Ultrasonic vibration hot embossing - A novel technique for molding plastic microstructure

Hot embossing has become a popular method for replicating precise micro-features onto large plastic plates. However a long cycle time of the process due to conventional electric heating or hot oil heating is one of problems that confound the overall success of this technology. This study proposed a novel hot embossing method by using ultrasonic vibration as a heat generator. Experiments were carried out on a 2000-watt ultrasonic welding machine. A 2 mm thick polymethyl methyl acrylic (PMMA) plate was used for embossing microstructures onto its surface. The results in this study suggest that ultrasonic vibration hot embossing can provide an effective way of molding microstructures onto the surface of polymeric plates. Nevertheless, this novel process will need some improvements in the design of the ultrasonic vibration machine in order to make the process feasible.