The continuing growth of miniaturization has led to the expansion of manufacturing micro scale parts. Micro molding has been one of the key technologies used to create micro sized components. Since its inception in the late 80s, micro molding has become a popular choice; thanks to its benefits such as mass production, accurate product replication, and low manufacturing costs.
Micro Molding Polymeric Components
Different types of polymers are commonly used in the micro molding process. There are several reasons for the same. These are given below.
- Meeting Process Requirements: The micro injection molding process is quite different compared to traditional plastic injection molding. Micro molding processes often result in high shear rates. Thus, materials that can be injected at the least possible pressure are required. Use of polymeric materials allows for cavity filling at low injection pressures. They also exhibit high shear thinning rheology.
- Variety in Material Types: There are a number of polymer materials that can be used to meet the needs of specific applications. Some of the common materials are:
- Polycarbonate
- Polysulfone
- Polyamide (NYLON)
- Polyethylene
- Polyoxymethylene
- Polylactic acid
- Polyetheretherketone (PEEK)
- Polymethylmethacrilate
- POLYETHERIMIDE(ULTEM)
- LIQUID CRYSTAL POLYMERS
- ABS
- VECTRA
All of the above mentioned materials are chosen for their positive features such as flowability, molding efficiency, cooling shrinkage, and heat transfer ability.
Advantageous Features: Polymeric materials consist of a number of beneficial features that aid in the production of micro molded products.
- The surface property can be easily modified
- The materials are biocompatible, making them perfect for medical applications
- They are optically transparent
- They have high mechanical strength
- They are known for their chemical stability
Cost-Effective: Polymeric materials are inexpensive as compared to more rigid materials such as crystalline silicon, quartz, or even metals. Also, the complex designs of micro molded products do not affect cost in any way.
Replication Fidelity: The term replication fidelity refers to a material’s ability to recreate minute features in a product. Polymers are well-known for their replication fidelity. Their viscoelasticity allows for an increase in shear rate and maintenance in temperature during the filling stage. This ensures that there is enough viscosity for the polymer to fill into minute features in the mold. Also, as polymeric materials are low in costs, they are ideal for mass production of a variety of devices.
These various reasons prove that polymeric materials show superior properties that can be extremely beneficial for the micro molding process.
