Polymer inserts tooling for prototyping of micro fluidic components in micro injection moulding

摘要

An increasing number of microfluidic applications linked with a strong demand for low-cost solutions has pushed research activities towards the development of polymer based microfluidic systems. This requires the use of micro injection moulding technology to replicate accurately polymer micro parts, however the tooling cost associated with this manufacturing route remains relatively high. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the feasibility of utilising polymer inserts for prototype tooling in micro injection moulding that can reduce product development time and cost associated with the design and testing of micro fluidic systems prior to mass fabrication.