PRIMDEx: Prototyping rapid innovation of microfluidics devices for experimentation

Abstract

Microfluidics has quickly become an established technology in the transformative fields that make up broader biotechnology. Microfluidics has applications spanning the entire breadth of the discipline, from chemical synthesis, environmental monitoring, biomedical diagnostics, to lab- and organ-on-a-chip. New demands for novel microfluidic chips have outpaced their contemporary manufacturing methods, thus limiting their scientific applicability. This predicament is particularly accentuated for R&D and research laboratories where resources (time & money) are limited. Manufacturing a microfluidic device (MFD) for mass production typically involves outsourcing a design for CNC machining of the negative mold, followed by Injection Molding (IM) the positive-feature consumables or MFDs. This process can cost ∼$1000-$5000 depending on complexity and can require a 1–2-week lead time. In comparison, 3D Printing (3DP) is limited by long print times, limited resolutions, and higher per unit material cost. This leaves traditional commercial fabrication processes impractical to implement into a typical biotech experimental procedure, where they could be subjected to constantly changing experimental demands and redesigns. Each redesign and subsequent round of fabrication demands greater cost and time investments. Here, we present PRIMDEx, or Prototyping Rapid Innovation of Microfluidic Devices for Experimentation, to address this by integrating both 3DP and rapid IM into a single manufacturing workflow. PRIMDEx implemented the advantages of both manufacturing methods to establish an approach more conducive to the design-test-build cycles of biotech and biomedical research regimes.