A New Process Combining Micro Electro Discharge Machining Milling and Sinking for Fast Fabrication of Microchannels With Draft Angle

Abstract

A comparison of the machining performance of microelectrodischarge machining (EDM) milling and sinking is proposed considering the fabrication of microchannels with controlled sloped walls realized in a hardened steel workpiece. Adopting the finefinishing machining regime for both microEDM techniques, the experimental results show that microEDM sinking is about ten times faster than milling in the worst case, though a lack of accuracy in the final microfeatures in the former case is detected due to not compensated tool wear. On the contrary, microEDM milling provides a better control of the microchannel dimensions. Finally, a microfilter mold for medical applications is machined in order to show the potential of the combination of both technologies.