Microsystem Technologies 8 (2002) 351358 Springer-Verlag 2002 DOI 10.

1007/s00542-001-0153-7

Injection molding of microstructured components from plastics, metals and ceramics

ller, V. Piotter, J. Hauelt R. Ruprecht, T. Gietzelt, K. Mu

Abstract Micro injection molding is presently on its way to become an established manufacturing process in commercialising Microsystem Technologies. Enhanced products from plastics for micro optical or medical applications are entering the market. New developments like the different kinds of injection molding for microstructured components from plastics, metals or ceramics will increase the material range available in microdimensions. This will open up opportunities for increasing economic efciency, for new elds of applications as well as for innovative products in the future.

1 Introduction Even conservative studies prognosticate that products containing microtechnical components will reach a market volume of more than 400 billion Euro in 2002 with growth rates exceeding 20% per year [WEC00, WEC01]. Using the economic, technical, and ecological advantages of microsystems engineering, better and novel products are being offered on the market already [PAA00]. Examples are the airbag, electronic gear control, DVD, multi-ber plugs, microtiter plates, micro heat exchangers, etc. It is predicted that microengineering will become as signicant for innovative products in nearly all branches as microelectronics is today. Methods for the low-cost production of medium and large series of microcomponents from appropriate mate2 Micro injection molding
Received: 30 April 2001/Accepted: 30 August 2001

rials are applied and further developed in accordance with the microengineering needs. Injection molding technology with its variants represents a key technology for the economic series production of microcomponents [BUC99, NOE99]. Since 1986, micro injection molding has been further developed from a technology then used for CD manufacture to an autonomous technology today with novel machines and processes being designed for various microtechnical applications [BEC82, PIO97, KUK00, MIC01]. Presently, mainly unlled thermoplastic materials are applied in micromolding. However, several applications require the production of medium or large series of microcomponents with better mechanical, thermal, chemical, and electric properties. A few metals, such as nickel, copper, gold, and binary nickel alloys are subjected to electrodeposition. The large spectrum of metal alloys and ceramics as used in e.g. high-precision engineering has not yet been made available to microengineering. One way of solving this problem is to adapt powder injection molding to micromolding of series components. In the following sections, the specic features of micro injection molding shall be described. Then, the state of the art of powder injection molding of microcomponents shall be presented and compared with injection molding of microstructured plastic parts.

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2.1 Molding of microstructures ller, V. Piotter, J. Hauelt R. Ruprecht (&), T. Gietzelt, K. Mu As far as molded microcomponents in the form of Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe (FZK), laboratory patterns or even products are concerned, it is Institut fur Materialforschung III (IMF III), P.O. Box 36 40, distinguished between microparts, microstructured D-76021 Karlsruhe, Germany components, and microprecision parts. Microparts are E-mail: robert.ruprecht@imf.fzk.de generally understood to be single or separated components with outer dimensions in the range of a few milliThe authors would like to thank the BMBF, DFG, and the State of meters (mm), which mostly have details in the sub rttemberg, the HGF as well as the companies of Baden-Wu millimeter range (see Fig. 1). Today, products in the form SPINNER, STEAG microParts, Sarnatech ROLLA, HNP of microstructured components are desired frequently. nner, Schunk Sintermetalltechnik, Mikrosysteme, Ma METALLICO, FRIATEC, Zschimmer&Schwarz, Clariant, and They have outer dimensions of several millimeters up to a BASF for their nancial and material support as well as their FZK few centimeters with three-dimensional microstructures colleagues at the IMF, IMT, and HVT, and in particular being located on one or several surface areas (see Fig. 3). Messrs. Holzer, Johann, Plewa, and Walter for their valuable In addition, large-area components with microstructured support. or even nanostructured surfaces, after the example of CDs This paper was presented at the Third International Workshop on and DVDs, are requested for new applications. Microprecision parts mostly are high-precision products, whose High Aspect Ratio Microstructure Technology HARMST '99 in June 1999. tolerances for outer dimensions or details are in the range

