STATE OF THE ART OF

MICROMACHINING
Introduction
• Creating micro features or surface characteristics (especially surface
finish) in the micro/nano level
• Why ?
• design is easy but production is not easy for microproducts
• Range of micro: (1 µm ≤ dimension ≤ 999 µm in size)
• Requirement of micromaching
I. Reduce unit removal (UR)
II. Improve equipment precision
Relationship Among Technologies and Objects
in Production

Fig. 1
 •
•• Types Of Micromachining Process
Conventional
Removal
Plastic or by melting
brittle and vaporization
breakage
•• UR
For controlled
small UR, by electrical
highly conc forceparameters
•• Adv: No influence
Limitations: machiningof w/p mech.properties
accuracy and size
and negligible cutting force Principle Method
• Based••on Constraints:
ionic reactions tool material stronger than
Material
• Drawbacks: removal process by
• Very smallworkpiece
UR material required
• Uncertainity
vaporization, chipping and otherw/p
in specifying erosive Mechanical Force Cutting, Grinding, USM, Sand
• Adv: processes
dimensions & outline of beam Blasting
• • forces
m/c Two types
• almost
Heatzeroaffected layers
• • free
m/c surface Excimer lasers:
from damage, molecules
residual stress to atoms Melting/Vaporization EDM, LBM, EBM
•• NoMore efficient than material removal
• FS•lasers:
influence of mechanical properties
byof directly vaporization
• • UR is meaningless Shape mold is
Drawbacks: accuracy affected by gap, flow pattern
replicated Ablation LBM (Excimer, FS)
and• temp
Adv: of high •• Layer
production
electrolytes by
No spring layer
speedbacksolidification
but
• Limiting factors: • Adv:deformation
spring backbecause of temp
and flowability Dissolution ECM, Photo Etching
of w/p. •Reverse
• change Inner of part of product can
dissolution
• • Formation
URbe is shaped
veryofsmall
bubbles Plastic Deformation Punching, Press
• •Adv: No necessity of die
• Limitations:
• Massnarrow choice
production of
and Solidification Molding , Casting
materialsconcave surface
generation Lamination Stereolithography
• Limitations of materials
Recomposition Electroforming

Table 1. Principal micromachinina methods

Typical Micromachining Technologies
• Micro EDM
• Material removal by melting and partly vaporization
• Heat in the form of pulse electric discharge or spark
• Most powerful method for fabricating microholes in conductive
materials
• Recent developments
• EDG invented in 1982 and powerful method for machining of
convex surfaces
• Holes of 5μm are already in catalogue of companies
• Uniform wear method can generate 3D shapes using only simple
cylindrical or square cross sectional pins as electrode
• Use of deionized water increases machining speed but deteriorate Fig. 2 Micro holes fabricated by
accuracy because it widens the gap between electrode and w/p
• Machining of non conductive ceramics is possible in certain EDM
condition, which is under development
• WEDM is another type of EDM equipped with a wire electrode of
dia 200-250μm
• Machine with dia 30μm wire electrode is already in market and
possibility of 10μm is confirmed
• Application: die and mold making

Fig. 3 A micro mold fabricated by

EDM and a replicated plastic model
Contd.
• Micro LBM
• A CO2 or Nd:YAG can machine microhole with
medium or low aspect ratio
• Highest efficiency of LBM among available micro
machining methods
• Multiple holes and patterns with dimensions as smaller
as 10μm can be machined
• Two types: Excimer and FS laser
• Excimer is used for plastics and similar materials and Fig. 4 A fuel injector nozzle
not metals cap holes machined by an
• FS laser directly evaporates the material without FS laser
undergoing melting
• Technical improvement: Introduction of DOE
(diffractive optical element) to avoid intermediate
focussing

Fig. 5 Microslits in a titanium

tube cut by FS laser
Contd.
• Micro USM
• Leads to brittle breakage of workpiece surface, so suitable for brittle
materials
• Major issues: accuracy of set up and dynamics of equipment
• Improvement:
• Implementation of transducer
• Introduction of on the machine tool preparation – improved
machining accuracy to 20 μm
• Applying vibrations to the w/p side
• Micro Cutting
• Several types: drilling for micro holes, milling for micro groves,
turning for micro pins
• Application of Micro drilling: electrical properties of w/p do not
influence the process, so can be used for both metals and plastics Fig. 6 A microhole in quartz
• Machining time can be controlled easily glass machined by USM
• Limitations of Micro drilling
a) Straightness of product
b) Limitation of materials
Contd.
• LIGA (Lithography, Electroplating, and Molding)
• LIGA fabrication is used to create high-aspect ratio structures through the use of x-
rays produced by a synchrotron or relatively low aspect ratio structures through the
use of UV (ultraviolet) light.
• Combination of photoetching and electrical plating
• Produces pattern with high, straight wall
• Adv. of LIGA
• Narrow space in the pattern is possible
• Surface of vertical wall is smoother
• Mass production
• Drawbacks:
• Difficult to form inclined walls or tapered holes
• Choice of material is narrower
• Lead time is longer Fig. 7 Micro-gear pump with Ø 596 μm
• Not suitable for small scale production rotors fabricated by LlGA
Contd.
• Microcasting/Micromoulding
• Mass production
• Micromold can be prepared using EDM, LBM,USM and microcutting
• Chances of defects while demolding
• Recent developments:
• Metal injection moulding (MIM)
• Ceramic injection moulding (CIM)
Contd.
• Micro ECM
• Based on electrochemical dissolution of metal
• Adv:
• Machined surface is very smooth
• No affected layers by machining
• To get low UR
• Short pulse, low current
• High resistance electrolyte Fig.8 Micro gear fabricated
• Area of research: STM(scanning tunnelling microscope) by ECM
technique with ECM gives microgroves with
submicronwidth
Contd.
• Other processes
• Microgrinding
• SL (Stereolithography): A rapidl advancing method
based on the principle of lamination.
• Example: two-photon micro-SL, the resolution of generated
patterns has already reached the order of tenths of
micrometers
• The combination of WEDG, WECG (wire
electrochemical grinding) and electroforming (or Fig.9 Microturbine rotors fabricated
electroplating) presents a unique system for by SL
fabricating a nozzle with a high-aspect-ratio
microhole
Reference
[1] T.Masuzawa,State of the Art of Micromachining,CIRP Annals,Volume
49, Issue 2,2000,Pages 473-488,ISSN 0007-8506
ANY QUESTIONS?