Manufacturing of 316L Stainless Steel Die Mold by Hot Embossing Process for Microfluidic Applications

Hot embossing process has emerged as a viable method for producing small, complex, precision parts in low volumes. It provides several advantages such as low-cost for molds, high replication accuracy for microfeatures and simple operation. The adaptation of this process for producing high fidelity hot embossed feedstock based metallic powders without the need for machining of the die mold is outlined. This was achieved through a combination of powder metallurgy and plastic hot embossing technologies to produce net-shape metal or hard materials components. In this paper, the manufacturing of molds that are suitable for the production of microfluidic systems using the replication technique is discussed. Variations of parameters in the replication process were investigated. An experimental rheological study was performed to evaluate the influence of the mixing parameters on the rheological behavior and thermal stability of 316L stainless steel feedstock. The effects of the solid loading on the feedstock rheological properties and tolerance control as well as mechanical properties and microstructures were investigated.