Micro and Nano Manufacturing (WCMNM 2021)

A special issue of Micromachines (ISSN 2072-666X).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (28 February 2022) | Viewed by 22910

Special Issue Editors


E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Mechanical Engineering, IIT Bombay, Mumbai 400076, India
Interests: high-speed micromachining; flexible reconfigurable fiber laser based materials processing; systems integration and product development; finite element modeling
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, University of Ljubljana, Aškerčeva 6, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
Interests: EDM; additive manufacturing; process chains; microfluidics

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Institute for Automation and Applied Informatics, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, 76344 Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen, Germany
Interests: machining; modelling and optimization of manufacturing processes; 3D functional printing; hybrid additive and subtractive processes
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Mechanical and Intellectual Systems Engineering, University of Toyama, Gofuku 3190, Toyama-shi, Toyama 930-8555, Japan
Interests: micro-manufacturing of sensing devices including micro- and nano-scale processing, fabrication technology, and materials development; manufacturing for medical parts and new sensor devices
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue will publish both selected papers from the 2021 World Congress on Micro and Nano Manufacturing (WCMNM 2021, 21-23 September 2021, Mumbai, India, https://www.me.iitb.ac.in/~wcmnm/) and external contributions. The topics to be covered include, but are not limited to:

  • microfabrication technologies, process chains and process characterization;
  • miniaturization of machines and equipment—positioning, motion generation, sensors systems, and control;
  • novel product design, micro-assembly technologies and micro-handling;
  • surface engineering and interface nanotechnology;
  • process modeling and simulation;
  • processing and characterization of smart materials, energy materials, metamaterials and nanomaterials;
  • micro and nano additive, subtractive, joining, and hybrid manufacturing technologies;
  • micro and desktop factory concepts, systems, components and modules;
  • online monitoring and inspection systems, and smart manufacturing;
  • standardization in micro manufacturing and micro factories;
  • applications of micro and nano technologies;
  • emerging micro manufacturing methods and equipment, including those that bridge the nano- and macro- worlds;
  • biomanufacturing and biomedical devices.

We encourage both original research papers and comprehensive review articles to be submitted to this Special Issue. 

Prof. Dr. Ramesh Singh
Dr. Josko Valentinčič
Dr. Ahmed Elkaseer
Prof. Tohru Sasaki
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Micromachines is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Published Papers (12 papers)

Order results
Result details
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Editorial

Jump to: Research

4 pages, 179 KiB  
Editorial
Current Trends in Micro and Nano Manufacturing
by Joško Valentinčič
Micromachines 2022, 13(12), 2058; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/mi13122058 - 24 Nov 2022
Viewed by 1259
Abstract
Micro and nano manufacturing technologies can be used to machine materials ranging from polymers and metals to ceramics and other modern high-performance materials [...] Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Micro and Nano Manufacturing (WCMNM 2021))

Research

Jump to: Editorial

15 pages, 8006 KiB  
Article
Study of the Influence of Cutting Edge on Micro Cutting of Hardened Steel Using FE and SPH Modeling
by Lobna Chaabani, Romain Piquard, Radouane Abnay, Michaël Fontaine, Alexandre Gilbin, Philippe Picart, Sébastien Thibaud, Alain D’Acunto and Daniel Dudzinski
Micromachines 2022, 13(7), 1079; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/mi13071079 - 07 Jul 2022
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1428
Abstract
Micromachining allows the production of micro-components with complex geometries in various materials. However, it presents several scientific issues due to scale reduction compared to conventional machining. These issues are called size effects. At this level, micromachining experiments raise technical difficulties and significant costs. [...] Read more.
Micromachining allows the production of micro-components with complex geometries in various materials. However, it presents several scientific issues due to scale reduction compared to conventional machining. These issues are called size effects. At this level, micromachining experiments raise technical difficulties and significant costs. In this context, numerical modeling is widely used in order to study these different size effects. This article presents four different numerical models of micro-cutting of hardened steel, a Smooth Particle Hydrodynamics (SPH) model and three finite element (FE) models using three different formulations: Lagrangian, Arbitrary Eulerian–Lagrangian (ALE) and Coupled Eulerian–Lagrangian (CEL). The objective is to study the effect of tool edge radius on the micro-cutting process through the evolution of cutting forces, chip morphology and stress distribution in different areas and to compare the relevance of the different models. First, results obtained from two models using FE (Lagrangian) and SPH method were compared with experimental data obtained in previous work. It shows that the different numerical methods are relevant for studying geometrical size effects because cutting force and stress distribution correlate with experimental data. However, they present limits due to the calculation approaches. For a second time, this paper presents a comparison between the four different numerical models cited previously in order to choose which method of modeling can present the micro-cutting process. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Micro and Nano Manufacturing (WCMNM 2021))
Show Figures

