Ultrasonically driven molten resin bulge for the formation of metal micro-structures in laminated die cavity

Abstract

This paper proposes the use of ultrasonic bulge-forming process to fabricate T2 copper foil micro-structures. This approach involves the ultrasonic plasticization of powder in a laminated die cavity and the subsequent formation of a molten resin bulge. The laminated die is fabricated by micro-double-staged laminated object manufacturing and is then used as a concave micro-cavity. This technique uses ultrasonic melt polymer powder as a soft punch. Then, T2 copper foils are extruded into the concave die cavity. Consequently, the replication of the micro-bulging parts to the concave micro-cavity is achieved. This study also determined the appropriate parameters for ultrasonic bulge-forming process. Finally, the micro-two-stage gear, micro-three-stage gear and micro-cone bulge-forming parts were manufactured with good quality. The proposed technology can be applied to effectively reproduce the fine complex structure of concave micro-cavities. In contrast to traditional techniques, this method avoids issues arising from the incorrect location of the concave–convex die.