-axis MEMS sensing device that is mounted onto a substrate or lead frame oriented in an xy-plane. According to the teachings of the present invention, the height of the z-axis sensing device is less than or substantially equal to its width (y-dimension) while the length of the device in the longitudinal direction (x-dimension) is greater than either of the y- or z-dimensions. As a result, instead of being thin and tall like a wall, which configuration is extremely difficult to align vertically, the elongate z-axis sensing device is mounted on a short z-axis, making it easier to align vertically.