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which the melt injected (molding mass) rapidly assumes temperatures similar to those of the microstructured mold inserts over the entire cross section of the microstructures. For microstructures with aspect ratios (structure height to wall thickness ratio) of more than ve in particular, relatively large ow length are obtained between the runner system, the high-precision component geometry, and the microstructures as such. To ensure a complete lling of the mold, a special process conduct is required. The molding masses mostly are injected into the heated mold inserts at the maximum molding mass temperatures recommended. Mold insert temperatures nearly correspond to the melt/ glass transition temperatures of the plastics. To prevent burning of the plastic material in the bag hole-shaped microstructures of the mold inserts due to compressed air (diesel effect), the injection molding tool is evacuated prior to injection. The tools are not provided with venting gaps, as they would be lled with molding mass like the microstructures. During cooling, shrinkage is compensated by the dwell pressure. After reaching a temperature, at which the molding mass exhibits sufcient mechanical strength, demolding takes place. By means of this Variotherm process conduct, the injection molding tool or the tool core only with the integrated mold inserts is subjected to a temperature cycle that decisively determines the cycle time [PIO97, RUP97]. This special process conduct can be programmed into the control of conventional injection molding machines with a high precision of machine movement. It has already been implemented in hydraulic and electrical machines for laboratory operation and industry production at the companies of e.g. ARBURG, BATTENFELD, and FERROMATIK MILACRON. Molding masses for plastic microcomponents almost exclusively comprise commercially available technical and high-performance plastics. In micro powder injection molding feedstocks of commercially available powders and binders mostly are mixed and extruded on our own. Depending on the process or application, special materials are needed in certain cases (microoptics, medical engineering). However, the volumes required are relatively small and sometimes produced industrially already. As far as injection molding of microcomponents is concerned, the Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe has acquired considerable experience with a number of technical and high-performance thermoplastics (e.g. PMMA, PC, PSU, PE, POM, PA12, PEEK, LCP, polyolen/wax mixtures) and feedstocks (molding masses for powder injection molding with about 50 vol.% powders of iron alloys and oxide ceramics). This is evident from a number of model designs (see Sects. 2.3 and 3). Up to now, mostly plate-shaped microstructured components with edge lengths below 65 mm and microstructures on one or both sides with a maximum height of 2.5 mm, minimum wall Fig. 1. Green compacts of an annular gear pump made of a zir- thicknesses of 20 lm or minimum structural details of conium oxide feedstock is an example of separated microparts 0.2 lm have been produced by injection molding. The ow [Gie00]. Within the framework of the MALVE HGF strategy fund length to wall thickness ratio required by the microstrucproject, the demonstrator parts were produced by injection ture design amounted to a maximum of 15 for POM and molding by the Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe in cooperation PA12 lled with conductive carbon black and up to 20 for with the company of HNP Mikrosysteme, Parchim. The threetoothed internal rotor has a minimum wall thickness of 125 lm pure PMMA. The smallest microstructured PMMA component with LIGA structures that has been injectionand a structural height of 400 lm, thus reaching an outer dimolded up to now without any nishing being required mension of 1.2 mm at the maximum of a few micrometers (lm), while dimensional accuracy is far smaller than 1%. As microprecision parts or many components with microstructured surfaces primarily represent high-precision components from the macroscopic point of view, smaller conventional injection molding machines with closing forces ranging between 220 and 1000 kN are usually applied. The injection systems mostly are equipped with small injection units containing spirals of 1418 mm in diameter for the reproducible injection of relatively small volumes of less than 5 g into a cold tool. Requirements with aspect to the accuracy of the shot weight and injection rate are higher by an order of magnitude at least when molding real microparts. Here, runner systems are minimized in order to reach shot weights of less than 1 g and very high injection rates into a relatively cold tool. This ensures a complete lling of the mold and the molding of microparts of high precision. For some years now, machine and process technology for the manufacture of plastic microparts has been used in industry. For example, the company of Sarnatech ROLLA, Grenchen/ Switzerland, is known for microparts, such as micro toothed gearwheels [BUE99]. An example of injection molding of microstructured components with structural details down to the sub-micrometer range is the product family of microspectrometer modules produced by the company of STEAG microParts, Dortmund [NOE01]. Here, a grid with grid teeth of 2 lm minimum length and a tooth step of 0.2 lm is molded into PMMA on the component wall over a height of 200 lm. For medical and microoptical applications and in particular for microstructured components, STEAG microparts operates injection molding machines under clean-room conditions with laminar ow in the tool and handling area [NOE99]. In microstructured components, structures having wall thicknesses far below 550 lm are arranged mostly vertically on component geometries of high-precision dimensions. This yields a high ow length to wall thickness ratio in the area of the microstructures. Due to the large surface area as compared to its volume, a rapid heat exchange takes place between molding mass and tool, as a result of

