• Korean Journal of Metals and Materials
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• v.49 no.1
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• pp.32-39
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• 2011

The present investigation was performed on the die compaction and sintering behavior of Fe micro-nano mixed powder with a mixed binder for powder injection molding. Warm die compaction of the feedstock for simulation of the static injection molding process was conducted using a cylindrical mold of 10 mm diameter at $100^{\circ}C$ under 4MPa. The die compaction of the micro-nanopowder feedstock underwent a uniform molding behavior showing a homogeneous distribution of nanopowders among the micropowders without porosity and distortion. After debinding, the powder compact maintained a uniform structure without crack and distortion, leading to a high green density of 64.2% corresponding to the initial powder loading of 65%. The sintering experiment showed that the micro-nanopowder compact underwent a near full and isotropic densification process during sintering. It was observed that the nanopowders effectively suppressed the growth of micropowder grains during densification process. Conclusively, the use of nanopowder for PIM feedstock might provide a new concept for processing a full density PIM parts with fine microstructure.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Precision Engineering Conference
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• 2000.05a
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• pp.1043-1046
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• 2000

By combination of X-ray lithography, electroplating and molding process, various microstructures have been produced. Specially, the alignment grooves for multi-fibers with submicron accuracy have been produced. This paper described a fabrication process of LICA molds and micro molding technique by using LIGA molds. The accuracy of the fabricated LIGA molds was less than 0.4${\mu}{\textrm}{m}$. The injection molded alignment grooves were very precise and had me surface roughness so that they could be successfully applicable to optical systems.

• Design & Manufacturing
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.58-65
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• 2022

Micro-fluidic chip has been fabricated by lithography process on silicon or glass wafer, casting using PDMS, injection molding of thermoplastics or 3D printing, etc. Among these processes, 3D printing can fabricate micro-fluidic chip directly from the design without master or template for fluidic channel fabricated previously. Due to this direct printing, 3D printing provides very fast and economical method for prototyping micro-fluidic chip comparing to conventional fabrication process such as lithography, PDMS casting or injection molding. Although 3D printing is now used more extensively due to this fast and cheap process done automatically by single printing machine, there are some issues on accuracy or surface characteristics, etc. The accuracy of the shape and size of the micro-channel is limited by the resolution of the printing and printing direction or layering direction in case of SLM type of 3D printing using UV curable resin. In this study, the printing direction and thickness of each printing layer are investigated to see the effect on the size, shape and surface of the micro-channel. A set of micro-channels with different size was designed and arrayed orthogonal. Micro-fluidic chips are 3D printed in different directions to the micro-channel, orthogonal, parallel, or skewed. The shape of the cross-section of the micro-channel and the surface of the micro-channel are photographed using optical microscopy. From a series of experiments, an optimal printing direction and process conditions are investigated for 3D printing of micro-fluidic chip.

• Laser Solutions
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.35-41
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• 2003

In this study, manufacturing of polymer master and mold insert for micro injection molding was investigated. Ablation by excimer laser radiation could be used successfully to make 3-D microstructure of PET. The mechanism for ablative decomposition of PET with KrF excimer laser(λ: 248nm, pulse duration: 5ns) was explained by photochemical process. And this process showed PET to be adopted in polymer master for nickel mold insert. Nickel electroforming by using laser ablated PET master was preferable for replication method. Finally, it was shown that excimer laser ablation can substitute for X-ray lithography of LIGA process in microstructuring.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Manufacturing Process Engineers
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• v.4 no.4
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• pp.7-13
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• 2005

In the case of fabricating micro pole structures such as column, square-pole and gear shaft by the micro end-milling process, it can be useful in the fields of industry, for example, micro parts, electrode for electrical discharge machining and micro mold for injection molding. In this study, machining factors and the process were analyzed. Machining experiments of various micro pole configurations were performed. Analysis of the change and effect of the cutting force according to the machining conditions was carried out. An analytical study of the deformation of the micro pole caused cutting conditions and cutting force through the finite element method and ANSYS program was carried out. As a result, this research presented a method of fabricating the column pole of below $100{\mu}m$ diameter with high aspect ratio by using micro end-milling process, and based on that, a method of fabricating a variety of applicable structures. Also the minimum size of the pole capable of fabricating through theory and experiment were demonstrated.

• Journal of the Korean institute of surface engineering
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• v.52 no.1
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• pp.16-22
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• 2019

The structural change of DLC coatings during long-term wear test and dicing test under the low loading condition was investigated. DLC coatings were applied for the precision injection molds of a modified SNCM steel for the extension of life and the micro-diamond blades for the high cutting efficiency and the increase in life. A ball-on-disc wear tests in the mold steel and a dicing tests in the micro-diamond blades were conducted to understand degradation of DLC coatings. The degradation of DLC coatings for the injection mold steel and the micro-diamond blades during the wear and dicing tests were studied with Raman Spectroscopy. Raman peaks were divided two bands(D band and G band) to study the degradation process of DLC structure. By the wear test, polished condition of wear marks were observed to be maintained until 10 hrs of wear test period is given, but small striation marks appeared in 20 hours wear test. It was observed that $I_D/I_G$ ratios changed as the degradation of DLC coatings is proceeded during the wear tests and the dicing tests. It is suggested that the change in $I_D/I_G$ value possibly reflected from the composition of $sp^2$ and $sp^3$ bondings in DLC layers relevant to the change in mechanical and physical property.

