Hot embossing replica are characterized by the quality of the molded structures and the uniformity of the residual layer. In particular, the even distribution of the residual layer thickness (RLT) is an important issue in hot embossing and the related process of thermal nanoimprint lithography, as variations in the RLT may affect the functionality or further processing of replicated parts. In this context, the paper presents an experimental and simulation study on the influence of three process factors, namely the molding temperature, the embossing force, and the holding time, on the residual layer homogeneity achieved when processing 2 mm thick PMMA sheets with hot embossing. The uniformity of the RLT was assessed for different experimental conditions by calculating the standard deviation of thickness measurements at different set locations over the surface of each embossed sample. It was observed that the selected values of the studied parameters have an effect on the resulting RLT of the PMMA replica. In particular, the difference between the largest and lowest RLT standard deviation between samples was 18 μm, which was higher than the accuracy of the instrument used to carry out the thickness measurements. In addition, the comparison between the obtained experimental and simulation results suggests that approximately 12% of the RLT uniformity was affected by the local deflections of the mold. Besides, polymer expansion after release of the embossing load was estimated to contribute to 8% of the RLT nonuniformity. It is essential to understand the effects of the process parameters on the resulting homogeneity of the residual layer in hot embossing. In this research, the best RLT uniformity could be reached by using the highest considered settings for the temperature and holding time and the lowest studied value of embossing force. Finally, the analysis of the obtained results also shows that, across the range of processing values studied, the considered three parameters have a relatively equal influence on the RLT distribution. However, when examining narrower ranges of processing values, it is apparent that the most influential process parameter depends on the levels considered. In particular, the holding time had the most effect on the RLT uniformity when embossing with the lower values of process parameters while, with higher processing settings, the molding temperature became the most influential factor.
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Manufacturing Engineering,
Cardiff School of Engineering,
Cardiff University,
Karlsruhe Institute of Technology,
Manufacturing Engineering,
Cardiff School of Engineering,
Cardiff University,
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June 2013
Research-Article
Simulation and Experimental Study of the Effects of Process Factors on the Uniformity of the Residual Layer Thickness in Hot Embossing
F. Omar,
Manufacturing Engineering,
Cardiff School of Engineering,
Cardiff University,
F. Omar
Institute of Mechanical and
Manufacturing Engineering,
Cardiff School of Engineering,
Cardiff University,
Cardiff CF24 3AA
, UK
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A. Kolew,
Karlsruhe Institute of Technology,
A. Kolew
Institute of Microstructure Technology
,Karlsruhe Institute of Technology,
Karlsruhe 76131
, Germany
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E. B. Brousseau,
E. B. Brousseau
1
e-mail: BrousseauE@cf.ac.uk
1Corresponding author.
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H. Hirshy
Manufacturing Engineering,
Cardiff School of Engineering,
Cardiff University,
H. Hirshy
Institute of Mechanical and
Manufacturing Engineering,
Cardiff School of Engineering,
Cardiff University,
Cardiff CF24 3AA
, UK
Search for other works by this author on:
F. Omar
Institute of Mechanical and
Manufacturing Engineering,
Cardiff School of Engineering,
Cardiff University,
Cardiff CF24 3AA
, UK
A. Kolew
Institute of Microstructure Technology
,Karlsruhe Institute of Technology,
Karlsruhe 76131
, Germany
E. B. Brousseau
e-mail: BrousseauE@cf.ac.uk
H. Hirshy
Institute of Mechanical and
Manufacturing Engineering,
Cardiff School of Engineering,
Cardiff University,
Cardiff CF24 3AA
, UK
Contributed by the Manufacturing Engineering Division of ASME for publication in the JOURNAL OF MICRO- AND NANO-MANUFACTURING. Manuscript received July 31, 2012; final manuscript received March 21, 2013; published online April 22, 2013. Assoc. Editor: Liwei Lin.
1Corresponding author.
J. Micro Nano-Manuf. Jun 2013, 1(2): 021002 (10 pages)
Published Online: April 22, 2013
Article history
Received:
July 31, 2012
Revision Received:
March 21, 2013
Citation
Omar, F., Kolew, A., Brousseau, E. B., and Hirshy, H. (April 22, 2013). "Simulation and Experimental Study of the Effects of Process Factors on the Uniformity of the Residual Layer Thickness in Hot Embossing." ASME. J. Micro Nano-Manuf. June 2013; 1(2): 021002. https://doi.org/10.1115/1.4024097
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