Laser micromaching and light induced reaction injection molding as suitable process sequence for the rapid fabrication of microcomponents

Abstract

 For the last years different “rapid”-technologies like Rapid Prototyping, Rapid Manufacturing or Rapid Tooling have been developed in the macro world for a fast prototype or molding tool generation in case of e.g. form visualisation or small scale production. Commercially available equipment allows smallest structural details of at least 100 μm and a position accuracy of 25 μm. Due to the poor achievable precision of the mentioned systems in comparison to the necessities in MST only a few attempts for the realisation of “micro-rapid” technologies have been investigated. In this work an approach which combines Rapid Tooling (mold insert fabrication via laser micromaching) with Rapid Prototyping (replication via light induced reaction injection molding) will be introduced and different examples for application e.g. in microfluidics will be given.