Miniaturization encourages the development of new manufacturing processes capable of fabricating features, like micro-channels, in order to use them for different applications, such as in fuel cells, heat exchangers, microfluidic devices and micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS). Many studies have been conducted on heat and fluid transfer in micro-channels, and they appeared significantly deviated from conventional theory, due to measurement errors and fabrication methods. The present research, in order to deal with this opportunity, is focused on a set of experiments in the micro-milling of channels made of aluminum, titanium alloys and stainless steel, varying parameters, such as spindle speed, depth of cut per pass (a_p), channel depth (d), feed per tooth (f_z) and coolant application. The experimental results were analyzed in terms of dimensional error, channel profile shape deviation from rectangular and surface quality (burr and roughness). The micro-milling process was capable of offering quality features required on the micro-channeled devices. Critical phenomena, like run-out, ploughing, minimum chip thickness and tool wear, were encountered as an explanation for the deviations in shape and for the surface quality of the micro-channels. The application of coolant and a low depth of cut per pass were significant to obtain better superficial quality features and a smaller dimensional error. In conclusion, the integration of superficial and geometrical features on the study of the quality of micro-channeled devices made of different metallic materials contributes to the understanding of the impact of calibrated cutting conditions in MEMS applications. Full article

Microstructure curvature, or buckling, is observed in the micromachining of silicon sensors because of the doping of impurities for realizing certain electrical and mechanical processes. This behavior can be a key source of error in inertial sensors. Therefore, identifying the factors that influence the buckling value is important in designing MEMS devices. In this study, the curvature in the proof mass of an accelerometer is modeled as a multilayered solid model. Modeling is performed according to the characteristics of the solid diffusion mechanism in the bulk-dissolved wafer process (BDWP) based on the self-stopped etch technique. Moreover, the proposed multilayered solid model is established as an equivalent composite structure formed by a group of thin layers that are glued together. Each layer has a different Young’s modulus value and each undergoes different volume shrinkage strain owing to boron doping in silicon. Observations of five groups of proof mass blocks of accelerometers suggest that the theoretical model is effective in determining the buckling value of a fabricated structure. Full article

The main contribution of this paper is the development of a linearized model for describing the dynamic hysteresis behaviors of piezoelectrically actuated fast tool servo (FTS). A linearized hysteresis force model is proposed and mathematically described by a fractional order differential equation. Combining the dynamic modeling of the FTS mechanism, a linearized fractional order dynamic hysteresis (LFDH) model for the piezoelectrically actuated FTS is established. The unique features of the LFDH model could be summarized as follows: (a) It could well describe the rate-dependent hysteresis due to its intrinsic characteristics of frequency-dependent nonlinear phase shifts and amplitude modulations; (b) The linearization scheme of the LFDH model would make it easier to implement the inverse dynamic control on piezoelectrically actuated micro-systems. To verify the effectiveness of the proposed model, a series of experiments are conducted. The toolpaths of the FTS for creating two typical micro-functional surfaces involving various harmonic components with different frequencies and amplitudes are scaled and employed as command signals for the piezoelectric actuator. The modeling errors in the steady state are less than ±2.5% within the full span range which is much smaller than certain state-of-the-art modeling methods, demonstrating the efficiency and superiority of the proposed model for modeling dynamic hysteresis effects. Moreover, it indicates that the piezoelectrically actuated micro systems would be more suitably described as a fractional order dynamic system. Full article