Figure 1

15 pages, 12422 KiB  
Article
Quantitative Characterization of the Affected Zones in a Single Crystal Fe-6Si Steel Sheet by Fine Piercing
by Tatsuhiko Aizawa, Tomomi Shiratori, Tomoaki Yoshino, Yohei Suzuki and Kuniaki Dohda
Micromachines 2022, 13(4), 562; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/mi13040562 - 31 Mar 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1391
Abstract
An iron loss in the motor core was often enhanced by formation of plastically affected zones in piercing the electrical steel sheets. A platform methodology to carry out quantitative evaluation of these affected zones in the pierced electrical steel sheets was proposed to [...] Read more.
An iron loss in the motor core was often enhanced by formation of plastically affected zones in piercing the electrical steel sheets. A platform methodology to carry out quantitative evaluation of these affected zones in the pierced electrical steel sheets was proposed to search for the way to minimize the affected zone widths. A coarse-grained electrical steel sheet was employed as a work material for a fine piercing experiment under the narrowed clearance between the plasma-nitrided SKD11 punch and core-die. The shearing behavior by the applied loading for piercing was described by in situ measurement of the load-stroke relationship. The plastic straining in the single-crystal electrical steel sheet was characterized by SEM (scanning electron microscopy) and EBSD (electron back-scattering diffraction) to define the affected zone size and to analyze the rotation of crystallographic orientations by the induced plastic distortion during piercing. Integral and differentiation of spin rotation measured the affected zones. The effect of punch edge sharpness on these spin-rotation measures was also discussed using the nitrided and ion-milled SKD11 punch and core-die. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Micro and Nano Manufacturing (WCMNM 2021))
Show Figures

Figure 1

11 pages, 12248 KiB  
Article
Micro-EDM Drilling/Milling as a Potential Technique for Fabrication of Bespoke Artificial Defects on Bearing Raceways
by Long Ye, Krishna Kumar Saxena, Jun Qian and Dominiek Reynaerts
Micromachines 2022, 13(3), 483; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/mi13030483 - 20 Mar 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2043
Abstract
The fabrication of bespoke artificial defects on bearing raceways helps in mimicking incipient faults during real application or for directly validating the diagnostic technology depending on their shapes and sizes. This is particularly useful when run-to-failure experiments are time-consuming and even difficult in [...] Read more.
The fabrication of bespoke artificial defects on bearing raceways helps in mimicking incipient faults during real application or for directly validating the diagnostic technology depending on their shapes and sizes. This is particularly useful when run-to-failure experiments are time-consuming and even difficult in some cases. However, there has been limited systematic research on the design and fabrication of artificial defects on bearing raceways, particularly for the purpose of accelerated testing. In this work, micro-EDM is put forward as a potential technique for the fabrication of artificial defects using drilling/milling mode. A methodology is developed, not only to achieve the full control of the dimension and distribution of defects on a bearing element, but also to qualitatively and quantitatively perform the efficient characterization of the defect surface. A linear regression model with the inclusion of two-way interactions based on an analysis of variance (ANOVA) is presented to optimally select the process parameters. The verification experiments show that this mathematical model obtains a good fit for approximately 80% of the observed data. Through a combination of optical microscopy and confocal microscopy, the morphology and topography of the artificial defects was measured and compared. To conclude, micro-EDM evidences its great potential in terms of machining efficiency, e.g., with an MRR of 0.060 mm3/min, TWR of 0.032 mm3/min and dimensional controllability, e.g., the standard deviation of pitting diameter and depth being 0.5 µm and 0.8 µm, respectively, to achieve a desirable feature shape for bearing defects. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Micro and Nano Manufacturing (WCMNM 2021))
Show Figures

