Application of Different Process Chains for Polymer Microfluidics Fabrication including Hybrid Tooling Technology

G. Tosello(a), B. Fillon(b), S. Azcarate(c), A. Schoth(d), L. Mattsson(e), C. Griffiths(f), L. Staemmler(g), P.J. Bolt(h)
a: Technical University of Denmark (DTU), Department of Manufacturing Engineering and Management (IPL), 2800 Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
b: French Atomic Energy Commission (CEA), Laboratory of Innovation for New Energy Technologies and Nanomaterials (LITEN), 38054 Grenoble, France
c: Tekniker Technological Center, 20600 Eibar, Spain
d: University of Freiburg, Institute of Microsystem Technology (IMTEK), 79110 Freiburg, Germany
e: School of Industrial Technology and Management (KTH), Department of Production Engineering, 100 44 Stockholm, Sweden
f: Cardiff University, Manufacturing Engineering Center (MEC), Cardiff CF 24 3AA, UK
g: Hahn-Schickard-Gesellschaft, Institute for Micro Assembly Technology (HSG-IMAT), 70174 Stuttgart, Germany
h: TNO Science & Industry, 5600 HE Eindhoven, The Nederlands

Abstract

This paper is based on the Division 4 “Processing of Polymers” activities within the 4M NoE “Multi-Material Micro Manufacturing”. To overpass limitations of the current existing micro tooling capabilities, a new generation of micro hybrid tooling technologies for micro replication was developed. A metrological approach was applied to standardize the employed tooling processes (μ-milling, μ-EDM, laser μ-machining, electrochemical μ-milling). The micro tools were then tested with different polymers. The paper provides a comparison of these technologies concerning obtainable feature sizes, surface finishing, and aspect ratios of both micro tools and micro moulded parts.