Patent ID: 7195862

Claim:
A process for producing a microstructured tool insert for injection molding a part, said part being fabricated of a synthetic material, a metal or a ceramic material and having an arrangement of microchannels and an arrangement of through-going orifices, each such orifice extending in a substantially perpendicular manner with respect to an outer surface of the part, said process comprising: (a) photo-lithographically masking the front side of a first wafer with a first etching mask which corresponds to the arrangement of microchannels, (b) microstructuring the front side of the first wafer by means of plasma etching to form the arrangement of microchannels on the front side of the wafer, (c) removing the first etching mask from the front side of the first wafer, (d) photo-lithographically masking the rear side of the first wafer with a second etching mask which corresponds to the arrangement of through-going orifices, (e) microstructuring the rear side of the first wafer by means of plasma etching to form said arrangement of through-going orifices, (f) removing the second etching mask from the rear side of the first wafer, (g) bonding the rear side of the first wafer to a carrier substrate to form a master, (h) applying an electrically conductive thin layer to the microstructured front side of the first wafer and to the carrier substrate surfaces which can be accessed through the through-going channels mentioned, (i) electrochemically depositing a metal layer on the front side of the first wafer and in the through-going orifices which are present therein, wherein the deposited metal layer reaches a depth which is greater than the depth of the microchannels on the front side of the first wafer, (j) making planar the outer surface of the deposited metal layer, and (k) separating the metal layer from the master, wherein the separated metal layer can be used as a tool insert for injection molding a part and has pins integrated in the metal layer, each such pin having a shape and dimensions defined by the shape and dimensions of a corresponding one of the through-going orifices provided in the first wafer.