Mailorder Microfluidics - Accessing new markets with Off-The-Shelf-Components

摘要

After more than a decade of microfluidics, many promises of the economic impact have not been fulfilled. One of the reasons for this is a tendency to overengineer systems and to create insular solutions which do not interface with existing laboratory equipment. We have developed a microfludic toolbox which consist of standardized modules following existing standards from the macroscopic world. By offering these modules via a product catalogue, time-consuming engineering projects which generate a significant entry barrier into the microfluidic field for any company can be avoided and a rapid evaluation of the miniaturization technology can take place. The availability of such components in a product catalogue with published prices increases the calculability of microfluidic projects and proved to be an important tool for market penetration.