Investigation of machining accuracy of micro-dimples fabricated by modified microscale pattern transfer without photolithography of substrates

Micro-dimples are among the basic microfeatures that have been applied to different products in various fields. The product performance and service life of textured surfaces are directly affected by size, location, and density. A modified microscale pattern transfer process without photolithography of substrates, through the use of movable dry-film mask electrochemical micromachining, has been proposed for the production of micro-dimples. This paper investigates the influence of electrochemical micromachining parameters, namely, applied voltage and machining time on the machining accuracy of micro-dimples produced using this technique. Experimental results indicate that the machining accuracy deteriorates with prolonged machining time and increasing applied voltage. It is found that to obtain high machining accuracy when machining micro-dimples of similar depth, a combination of higher current density with reduced machining time is recommended.