Low-cost micromachining development and application for engineering and technology education

The concept of the micro-factory, conceived in the early 1990’s, led to the development of what is now deemed “the micro-machine-tool”. The increased need for miniaturization of parts has continued to play a major role in developing micro-manufacturing technologies. Micromachining has recently become the norm for producing very small complex parts with very tight tolerances and features. In order to move into this new micromachining area, companies must overcome several issues. The first is how to obtain lowcost, yet highly accurate micromachining equipment. The second is personnel that are skilled enough to operate these new generation micromachines. Because micromachining is a fairly recent technology, there is no machinability data to aid operators to perform the process efficiently. This paper reports on a machinability study carried out with the intent to develop optimum process parameters. The material used in this study was 316L stainless steel. It is demonstrated that the methodology employed can be used for any material. Detailed educational experiences which were developed utilizing micromachining techniques are also presented. Specifically, we propose the inclusion of micromachining courses within manufacturing, production or mechanical engineering curriculums. A sample of the proposed course is presented.