3D Printed Tooling for Injection Molded Microfluidics

Microfluidics have been used for several decades to conduct a wide range of research in chemistry and the life sciences. The reduced dimensions these devices give them advantages over classical analysis techniques such as increased sensitivity, shorter times, lower reagent consumption. However, current manufacturing processes microfluidic chips either limit materials with unwanted properties, or are not cost-effective rapid-prototyping approaches. Here authors show that inlays injection moulding can be 3D printed, thus reducing skills, cost, time required tool fabrication. They demonstrate importance orientation part during printing so features small 100 × 200 µm printed. also printed inlay is durable enough fabricate at least 500 parts. Furthermore, designed, manufactured, tested within one working day. Finally, demonstrators they design mould chip house plasmonic biosensor well device liver organoids showing how organ-on-a-chip applications. This new fabrication technique bridges gap between production industrial scale manufacturing, while making microfluidics cheaper, more widely accessible.