Figure 1

10 pages, 3942 KiB  
Article
Complementary Approaches for Enhancing Polystyrene Hydrophobicity: Additives Development and Replication of Micro/Nanotextures
by Rachel Le Brouster, Julien Giboz, Ali Nourdine, Lionel Tenchine, Florence Dubelley and Patrice Mele
Micromachines 2022, 13(3), 467; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/mi13030467 - 18 Mar 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2007
Abstract
This work aims at developing polymer surfaces with enhanced hydrophobicity by controlling both the surface chemistry and the surface structure. As a first step, a chemical surface modification is achieved by the incorporation of a synthetized tailored fluorinated copolymer, named POISE-a (Polymer prOcessing [...] Read more.
This work aims at developing polymer surfaces with enhanced hydrophobicity by controlling both the surface chemistry and the surface structure. As a first step, a chemical surface modification is achieved by the incorporation of a synthetized tailored fluorinated copolymer, named POISE-a (Polymer prOcessing Interface StabilizEr), in a commercial polystyrene matrix. Then, a complementary physical approach based on micro-structuration of a polymer surface is used. Polystyrene films containing various contents of POISE-a were elaborated by a solvent casting method. The structuration of the films was conducted by replicating a texture from a nickel insert using a hot-embossing technique with optimized processing conditions. The beneficial effect of POISE-a on both the wettability properties and the replication efficiency was evaluated by the water/polymer static contact angle and the quantification of the replication rate, respectively. The use of this tailored additive, even at low percentages (i.e., 1 wt.%), associated with the structuration of the PS surface, improves both the hydrophobicity of polystyrene and the robustness of the replication process. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Micro and Nano Manufacturing (WCMNM 2021))
Show Figures

Figure 1

15 pages, 2563 KiB  
Article
Artificial Intelligence Algorithms Enable Automated Characterization of the Positive and Negative Dielectrophoretic Ranges of Applied Frequency
by Matthew Michaels, Shih-Yuan Yu, Tuo Zhou, Fangzhou Du, Mohammad Abdullah Al Faruque and Lawrence Kulinsky
Micromachines 2022, 13(3), 399; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/mi13030399 - 28 Feb 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2092
Abstract
The present work describes the phenomenological approach to automatically determine the frequency range for positive and negative dielectrophoresis (DEP)—an electrokinetic force that can be used for massively parallel micro- and nano-assembly. An experimental setup consists of the microfabricated chip with gold microelectrode array [...] Read more.
The present work describes the phenomenological approach to automatically determine the frequency range for positive and negative dielectrophoresis (DEP)—an electrokinetic force that can be used for massively parallel micro- and nano-assembly. An experimental setup consists of the microfabricated chip with gold microelectrode array connected to a function generator capable of digitally controlling an AC signal of 1 V (peak-to-peak) and of various frequencies in the range between 10 kHz and 1 MHz. The suspension of latex microbeads (3-μm diameter) is either attracted or repelled from the microelectrodes under the influence of DEP force as a function of the applied frequency. The video of the bead movement is captured via a digital camera attached to the microscope. The OpenCV software package is used to digitally analyze the images and identify the beads. Positions of the identified beads are compared for successive frames via Artificial Intelligence (AI) algorithm that determines the cloud behavior of the microbeads and algorithmically determines if the beads experience attraction or repulsion from the electrodes. Based on the determined behavior of the beads, algorithm will either increase or decrease the applied frequency and implement the digital command of the function generator that is controlled by the computer. Thus, the operation of the study platform is fully automated. The AI-guided platform has determined that positive DEP (pDEP) is active below 500 kHz frequency, negative DEP (nDEP) is evidenced above 1 MHz frequency and the crossover frequency is between 500 kHz and 1 MHz. These results are in line with previously published experimentally determined frequency-dependent DEP behavior of the latex microbeads. The phenomenological approach assisted by live AI-guided feedback loop described in the present study will assist the active manipulation of the system towards the desired phenomenological outcome such as, for example, collection of the particles at the electrodes, even if, due to the complexity and plurality of the interactive forces, model-based predictions are not available. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Micro and Nano Manufacturing (WCMNM 2021))
Show Figures