weighs 415 mg. After separation and sintering the smallest available. Companies, e.g. Kern, Kugler Salem or ISIS Karlsruhe, offer microstructured mold inserts. Novel demicropart made of e.g. Al2O3 ceramics had a weight of velopments can be made use of in a pilot plant for the 0.25 mg [PIO00, GIE00]. production of small series in a controlled and air-conditioned environment, which is located on the premises of 2.2 the Forschungszentrum [SCHA99]. Microstructured mold inserts for injection molding tools LIGA mold inserts (LIGA is the German acronym for Tools that can be evacuated and thermostated and in which microstructured mold inserts can be integrated are X-ray lithography, electrodeposition, and molding) are characterized by a signicantly increased freedom in latcommon to all molding processes for microstructured eral design and a better surface quality, as it is required components with high aspect ratios. These mold inserts e.g. for microoptics (see Fig. 2a). The standard format has are produced mainly by the following structuring techa microstructured surface of 20 60 mm2. Mold inserts of niques: 100 mm in diameter are being developed at the moment. By microcutting from brass or aluminum alloys using Standard mold inserts possess structural depths of up to diamond and hard metal tools [SCHA98] 400 lm. Within the framework of feasibility studies, By UV light [LOR00] or X-ray lithography [BAC00] and structure depths of more than 1100 lm were reached. So subsequent electrodeposition in nickel, in particular far, a minimum web or groove width of 3 lm has been using the LIGA process [BEC79, SAI00] reached. The aspect ratio ranged between 5 and 50 depending on the cavities realized. Due to the lithography The microcutting technique so far has been applied to structure mold inserts of 20 60 mm2 to 80 100 mm2 in process with shading by a mask in highly parallel brass with one or several levels down to structural depths X-radiation, the microstructures do not possess any of 2500 lm (see Fig. 2b). Depending on the geometry and ejection slopes. Still, deformation-free demolding is possible due to the small wall roughness of the LIGA mold material, minimum dimensions of 20 lm or maximum aspect ratios of up to 10 were achieved. Minimum struc- inserts (Rz = 0.05 lm and Ra = 0.02 lm at the minimum) tural details amount to 3 lm, the average roughness Ra of and the shrinkage of the plastic structures. At the structural walls ranges between 0.1 and 0.5 lm. Slopes in Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe, the LIGA mold inserts are the micrometer range of 010 and even 45 are realized. produced under clean-room conditions according to an Depending on the structure depth and surface, machining ISO DIN EN 9001-certied process conduct and then made times of several 10 h or even several days are required. It is available to industry. For mold insert production, the following other protherefore necessary and state of the art to operate the cesses are further developed to make more efcient use of cutting machines under air conditioning at a constant the respective advantages in terms of wear resistance/serroom temperature of 1 K. The machines, tools, and vice life, surface quality, design options, manufacturing peripheral devices for microcutting are commercially time, and costs:

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Fig. 2. a LIGA mold insert produced via an X-ray deep-etch lithographic parent structure in PMMA and subsequent nickel electro forming. The smallest microstructures visible are 80 lm wide, the minimum structural details are in the sub-micrometer range (source: FZK/IMT). b Brass mold insert produced by microcutting. The structures have a groove width of 250 lm, the surface quality of the mold insert faces amounts to Ra < 100 nm (source: FZK/HVT)

Fig. 3. Flow front behavior in the injection-molded part (a) for the ber guiding structures and injection-molded PMMA part (b) of the RibCon plug connector developed in cooperation with the SPINNER company, Munich [DIT00; SPI00]

 Microcutting of free molding surfaces or in hardenable steel [SCHA99, SCHM98] Laser structurization, for example in hard metal [PFL98] Electrodeposition in nickel alloys (NiCo, NiFe, NiW, NiP) [BAC00] Wet etching or reactive ion etching in silicon, if applicable, copying into nickel by electroforming [BHA95] Or combinations of these methods [MOH96] 354

