Date of Award

Spring 2011

Project Type

Thesis

Program or Major

Mechanical Engineering

Degree Name

Master of Science

First Advisor

Brad Kinsey

Abstract

As microscale devices (e.g., cellular phones, hard drives, and sensors) become smaller in size, so do their individual component dimensions. At the microscale, size effects (i.e., variations in material properties and process parameters as the grain size approaches the specimen feature size) occur in the form of increased data scatter, shape anomalies in the final part geometries and higher springback angles. Similarly, joining at the microscale becomes difficult due to poor joint quality from thermal incompatibilities, the heat-affected zone being near the size of the part and brittle inter-metallic phases. In this research, electro-magnetic (EM) forming was investigated as an alternative process to form microscale components to address size effects. Initial EM and quasi-static flanging experiments were conducted with CuZn30 specimens. A continuation of this study was conducted as well as to investigate the effect of the specimen's planar area on the ability to achieve EM forming. Finally, the joining of macroscale tubes and shafts was performed as a precursor to microscale joining.

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