Microfilter requires fine control of piercing

Edited by the Engineeringtalk editorial team Oct 5, 2007

Precision Micro had to pierce a 78mm diameter, 50 micron thick stainless steel disc with 136,187 holes, each hole being 100 microns in diameter

Precision Micro has produced a microfilter for a medical device manufacturer using the photo etch process.

The mesh had previously been manufactured with a laser process that was time consuming, prohibitively expensive and left burrs on the underside of the component.

The challenge was to pierce a 78mm diameter, 50 micron thick stainless steel disc with 136,187 holes, each hole being 100 microns in diameter (approximately the diameter of a human hair) on a staggered pitch of 200 microns.

A general tolerance for these features of +/- 10 microns was achieved.

By etching all the holes at one time in a single process, the customer received a burr-free, stress-free component part at an affordable price.