Rapid tooling and quality control of micro injection moulding for biomedical microfluidics applications

In recent years, the interest in miniaturization of devices and in general the interest in building lightweight and compact systems are greatly increased. In this context, micro injection moulding (?IM) is one of the most promising industrial manufacturing processes for the large scale production of polymeric devices. The growing demand for product diversification requires a high flexibility of the mould in terms of reconfigurability of the cavity geometry but also in terms of insert material on which to perform micro manufacturing technologies to reproduce such extreme features. In this context, ultra-precise MEMS technologies (e.g. X-ray/ UV-lithography, electroforming, dual Beam FIB), together with micro manufacturing technologies, become necessary and the study of materials other than steel, such as silicon, resins and aluminium, is essential for the manufacture of tailored inserts for micro injection moulding.