3 Micro injection molding with plastics (TIM) For the production of medium and large series of complex microstructured components of polymer materials, injection molding represents an economically viable process technology [NOE99]. To adapt the industrially established injection molding technology to the production of microcomponents, additional systems for e.g. tool evacuation and Variotherm thermostating had to be implemented. In most cases, technical thermoplastics are applied, which are also used in conventional injection molding technology and, hence, available at low costs. Micro injection molding today allows to produce plastic structures with minimum wall thicknesses of 20 lm or aspect ratios above 20. The minimum structure details that can be molded presently are in the range of about 200 nm for many thermoplastic materials. Examples of microstructured components that are produced from high-performance polymers, such as PSU, PEEK or LCP, by injection molding are housings for pumps, pressure and ow sensors [AHR00] as well as chip carriers in the form of polymer grid arrays of a few millimeters in size. Processing of plastics lled with conductive black, e.g. PA 12-C or POM-C, allows to produce electrically conductive microstructures which are copied into metal components by electrodeposition [RUP95]. The progress made in the production of easily separable injection-molded microcomponents is illustrated most clearly by the RibCon multi-ber plug which was developed in cooperation with the company of SPINNER, Munich. Its housing halves may accommodate up to 16 glass bers of a ber band for multi-mode applications [DIT00]. Production and marketing of this plug connector as a mass product, as started by SPINNER, require a production method suited for large series with short cycle times. The challenge in the molding of ber guiding structures for plug connectors consists in having these components with an array of microstructures injection-molded with hardly any nishing being required, i.e. without the auxiliary structures that are usually applied in micro injection molding. It is obvious from the experience acquired by the Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe that the use of software tools for the FEM simulation of mold lling (MOLDFLOW) and tool thermostating (ABAQUS) promotes the economic process development up to industrial production [RUP97a]. Within the framework of last year's development work for the SPINNER company, a tool was optimized specically with this optimization being supported by the simulation of mold lling [DIT00]. By

simulating various runner systems, a well-balanced melt ow and an optimum position of the gate were found. Figure 3a shows the ow front behavior in the injectionmolded part, optimized for a lling time of 0.42 s: Starting from the gate, the runner system and the mold nests are lled with plastic material to the complete extent after 0.275 s and another 0.145 s, respectively. The tool was fabricated at SPINNER's. The Forschungszentrum manufactured the multi-stepped, microstructured mold inserts by microcutting in combination with the LIGA process. The tool with the four mold nests is shown in Fig. 4a. The four microstructured mold inserts are installed in the right half, while the structured highprecision cavities for the plug body and the runner channel are incorporated in the tool plate. It has been demonstrated by the about 1500 injection molding cycles performed up to now that an optimized tool concept allows the cycle time to be halved and ensures a much higher process stability as compared to a modied conventional tool. Quality control was accomplished on the basis of seven quality criteria using a light-optical measuring microscope and a contact-free optical 3D measurement system manufactured by the FRT company. The specication was complied with by reaching a yield of far beyond 90%. Figure 4b shows the ber guiding structures of the lower part of a plug. New variants of the micro injection molding technology are currently being developed. The objective is to reach a higher economic efciency by reducing assembly and bonding technology or to produce novel products. In preliminary tests with respect to micro insert injection

Fig. 4. a Injection molding tool of the SPINNER company for the production of ber guiding structures of RibCon plug connectors, equipped with mold inserts produced by FZK/IMT [DIT00]. b Guiding structures for multi-mode bers (B 125 lm) in the lower plug part (grid dimension 250 lm 1.5) of the RibCon plug connector for multi-mode bers, injection-molded by Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe on behalf of the SPINNER company, Munich [SPI00]

