Grant: Strategic Projects - Group

High pressure abrasive waterjet (AWJM) and low pressure abrasive slurry jet micromachining (ASJM) use a small high-speed water jet to accelerate microscopic abrasive particles toward a target material. Using these novel technologies, various microscale features (e.g. microchannels, through cuts and holes, etc) can be mechanically etched into virtually any material without having to use a stencil mask to define the features. The etching can be controlled by varying parameters such as the particle material properties, the jet impact angle, the target feed rate, and the velocity and distribution of the particles within the jet. AWJM and ASJM are a relatively new approach to the fabrication of ceramic, polymeric, metallic, and composite materials for micro electro mechanical systems (MEMS), optoelectronic, micro-fuel cell, microfluidic applications, and automotive applications. Advantages of these technologies over traditional microfabrication processes include a much higher material removal rate, a much lower equipment cost, environmental friendliness (no chemicals) and the ability to etch materials to different depths on a single substrate without creating a heat damaged zone. As a result, simple low cost and environmentally friendly systems can be installed to provide a method for in house rapid prototyping of novel micro scale components or for rapidly cutting materials. The proposed research aims to establish and experimentally verify process models that will extend the application of abrasive waterjet technologies from traditional large scale cutting to the much more precise realm of micromachining of features in the materials (polymers, ceramics, composites and layered materials) that will form the next generation of components of interest to our industrial partners. These process models will incorporate the effect of changes in a wide variety of process parameters (particle size, shape, velocity, target material, etc.) on the predicted etched shape. This fundamental research will form the basis for improving AWJM and ASJM potential as low cost and rapid-turnaround technology platforms for the microfabrication of novel components for a wide variety of industries in Canada.