Micro component fabrication by micro molding on pdms mold utilizing stainless steel nanopowders

Micro-systems and related products will have increasing applications and potential huge markets in the new millennium. It must be supported with micro component manufacturing technology. Micro molding allows production of small and complex structures for micro system application. This work focused on the micro molding process to fabricate a micro component with a simplified process and low cost. These processes were applying SUS 630 and SUS 316 nanopowder to build the micro component, a wax-based binder system as binder materials, the polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) as micro mold materials. The nanopowders feedstock required specific mixing conditions and higher viscosity. Micro molding was done in the vacuum atmosphere. Micro components were molded and de-molded easily on the PDMS mold with molding temperatures in the range of the melting temperature and degradation of the feedstock. Debinding and sintering processes were carried out simultaneously at 550°C continuing to 1300°C for 2 hours. Micro bearings, micro gears and their micro structures were successfully produced with high dimensional accuracy with this process. Keyword: Stainless steel nanopowder, micro molding, PDMS mold.