Experimental investigation on laser machining of microfluidic channels in micro mold inserts

Abstract Laser micromachining is an effective technique for fabricating intricate microfeatures with high precision and minimal thermal deformation. In this study, micropillars were fabricated on P20 steel injection mould inserts for microfluidic channel applications using a CO 2 laser machining system. The primary objective of this work is to optimize laser machining parameters to achieve high dimensional accuracy and stable material removal during micropillar fabrication. Laser speed, laser power, and pulse frequency were selected as key input parameters influencing the geometrical accuracy and performance of the microstructures. An optimal combination of laser speed 525 mm s −1 , power 32 W, and frequency 23 kHz was identified, resulting in highly repeatable micropillar geometry. The fabricated micropillars exhibited low dimensional variation, with length and width variations limited to 0.5% and 1.9%, respectively, while the material removal rate showed a variation of 3.0%, indicating consistent machining performance. Overall, the results demonstrate that appropriate optimization of laser parameters enables precise and repeatable fabrication of micropillars on P20 mold inserts, highlighting the suitability of laser micromachining for producing high-quality micro mold inserts for injection-molded microfluidic applications.