structured mold inserts, their quality as well as by the particle size of the initial powders. For this reason, development not only of a reproducible series production process, but of feedstocks of high strength with nescaled metal powders having a mean particle size far below 3 lm turned out to be necessary. Presently, experiments are 4 carried out for the production of own feedstocks with Powder injection molding as a microfabrication binders based on polyethylene and polyvinyl alcohol. technology Test structures with 260 lm lateral width and an aspect ratio of about ve (comparable to the ow length to wall 4.1 Process development for micro powder injection molding thickness ratio of microstructures) were injection-molded. In advanced studies, LIGA mold inserts with an aspect The materials used in micromolding today mainly are thermoplastics. A few metals, such as nickel or nickel al- ratio of more than 10 were applied successfully. Up to now, loys, copper, and gold are subjected to electrodeposition about 500 molding cycles have been performed, mostly in [BAC00]. The large range of ceramic and metal materials, fully automatic production, without wear being detected on the microstructured nickel mold insert. however, has not yet been made available to microengiThree basically different methods were applied and inneering. Hence, there is a need to manufacture medium vestigated for debindering: and large series of microcomponents from a variety of ceramic and metal materials tailored to the respective 1. Debindering by thermal melting of the organic comloads. For this purpose, powder injection molding is ponents adapted to microengineering needs. 2. Debindering by supercritical carbondioxide (scCO2) as Process technology is based on the sintering of an insolvent. This technology uses CO2 under supercritical jection-molded part (green compact) to a largely pore-free conditions in an autoclave which is usually operated at solid. For injection molding of ceramic or metal powders temperatures above 430 K and pressures above 300 bar about 50 vol.% of an organic binder are added, thus pro3. Catalytic debindering in an atmosphere containing niducing a thermoplastic molding mass, the feedstock. The tric acid, which is usually applied for polyacetal binder binder has to be removed again prior to sintering, which is systems mostly done by melting or catalytic degradation. To verify suitability of micro powder injection molding, To debinder microstructured green compacts made of or Micro-PIM, for the production of microstructures, it feedstock based on polyolen/wax to brown compacts, was rst done without the development of a micro-specic thermal debindering and debindering using supercritical feedstock [PIO99]. Commercial feedstocks with binders on CO2 were investigated. Although scCO2 debindering proa polyacetal basis were applied. They contain various duced satisfactory results for microstructures with an aspowders: Zirconium oxide (ZrO2), aluminum oxide pect ratio of up to 1.5, further modications will be required to obtain an economically viable process. As a (Al2O3), zirconium oxide-reinforced Al2O3, aluminum nitride (AlN), carbonyl iron (Fe), stainless steel (316L) or mature technology of scCO2 debindering of microparts is alloyed, hardenable steel (17-4PH). In the experiments not yet available, most microstructured demonstrator mold inserts produced by both microcutting and the LIGA parts produced by a feedstock on polyolen/wax basis process were applied. Figure 5 shows stepped LIGA were converted to brown compacts by thermal debindertoothed wheels (B 800 lm) made of 316L stainless steel ing. For debindering feedstocks on polyacetal basis, an and aluminum nitride by way of example. The smallest atmosphere containing nitric acid was selected similar to structure dimensions following sintering amount to about the debindering of macroscopic components. 20 lm for ceramics and about 50 lm for metals. The poSintering was performed in both a mufe furnace and tential of molding minimum structural details is dened tube furnace with a diameter of 88 mm and a heating zone by the method selected for manufacturing the microof 600 mm. While the oxide ceramic parts were sintered in air, sintering of the metal parts took place under reducing N2/H2 or H2 atmosphere in order to prevent an oxidation of the metal parts. For the metal parts 9597% and for the ceramic parts 9699% of theoretical density were reached (see Table 1). molding [ZIE01], where extensive assembly and bonding technology is replaced by inserted parts, polymer wall thicknesses of 15 lm and aspect ratios of 230 were reached when coating these inserted parts with HD-PE [SCHW98].

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4.2 Powder injection molding of microstructured demonstrator components Typical examples of metal microstructured components for micromechanical applications are stepped toothed wheels. Here, a LIGA mold insert was used. To determine Fig. 5. Stepped LIGA toothed wheel made of 316L stainless steel the potential of powder injection molding for microengineering, these gearwheels were produced from carbonyl (left) and aluminum nitride (right) on a substrate of the same material. The structure height amounts to about 480 lm. Mini- iron, corrosion-resistant stainless steel (316L), aluminum mum tooth width is about 50 lm [RUP00] oxide, zirconium oxide, and aluminum nitride (under

Table 1. Properties of sintered microstructured components produced by micro powder injection molding. Maximum density and surface quality (maximum roughness Rmax) depend on the initial powder in the feedstocks and its mean particle size (d50) Material CarbonylFe CarbonylFe 316L Al2O3 ZrO2 d50 [lm] 4.5 1.5 4.5 0.40.6 0.20.4 Density [g/cm3] 7.53 7.53 7.78 3.85 6.05 Theoretical density [g/cm3] 7.87 7.87 8.05 3.98 6.1 In % of theo. density 95.6 95.6 96.7 96.7 99.2 Rmax [lm] >8 4 8 3 2

