Fabrication,characterization and comparative analysis of mechanical properties of micro features generated by reverse micro EDM

Moderate to high aspect ratio micro features (projected) finds wide application in MEMS components, fuel cells for micro reactors, sensors and actuators, micro optical components etc. Reverse micro electro discharge machining (RMEDM) is one of the extensively used process for fabricating such micro features. The present authors have already developed a technique for generating different shapes and sizes of micro features by suitable modification of tool in RMEDM. Mechanical properties like hardness and elastic modulus of these micro features play a significant role in determining their suitability for various applications. Therefore, the objective of this paper is (a) to generate projected micro features corresponding to tapered blind hole depths of 0.1 mm and 0.3 mm using RMEDM and (b) to determine the effect of tapered blind hole depth on the hardness and elastic modulus of the projected micro features. Hardness and elastic modulus were measured using nano indentation technique. Results indicate that starting from the periphery, both hardness as well as elastic modulus first increase (presence of recast layer) and then decrease (presence of heat affected zone) for projected micro feature corresponding to 0.1 mm hole depth before attaining the properties of the parent material. Due to high amount of debris agglomeration in case of 0.3 mm hole depth, high amount of abnormal discharges occur which do not provide sufficient time for the formation of thermally softened layer as was in the case of micro feature corresponding to 0.1 mm hole depth. Hardness, therefore, is always high starting from recast layer to the HAZ before finally attaining the hardness of the parent material. Debris agglomeration did not have much influence on the elastic modulus and the variation of elastic modulus of the micro feature corresponding to 0.3 mm hole depth remains fairly uniform a compared to the parent material.