Replication
MiniFAB has developed an approach to micro-fabrication that is aimed at reducing manufacturing and development costs by removing the need to use expensive serial processes at the earliest practical point. Micro-features can easily be transferred from a micro-tool to a more desirable material if that material cannot be used directly to create the required features. MiniFAB uses conventional low cost replication processes to replicate even the smallest micro-features with excellent quality. This allows testing and evaluation of the prototype micro-device on a platform that could be used for volume manufacture.
Polymer from Polymer
Polymer parts or additional polymer tooling can be fabricated from a polymer master using conventional low temperature replication processes such as moulding, casting, printing or stamping applications in low-volume fabrication runs. Suitable for final materials of silicones, epoxies, polyurethane, etc. Patterning some bio-compatible polymers can also be achieved by casting onto a polymer micro-tool.
Metal from Polymer
Micro-features can be fabricated in a metal part or tool by electroforming from a polymer mould. Metal parts can be used in polymer replication, EDM, stamping, printing and perforation processes.
Polymer from Metal
MiniFAB can fabricate polymer parts from a metal tool using conventional replication processes such as stamping, casting, hot embossing or injection moulding. One successful application using metal tooling is micro-perforated plastic packaging film which uses metal tools with tightly tolerances spikes to perforate plastic films in a commercial process.
Metal from Metal
Our electroforming capability offers direct replication from metal masters into nickel. This is an ideal process for volume production of metal parts containing the micro-features discussed above. The metal replicas could also be used as a master in an EDM process to replicate the metal tool into other materials. The process can also be used to invert a structure (ie convert a hole into spike, a convex lens into a concave lens, etc)
