Micromachining Microchannels on Cyclic Olefin Copolymer (COC) Substrates with the Taguchi Method

Micromilling is a straightforward approach to the manufacture of polymer microfluidic devices for applications in chemistry and biology. This fabrication process reduces costs, provides a relatively simple user interface, and enables the fabrication of complex structures, which makes it ideal for the development of prototypes. In this study, we investigated the influence of micromilling parameters on the surface roughness of a cyclic olefin copolymer (COC) substrate. We then employed factor analysis to determine the optimal cutting conditions. The parameters used in all experiments were the spindle speed, the feed rate, and the depth of cut. Roughness was measured using a stylus profilometer. The lowest roughness was 0.173 μm at a spindle speed of 20,000 rpm, feed rate of 300 mm/min, and cut depth of 20 μm. Factor analysis revealed that the feed rate has the greatest impact on surface quality, whereas the depth of cut has the least impact.