• Design & Manufacturing
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.22-26
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• 2023

As Light-Emitting Diodes(LEDs) continue to advance in performance, their application in automotive lamps is increasing. Automotive LEDs utilize light guides not only for aesthetics but also to control light quantity and direction. Light guides employ patterns of a few hundred micrometers(㎛) to regulate the light, and the surface roughness(Ra) of these patterns can reach tens of nanometers(nm). Given that these light guides are produced through injection molding, mold processing technology with high surface quality micro-patterns is required. This study serves as a preliminary investigation into the development of high surface quality micro-pattern processing technology. It examines the surface roughness of the workpiece based on the cutting direction of the pattern and the cutting fluid type when cutting micro-patterns on STAVAX steel using cubic Boron Nitride(cBN) tools. The experiments involved machining a step-shaped micro-pattern with a height of 60 ㎛ and a pitch of 400 ㎛ in a 22×22 mm area under identical cutting conditions, with only the cutting direction and cutting fluid type being varied. The machining results of four cases were compared, encompassing two cases of cutting direction(parallel to the pattern, orthogonal to the pattern) and two cases of cutting fluid type (flood, mist). Consequently, the Ra value was found to be the highest(Ra 128.33 nm) when machining with the flood type in parallel to the pattern, while it was the lowest(Ra 95.22 nm) when machining with the mist type orthogonal to the pattern. These findings confirm that there is a difference of up to 25.8 % in the Ra value depending on the cutting direction and cutting fluid type.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
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• v.34 no.5
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• pp.575-582
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• 2010

In recent years, several rapid-mold-heating techniques that can be used for the injection molding of thin-walled parts or micro/nano structures have been developed. High-frequency induction heating, which involves heating by electromagnetic induction, is an efficient method for the rapid heating of mold surfaces. The present study proposes an integrated numerical model of the high-frequency induction heating process and the resulting injection molding process. To take into account the effects of thermal boundary conditions in induction heating, we carry out a fully integrated numerical analysis that combines electromagnetic field calculation, heat transfer analysis, and injection molding simulation. The proposed integrated simulation is extended to the injection molding of a thin-wall part, and the simulation results are compared with the experimental findings. The validity of the proposed simulation is discussed according to the ways of the boundary condition imposition.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
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• v.29 no.10 s.241
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• pp.1298-1306
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• 2005

In this paper, Part II, we realized the Serpentine Laminating Micromirer (SLM) which was proposed in the accompanying paper, Part I, by means of the injection molding process in mass production. In the SLM, the higher level of chaotic mixing can be achieved by combining two general chaotic mixing mechanisms of splitting/recombination and chaotic advection by the successive arrangement of 'F'-shape mixing units in two layers. Mold inserts for the injection molding process of the SLM were fabricated by SU-8 photolithography and nickel electroplating. The SLM was realized by injection molding of COC (cyclic olefin copolymer) with the fabricated mold inserts and thermal bonding of two injection molded COC substrates. To compare the mixing performance, a T-type micromixer was also fabricated. Mixing performances of micromixers were experimentally characterized in terms of an average mixing color intensity of a pH indicator, phenolphthalein. Experimental results show that the SLM has much better mixing performance than the I-type micromixer and chaotic mixing was successfully achieved from the SLM over the wide range of Reynolds number (Re). The chaotic micromixer, SLM proposed in this study, could be easily integrated in Micro-Total-Analysis- System , Lab-on-a-Chip and so on.

• Design & Manufacturing
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.71-77
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• 2020

Various manufacturing technologies, including over-molding and insert-injection molding, are used to produce hybrid plastics and metals. However, there are disadvantages to these technologies, as they require several steps in manufacturing and are limited to what can be reasonably achieved within the complexities of part geometry. This study aims to determine a practical approach for producing metal/plastic hybrid components by combining plastic injection molding and metal die casting to create a new hybrid metal/plastic molding process. The integrated metal/plastic hybrid injection molding process developed in this study uses the proven method of multi-component technology as a basis to combine plastic injection molding with metal die casting into one integrated process. In this study, the electrical conductivity and ampacity were verified to qualify the new process for the production of parts used in electronic devices. The electrical conductivity was measured, contacting both sides of the test sample with constant pressure, and the resistivity was measured using a micro ohmmeter. Also, the specific conductivity was subsequently calculated from the resistivity and contact surface of the conductor path. The ampacity defines the maximum amount of current a conductive path can carry before sustaining immediate or progressive deterioration. The manufactured hybrid multi-components were loaded with increasing currents, while the temperature was recorded with an infrared camera. To compare the measured infrared images, an electro-thermal simulation was conducted using commercial CAE software to predict the maximum temperature of the power loaded parts. Overall, during the injection molding process, it was demonstrated that multifunctional parts can be produced for electric and electronic applications.