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Fig. 6. Nozzle test structures made of zirconium oxide by means of injection molding using a mold insert produced by microcutting. To open the nozzle structures, the plate was subjected to grinding on one side following sintering. The remaining minimum web between the hole structures is 20 lm in the platelet of about 520 lm in thickness

Fig. 7. Detailed view of a microoptical bench produced by powder injection molding in aluminum oxide. The molded structure with minimum details of 50 lm wall thickness serves to accommodate a beam splitter [RIT00]

development). It was demonstrated by the experiments that also other powders may be processed to microstructured green compacts depending on the respective powder particle size. Up to now, minimum wall thicknesses of 50 lm lateral width and 480 lm structure height have been reached after sintering (see Fig. 5). Another possible application of micro injection molding is the manufacturing of nozzle structures with a longer service life and reduced outage times. First test structures with smallest wall thicknesses of 20 lm at a plate thickness of 520 lm (following sintering and nishing) were produced in zirconium oxide (Fig. 6). So far, microoptical components, e.g. plug components or microoptical benches, have been produced from PMMA, PC or lled plastics and equipped with other optical functional elements, such as microlenses, micro beam splitters, and glass bers. However, these plastic benches can only be applied in a limited temperature range due to their thermal expansion coefcient. Therefore, it was considered advantageous to use ceramic materials with their low thermal expansion coefcient in microoptics as well. This led to experiments on powder injection molding for the production of microoptical benches for outdoor applications (Fig. 7). Sintering-induced shrinkage was determined for various feedstocks and compensated by overdimensioning when designing new mold inserts. The manufacturing process presently is subject to a tolerance of 0.5% as far as the nal dimensions are concerned. To determine the limits of reproduction accuracy by micro powder injection molding, it was tried to replicate a mold insert of a spectrometer module [NOE01]. A microspectrometer of this type usually consists of a beroptical polymer part of several millimeters in length, which is provided with a grid at one edge over the entire structure height. This grid with a tooth structure of e.g. 3 lm tooth length and 1 lm tooth step has the task of

Fig. 8. Tooth structure made of zirconium oxide with a tooth step of about 2.5 0.9 lm, produced by powder injection molding using a LIGA mold insert (test with spectrometer mold insert) [PIO99]

diffracting the light into its spectral colors. Use of the spectrometer mold insert for micro powder injection molding does not yield any product, but a good quantitative statement with regard to the molding of minimum structure details in the range of a micrometer. As obvious from Fig. 8, use of a feedstock with zirconium oxide powder (0.35 lm mean particle size) still allows to mold structure details in the micrometer range in principle. At the same time, it is evident that surface quality does not only depend on the mold insert, but on the particle size of the initial powders. This especially applies to powder injection molding and becomes clear when comparing the different values given in Table 1 for the mean particle size d50 of metal and ceramic powders with the maximum roughness Rmax of sintered microstructured components. Within the framework of the HGF strategy fund project on ``Materials and Process Development for High-performance Microcomponents'' (MALVE), micro powder injection molding is developed for metal and ceramic microcomponents subject to wear [RUP00b], such as micro molds (Fig. 9). The micro mold for gearwheels was produced by micro powder injection molding in aluminum oxide, zirconium oxide-reinforced aluminum oxide,

Table 2. State of the injection molding processes for microstructured components from plastics, metals, and ceramics. The values given are those reached by the products or laboratory patterns produced using the respective processes at the FZK State at FZK Materials used so far Machine technology Cycle time Max. aspect ratio Min. structure width/detail [lm] Max. structure height [lm] Rmax/Ra (depending on the mold) Surface area that can be structured with available equipment Special features Injection molding (TIM) Powder injection molding

Fe, 316L, 17-4PH, (WC-Co) PMMA, PC, PSU ZrO2, Al2O3, Zr-Al2O3, AlN, Si3N4 PE, POM, PA, PEEK, LCP PA12-C, POM-C Suited for series production Suitability for series production is envisaged 70 s8 min 26 min + 2 d 20 (230 in case of insert injection molding) >10 20/0.2 50/10 metals; 20/2 ceramics 1300 (AR = 10) 1300 (AR = 5) 100 nm/30 nm 8 lm/100 nm metals, 2 lm/40 nm ceramics 2 2 times 20 60 mm or parts 2 times 20 60 mm2 or parts Simulation of the lling of the mold and thermostating of the tool Simulation of the lling of the mold and thermostating of the tool

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tion with Karlsruhe University. Market-relevant developments are driven towards potential applications within the framework of BMBF projects. On a competitive scale, bilateral cooperation projects are carried out with industry companies.

