Process characterization of a PMMA hot embossing system

Microfluidics devices are important both for research use and medical application. To create these microfluidics devices, the hot embossing process is commonly used. In order to characterize this process to enable cycle to cycle control, a small-scale system was developed, using a hot embossing machine, taping machine, and functional tester previously created. Parts were moved between these machines with an Epson GlO SCARA robot, which provided the appropriate efficiency and accuracy. This system was able to produce embossed parts with a takt time of less than 135 seconds, and over 1000 of such parts were produced. The system was analyzed to determine potential sources of variance, considering both things that would alter the part and things that would alter the measurements. This enabled the system to be run in a state of statistical control, which in turn allowed for a designed experiment to be done on the system. This designed experiment determined that the forming temperature, forming force, forming time, as well as the square terms for the forming temperature and forming force and the cross-terms of forming force with forming temperature and forming time with forming temperature, were all statistically significant in the formation of parts. With this data, cycle-to-cycle control can be enabled in the future.

Department dc:contributor.department

Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Mechanical Engineering.

Grantor dc:publisher

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Year dc:date.issued

2014

Author dc:creator

• Luginbuhl, Katharine

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• David E. 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/1721.1/92196

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:dspace.mit.edu:1721.1/92196