An analysis of the three-dimensional micro-injection molding

Micro system technology (MST) is including Optic, Mechanism, Electricity, Material, Control and Chemistry, etc. It can miniaturize product and increase its function, quality, reliability and add-value. The size of micro product is closing to nanometer. Micro-injection molding is a branch of micro system technology. Actually, the research of micro-injection molding is just beginning on the world. In this study, numerical simulations of three-dimensional micro-injection molding are performed. The governing differential equations are discredited by using control volume finite element method. The analysis with different polymers (such as PP, PA . POM) . process parameters (injection time, mold temperature, injection temperature and injection pressure) uses to simulate the micro-gear for example. In order to obtain optimum result, the simulation introduces Taguchi method to discuss the influence of each parameter in micro-injection molding. In this study, the results show that the mold temperature is the most important factor on process parameters. The mold temperature on micro-injection molding is higher than the glass transition temperature of plastic material. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd.