Patent ID: 8720047

Claim:
A method for manufacturing a microstructured manufacturing article comprising the steps of: fabricating a microstructured prototype having microfeatures with a microstructure pattern selected from a first set of patterns of microstructures; creating a microstructured intermediate from said microstructured prototype so that said intermediate has microfeatures that are a negative of said selected pattern of microstructures; creating a microstructured metal electrode from said microstructured intermediate having metal microfeatures from a method selected from the group consisting of electroforming, metal injection molding and embossing; electric discharge machining a microstructured metal tool from said microstructured metal electrode, said microstructured metal electrode having tool microfeatures so that said microstructured metal tool is provided to replicate said selected pattern on a production part, wherein size dimensions of the selected pattern of microstructures remain substantially constant during manufacturing; and wherein said microfeatures include a pitch selected generally within the range of 10 nm to 100 μm.