In: Physics
Can you think of a way of performing soft lithography on curved surfaces like a glass optical fiber? Why would you want to do that?
Soft lithography is inherently a 2D printing technique, can you think of a way to taking to the third dimension? Why would this capability be useful?
There are number of techniques of soft lithography
For E.g.
Micro Contact Prinitng : -
A polydimethyisloxane (PDMS) replica cast from am master is used as
a stamp. An ink -such a solution of
CH3(CH2)15SH in ethanol - is
applied to the stamp using a cotton swab.
The inked stamp is then placed by hand onto a metal coated silicon
substrate.
The stamps conforms to surface and a self assembled monolayer forms
in the regions of contact between the stamp and the surface.
After 10-20s , the stamp is seperated from the substrate , leaving
the monolayer on the surface.
There are number of ways of 3D printing like Polymer pen
lithography , sterolithography etc.
This capability is useful because we have our objects in 3D
therfore 3D printing is more better than 2D prinitng.
At the time, nearly all metalworking are produced by casting,
fabrication, stamping, and machining; although plenty of automation
was applied to those technologies (such as by robot welding and
CNC)