A Study on the Micro Pattern Fabrication of Lab-on-a-chip Mold Master using Micro EDM

Recently, analyzing system is studying for applying to biomedical engineering field, actively. Micro fluidics control system has been manufactured using LIGA (Lithographie Galvanoformung und Abformung), Etching, Lithography and Laser etc. However, it is difficult that above-mentioned methods are applied to fabrication of precision mold master efficiently because of long processing time and rising cost of equipments. Therefore, in this study, micro EDM and micro WEDG system were developed to analyze machining characteristics with tool wear, surface roughness and process time. Then, optimal machining conditions could be obtained from the results of analysis. As the results, mold master of staggered herringbone mixer which has a high mixing efficiency, one of passive mixer of Lab-on-a-chip, could be fabricated from micro pattern(< 50um) using micro EDM successfully.