High-intensity short or ultrashort laser pulses are powerful thermal energy source for creating micro-features in wide range of materials.
The surface quality in replicating micro features is one of the most important process characteristics and constitutes a manufacturing constraint in applying injection moulding in a range of micro-engineering applications.
Furthermore, micro-morphological features in micro-stratigraphic association may be used to reconstruct changes in environmental controls, such as from a temperate to periglacial conditions.
While differences of opinion were often based on the influence of macro and micro level features in different families, tension was also associated with controversy in the way two important underlying values in these discussions were prioritised.
There is a need for developing hybrid micro-manufacturing processes capable of generating three-dimensional micro-scale features in hard-to-machine materials.
In the first step a newly developed uniform pressure electromagnetic actuator is used to make a micro-embossed pre-form that can contain very fine surface detail in the part by micro-embossing features in the forming die.
Finally, a guide for machining high-precision components with micro-scale features in process chains is given with respect to machine tools, tools, technology and environmental conditions.