Fig. 9. Separated and sintered PIM toothed wheel molds made of [AHR00] Ahrens R; Rummler Z; Schomburg WK; Stingl C; Wulff aluminum oxide ceramic K (2000) Einuss der Luftfeuchtigkeit und anderer Umgebungs r die Mikrouidik. parameter auf AMANDA-Komponenten fu Forschungszen-trum Karlsruhe, FZKA 6423 and in hardenable, corrosion-resistant 17-4 PH steel by [BAC00] Bacher W; Bade K; Guber A; Guttmann M; Peging W; the Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe in cooperation with the Schaller T; Schlossmacher P (2000) Fertigung von mikrostrukcompany of Sarnatech ROLLA. The faces of the sintered turierten Komponenten und Formeinsa tzen aus Metall. Forsparts have to be nished mechanically in order to reach chungszentrum Karlsruhe, FZKA 6423 the specied evenness of less than 5 lm over 3 mm nchmeyer D (1982) [BEC82] Becker EW; Bier W; Ehrfeld W; Mu DE 32 06 820, Kernforschungszentrum Karlsruhe GmbH component length. Further materials and process devel[BHA95] Bhardwaj JK; Ashraf H (1995) Advanced silicon etching opment work is aimed at improving the results. using high density plasmas. SPIE Proc Series 2639, pp. 224233 [BUC99] Bucher R (1999) Innovative Mikroprodukte M3-P, 5 Dreidimensionale Formteile. FAKUMA Fachsymposium, FriedComparison and outlook richshafen In the present section, the processes of micro injection [DIT00] Dittrich G; Wallrabe U; Mohr J; Ruther P; Hanemann T; molding and micro powder injection molding as applied at Jacobi O; Mu ller K; Piotter V; Ruprecht R; Schaller T; Ziler W r 16 Multimode-Fasern. FZKA(2000) RibCon-Steckverbinder fu the Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe shall be compared (Table 2). The values indicated for the individual criteria Bericht 6423, Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe are obtained from the microstructured products and lab- [GIE00] Gietzelt T; Piotter V; Ruprecht R; Hauelt J (2000) ndiHerstellung einer Zahnringpumpe und eines verschleibesta oratory patterns that have been produced from plastics, gen keramischen Formeinsatzes durch Mikrospritzgieen; FZKAceramics, and metals up to now. Bericht 6528, Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe Micro injection molding of microstructured plastic [KUK00] Kukla CG (2000) Herstellung von Mikroteilen mittels components have been applied in the Forschungszentrum Mikrospritzguss. SKZ-Fachtagung ,,Mikrospritzgieen heute rzburg und morgen``, Wu Karlsruhe not only for feasibility studies on behalf of [MIC01] Michaeli W (2001) Mit Mikrospritzgieen in die inindustry, but also for the production of small series of several hundred up to thousand parts for a rst check by dustrielle Groserie. Zeitschrift ,,INNO``, Leitartikel, Kennziffer 1 ttert J; Mu ller A (1996) Microoptical devices [MOH96] Mohr J; Go customers during the product or technology transfer to based on free space optics. SPIE Symposium Ser. 2783, p. 6 one of our industry partners. ker F (1999) Mikroteile in der Medizintechnik. [NOE99] No Although rst feasibility studies have already been FAKUMA Fachsymposium, Friedrichshafen ker F; Marktchancen und Risiken fu performed for micro powder injection molding of micro- [NOE01] No r das structured components from ceramics and metals, there Mikrospritzgieen. Dieses Seminar [PAA00] Paasche S (2000) Mikrosystemtechnik: Von der Vorstill is development need, in particular as far as better feedstocks, the reduction of tolerances in shrinkage due to laufforschung zur industriellen Anwendung. Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe, FZKA 6423 sintering, and an improved economic efciency are con- [PFL98] Peging W; Piotter V; Hanemann T (1998) Laser patcerned. Fundamental development work is performed terning of hard metal alloys for application in micro injection among others within the framework of the special research molding. Proceeding European Conference on Laser Treatment area 499 ``Mikro-Urformen'' (micromolding) in coopera- on Materials, Hannover

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