Figure 1

13 pages, 9565 KiB  
Article
Micro-/Nano-Texturing onto Plasma-Nitrided Tool Surface by Laser Printing for CNC Imprinting and Piercing
by Tatsuhiko Aizawa, Tomoaki Yoshino, Yohei Suzuki and Tadahiko Inohara
Micromachines 2022, 13(2), 265; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/mi13020265 - 06 Feb 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1628
Abstract
A new data transformation method for micro-manufacturing using a topological model for a micro-/nano-texture was proposed for a surface-decorated product. Femtosecond laser printing was utilized to form the micro-/nano-textures into the hardened thick layer of dies by plasma nitriding. At first, the plasma-nitrided [...] Read more.
A new data transformation method for micro-manufacturing using a topological model for a micro-/nano-texture was proposed for a surface-decorated product. Femtosecond laser printing was utilized to form the micro-/nano-textures into the hardened thick layer of dies by plasma nitriding. At first, the plasma-nitrided AISI316L flat substrate was laser-printed as a punch to imprint the tailored nano-textures onto the AA1060 aluminum plate for its surface decoration with topological emblems. Second, the plasma-nitrided SKD11 cylindrical punch was laser-trimmed to form the nanostructures on its side surface. This nano-texture was imprinted onto the hole surface concurrently with piercing a circular hole into electrical steel sheet. The fully burnished surface had a shiny, metallic quality due to the nano-texturing. The plasma nitriding, the laser printing and the CNC (computer numerical control) imprinting provided a way of transforming the tailored textures on the metallic product. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Micro and Nano Manufacturing (WCMNM 2021))
Show Figures

Figure 1

13 pages, 7207 KiB  
Article
Utilization of Secondary Jet in Cavitation Peening and Cavitation Abrasive Jet Polishing
by Hao Pang and Gracious Ngaile
Micromachines 2022, 13(1), 86; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/mi13010086 - 05 Jan 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1638
Abstract
The cavitation peening (CP) and cavitation abrasive jet polishing (CAJP) processes employ a cavitating jet to harden the surface or remove surface irregularities. However, a zero incidence angle between the jet and the surface limits the efficiency of these two processes. This limitation [...] Read more.
The cavitation peening (CP) and cavitation abrasive jet polishing (CAJP) processes employ a cavitating jet to harden the surface or remove surface irregularities. However, a zero incidence angle between the jet and the surface limits the efficiency of these two processes. This limitation can be improved by introducing a secondary jet. The secondary jet interacts with the main jet, carrying bubbles to the proximity of the workpiece surface and aligning the disordered bubble collapse events. Through characterizing the treated surface of AL6061 in terms of the hardness distribution and surface roughness, it was found out that the secondary jet can increase the hardening intensity by 10%, whereas the material removal rate within a localized region increased by 66%. In addition, employing multiple secondary jets can create a patched pattern of hardness distribution. Another finding is that the hardening effect of the cavitation increases with the processing time at first and is then saturated. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Micro and Nano Manufacturing (WCMNM 2021))
Show Figures

Figure 1

11 pages, 7089 KiB  
Article
Assessing the Relationships between Interdigital Geometry Quality and Inkjet Printing Parameters
by Federico Bertolucci, Nicolò Berdozzi, Lara Rebaioli, Trunal Patil, Rocco Vertechy and Irene Fassi
Micromachines 2022, 13(1), 57; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/mi13010057 - 30 Dec 2021
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1642
Abstract
Drop on demand (DoD) inkjet printing is a high precision, non-contact, and maskless additive manufacturing technique employed in producing high-precision micrometer-scaled geometries allowing free design manufacturing for flexible devices and printed electronics. A lot of studies exist regarding the ink droplet delivery from [...] Read more.
Drop on demand (DoD) inkjet printing is a high precision, non-contact, and maskless additive manufacturing technique employed in producing high-precision micrometer-scaled geometries allowing free design manufacturing for flexible devices and printed electronics. A lot of studies exist regarding the ink droplet delivery from the nozzle to the substrate and the jet fluid dynamics, but the literature lacks systematic approaches dealing with the relationship between process parameters and geometrical outcome. This study investigates the influence of the main printing parameters (namely, the spacing between subsequent drops deposited on the substrate, the printing speed, and the nozzle temperature) on the accuracy of a representative geometry consisting of two interdigitated comb-shape electrodes. The study objective was achieved thanks to a proper experimental campaign developed according to Design of Experiments (DoE) methodology. The printing process performance was evaluated by suitable geometrical quantities extracted from the acquired images of the printed samples using a MATLAB algorithm. A drop spacing of 140 µm and 170 µm on the two main directions of the printing plane, with a nozzle temperature of 35 °C, resulted as the most appropriate parameter combination for printing the target geometry. No significant influence of the printing speed on the process outcomes was found, thus choosing the highest speed value within the investigated range can increase productivity. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Micro and Nano Manufacturing (WCMNM 2021))
Show Figures

