Microelectrodes have various applications not only for machining tool, but also for the manufacturing of operation utensil and measurement tips. In recent years, demands on microelectrodes have been greatly enhanced because of these potential applications and mass production of microelectrodes is needed. Wire EDM and LIGA process are used for fabrication of multi microelectrodes. However, these methods require too much time and too many resources. An electrochemical etching is used as an alternative method for the simple and cheap fabrication of multi microelectrodes.
Before the machining of multi microelectrodes, single electrode fabrication is performed. Pure tungsten rod is used as a microelectrode and potassium hydroxide as an electrolyte. The parameters which affect the electrode shape are investigated. Using the appropriate modeling, we generated the etching condition for fabricating the desired electrode shapes. Stepped, circular and punched shapes of microelectrodes were fabricated by the electrochemical etching.
One dimensional microelectrode array is used for fabricating of multi electrodes. Multi electrodes are held in a simple one dimensional jig. The machining conditions in which single electrode is fabricated are used for the multi electrode fabrication. A diffusion layer which is formed near the electrode surface has an effect on the shape error of multi microelectrodes. The optimal distance between electrodes to minimize shape errors of multi electrodes is investigated.
As an application of fabricated multi electrodes, micro holes array by micro EDM with multi electrodes is fabricated. Decreasing a machining time and continuous electrode wear is achieved. Results show that micro EDM using multi electrode is feasible and very effective for fabricating micro parts
