Minimal invasive tools for medical applications such as side milling cutters are given to point out the potential for micro surgery. In the case of injection moulding the so called Nickel shim forms part of the entire tool. Microsystems meet tool manufacturing. In embossing technologies the shim can directly be used as stamper to produce negatives. Microchannels for fluid piping is one typical example.
Next efforts aim at optimizing tool design for polymer replication.
Strong efforts need to be done for better understanding the field of replication. The crucial point here is not so much the moulding or embossing as coping process but the separation between tool and replica. Very fine polymer features tend to break off and remain inside the tool. It is expected that significant process development has to be done. Design rules respecting this process step are becoming fundamental for successful high volume replication.