Figure 1

10 pages, 2689 KiB  
Article
Investigation of Size Effects in Multi-Stage Cold Forming of Metallic Micro Parts from Sheet Metal
by Martin Kraus and Marion Merklein
Micromachines 2021, 12(12), 1561; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/mi12121561 - 15 Dec 2021
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2026
Abstract
Product miniaturisation and functional integration are currently global trends to save weight, space, materials and costs. This leads to an increasing demand for metallic micro components. Thus, the development of appropriate production technologies is in the focus of current research activities. Due to [...] Read more.
Product miniaturisation and functional integration are currently global trends to save weight, space, materials and costs. This leads to an increasing demand for metallic micro components. Thus, the development of appropriate production technologies is in the focus of current research activities. Due to its efficiency, accuracy and short cycle times, microforming at room temperature offers the potential to meet the steadily increasing demand. During microforming, size effects occur which negatively affect the part quality, process stability, tool life and handling. Within this contribution, a multi-stage bulk microforming process from sheet metal is investigated for the materials Cu-OFE and AA6014 with regard to the basic feasibility and the occurrence of size effects. The results reveal that the process chain is basically suitable to produce metallic micro parts with a high repeatability. Size effects are identified during the process. Since several studies postulate that size effects can be minimised by scaling down the metallic grain structure, the grain size of the aluminium material AA6014-W is scaled down to less than one micrometre by using an accumulative roll bonding process (ARB). Subsequently, the effects of the ultrafine grain (UFG) structure on the forming process are analysed. It could be shown that a strengthened material state increases the material utilization. Furthermore, too soft materials can cause damage on the part during ejection. The occurring size effects cannot be eliminated by reducing the grain size. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Micro and Nano Manufacturing (WCMNM 2021))
Show Figures

Figure 1

8 pages, 4127 KiB  
Article
Forming of Components with Microgearings from Coil Material—Numerical Modeling of the Process Chain and Experimental Validation
by Andreas Rohrmoser, Martin Kraus and Marion Merklein
Micromachines 2021, 12(12), 1456; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/mi12121456 - 26 Nov 2021
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1768
Abstract
Compared to alternative production methods, cold forming offers technological, economic and ecological potential for the mass production of microgears. Within the current boundaries of the technology, the cold forming of modules m < 0.2 mm is not possible due to size effects, high [...] Read more.
Compared to alternative production methods, cold forming offers technological, economic and ecological potential for the mass production of microgears. Within the current boundaries of the technology, the cold forming of modules m < 0.2 mm is not possible due to size effects, high tool stresses and handling problems. The investigations of this contribution present a novel process chain for the multi-step forming of microgears with a module of m = 0.1 mm. For this purpose, a numerical model of the first two steps of the process chain is set up and confirmed based on experimental forming tests. The results have proven the feasibility of the process chain by a complete forming of the gear teeth. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Micro and Nano Manufacturing (WCMNM 2021))
Show Figures

Figure 1

10 pages, 7544 KiB  
Article
Effect of Punch Surface Grooves on Microformability of AA6063 Backward Microextrusion
by Tatsuya Funazuka, Kuniaki Dohda, Tomomi Shiratori, Ryo Hiramiya and Ikumu Watanabe
Micromachines 2021, 12(11), 1299; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/mi12111299 - 22 Oct 2021
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1673
Abstract
In order to apply conventional forming processes at the micro scale, the size effects caused by material properties and frictional effects must be taken into account. In this research, the effects of tool surface properties such as punch surface grooves on microextrudability, assessed [...] Read more.
In order to apply conventional forming processes at the micro scale, the size effects caused by material properties and frictional effects must be taken into account. In this research, the effects of tool surface properties such as punch surface grooves on microextrudability, assessed using extrusion force, shape of the extrusion, and Vickers hardness, were investigated using an AA6063 billet. Microscale grooves of 5 to 10 µm were fabricated on the punch surface. The extrusion force increased rapidly as the stroke progressed for all the grooves. Comparing the product geometries showed that, the smaller the groove size, the lower the adhesion and the longer the backward extrusion length. The results of material analysis using EBSD showed that a 5 µm groove depth punch improved the material flowability and uniformly introduced more strain. On the other hand, material flowability was reduced and strain was applied nonuniformly when a mirror-finish tool was used. Therefore, the tribology between the tool and the material was controlled by changing the surface properties of the punch to improve formability. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Micro and Nano Manufacturing (WCMNM 2021))
Show Figures

Figure 1

Back to TopTop