Development of a precision hot embossing machine with in-process sensing

Microuidic technologies show great promise in simplifying and speeding biological, medical, and fluidic tasks, but transitioning these technologies from a laboratory environment to a production environment has proven difficult. This work focuses on hot embossing as a process suitable to produce these devices. In this work, a precision micro-embossing machine capable of maintaining precise setpoints in force and temperature input as well as displaying highly linear, repeatable motion and force application is developed and characterized. Additionally, this equipment is then outfitted with additional sensors that allow for three measurements relevant to process physics and product quality to be captured: initial substrate geometry; substrate bulk deformation; and glass transition temperature of the material. These measurements can be captured in-process without modifying the production cycle. The end goal is to incorporate this precision micro-embossing machine into a micro-factory cell and to implement closed-loop cycle-to-cycle process control.

Department dc:contributor.department

Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Mechanical Engineering.

Grantor dc:publisher

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Year dc:date.issued

2013

Author dc:creator

• Bageant, Maia R. (Maia Reynolds)

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• David Hardt.

• Mechanical Engineering.

Statement dc:rights

• M.I.T. theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from this source for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written permission. See provided URL for inquiries about permission.

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/7582

Language dc:language.iso

eng

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/81732

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:dspace.mit.edu:1721.1/81732