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A profile shaping and surface finishing process of micro electrochemical machining for microstructures on microfluidic chip molds

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Abstract

In the lithography-based fabrication process of microstructures on microfluidic chip molds, the shortcoming of limited substrate materials seriously shortens the service lifetime of the mold. This research focuses on a profile shaping and surface finishing process of micro electrochemical machining (ECM) for microstructures with targeted dimensional and geometrical characteristics on the mold steel S136H. The effects of parameters on the material removal region and single-layer depth are firstly investigated. The sidewall taper of the machined groove increases with the machining voltage and decreases with the scanning velocity. Besides, the bottom surface quality is improved with increasing path spans. Then, the mathematical models of the material removal region and single-layer depth are analyzed, which are regarded as guidance for path planning and parameter optimization. In ECM experiments, a relatively higher machining voltage (20 V) is utilized to rapidly machine basic profiles of the designed flow resistor in the profiles shaping procedure. Sloping sidewalls and rough surfaces are finished by using a lower machining voltage (14 V) and a higher scanning velocity (500 μm s−1) in the surface finishing procedure. As a result, the specially designed flow resistor with a dimensional deviation < 10 μm, and surface roughness Ra < 500 nm is obtained. The proposed ECM process is proved to machine microstructures with high precision and curve profiles on the mold steel.

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Data availability

The datasets used or analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author or the first author on reasonable request.

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Funding

This research is supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 51775302), Beijing Natural Science Foundation (3202012), and China Postdoctoral Science Foundation (2020M680532).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Beijing Key Laboratory of Precision/Ultra-precision Manufacturing Equipments and Control, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China

    Guodong Liu, Hao Tong, Yong Li, Hao Zhong & Qifeng Tan

  2. State Key Laboratory of Tribology, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China

    Guodong Liu, Hao Tong, Yong Li, Hao Zhong & Qifeng Tan

Authors
  1. Guodong Liu
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  2. Hao Tong
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  3. Yong Li
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  4. Hao Zhong
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  5. Qifeng Tan
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Contributions

GL: Conceptualization, data curation, validation, roles/writing - original draft. YL: Formal analysis, funding acquisition, methodology, project administration. HT: Supervision, resources. HZ: Investigation, visualization. QT: Writing - reviewing and editing.

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Correspondence to Yong Li.

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We declare that we have no financial and personal relationships with other people or organizations that can inappropriately influence our work. This manuscript has not been published or presented elsewhere in part or in entirety and is not under consideration by another journal. I have read and understood your journal’s policies, and I believe that neither the manuscript nor the study violates any of these.

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Liu, G., Tong, H., Li, Y. et al. A profile shaping and surface finishing process of micro electrochemical machining for microstructures on microfluidic chip molds. Int J Adv Manuf Technol 115, 1621–1636 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00170-021-07264-3

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