The evaluation of vacuum venting and variotherm process for improving the replication by injection molding of high aspect ratio micro features for biomedical application

The aspect ratio achievable in replicating micro features is one of the most important process characteristics and it is a major manufacturing constraint in applying injection molding in a range of micro engineering applications. Vacuum venting has been reported to be an effective technique in replicating micro features by microinjection molding. High surface-to-volume ratio and reduced dimensions of micro parts promote the instantaneous drop of melt temperature and consequently lead to incomplete filling. This study aims to investigate the effects of variotherm process, cavity evacuation and their interaction on the production of a micro fluidic filter for biomedical applications. A low-viscosity polystyrene and a cyclic olefin copolymer were molded applying a combination of mold evacuation and a rapid mold temperature variation that keeps the cavity temperature above the glass transition temperature during the injection phase. The research revealed the importance of these molding technologies in enhancing part filling and the replication quality for high aspect ratio micro features.