Precision Grinding of Micro-structured Mould Cores and Its Application in Micro Injection Molding

For low efficient mass production and manufacture of the micro-structured polymer components, a precision trued V-tip diamond grinding wheel was used to grind V-groove array structures with controllable form accuracy on the surfaces of titanium silicon carbide(Ti3SiC2) ceramic mould cores with good self-lubricity and demoulding, then the micro injection molding technology was employed to replicate micro-ground V-groove array structures on mould core surfaces to efficiently injection mold the polymer workpieces with inverted V-shaped array structures. The surface machining quality and form accuracy of the micro-structured mould cores were analyzed. The influences of micro injection molding parameters, including melt temperature, injection speed, holding pressure and holding time on injection molding angle deviation and filling rate of micro-structured polymers were investigated. The experimental results show that the micro injection molded parts with regular and integrated micro-array structures may be high efficiently and precisely fabricated through micro grinding processes and micro injection molding technology. The injection speed has the greatest influence on the micro-molding angle deviation and the holding pressure has the greatest impact on micro-molding filling rate. The micro-ground form accuracy value of micro-structured mould cores is as 4.05 μm. The smallest angle deviation and the highest filling rate of micro-molding are as 1.47° and 99.30%, respectively. © 2020, China Mechanical Engineering Magazine Office. All right reserved.