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2012
Conference Paper
Titel
CO2 cleaning technology for cleaning micro-/nanostructured inserts: The IMPRESS FP7 project
Abstract
As part of the seventh framework program, the IMPRESS project focuses on the development of a technological injection molding platform for the serial production of plastic components with incorporated micro- or nano-scale functional features. The platform is based on the acquisition of up-to-date, highly advanced facilities/information based on three main modules, each being a tool box made up of several building blocks. One of the blocks is the CO2 cleaning technology for cleaning micro-/nano-structured inserts. Requirements regarding cleaning processes for such injection-molding tools, i.e. ensuring the reliable and gentle removal of particulate and filmy contamination in the micro- and nanometer range, are fulfilled using the CO2 snow cleaning method. The development of an innovative CO2 nozzle technology combined with a highly-clean compact media supply unit for the cleaning gases enables automated, robot-controlled cleaning directly in the opened mold. Depending on cleaning requirements, this means that injection-molding inserts no longer have to be removed with the result that cleaning times are shortened and recontamination risks after cleaning minimized.