Developing microfabrication methods for volume production of plastic microfluidic devices

微尺度技术结构紧凑，易于使用，并且通常比传统技术具有更多的功能，因此越来越多地用于生物医学应用，例如在实验室和诊所中用于分析生物材料。生物医学设备行业对开发下一代微尺度技术非常感兴趣，但将该技术从测试原型推进到商业产品是具有挑战性的，因为它需要能够用低成本，丰富和可制造的原材料（如塑料）制造这些设备。Bio-Rad Laboratories Canada是一家全球性公司，生产用于分析生物材料的工具和仪器，目前面临的问题是将易于小批量生产的硅基聚合物的微型测试原型转化为可大批量生产的塑料产品。该项目的主要目标是通过开发用于制造塑料微型器件的创新制造程序来解决这个问题，并有可能扩大大批量制造的程序。为了实现这一目标，将对环氧树脂成型、热压和溶剂粘合等微加工方法进行测试、优化并整合到简化的工作流程中。开发实用和可扩展的塑料制造程序将使从原型到产品的过渡更加平稳，加速微尺度技术的进步，并有助于保持较低的生产成本。最终，这将有利于更大的生物医学设备行业，并允许像Bio-Rad这样的公司继续在加拿大和全球开发和分销创新工具和仪器，并保持其作为该行业全球领导者的地位。

Microscale technologies are compact, easy to use, and often have more functions than traditional technologies, and are thus being used increasingly for biomedical applications such as in labs and clinics for analyzing biological materials. The biomedical device industry is highly interested in developing the next generation of microscale technologies, but advancing the technology from test prototype to commercial product is challenging because it requires the ability to make these devices out of low-cost, abundant, and manufacturable raw materials like plastics. Bio-Rad Laboratories Canada is a global company that makes tools and instruments for analyzing biological materials, and is currently faced with the problem of converting microscale test prototypes, which are easy to make out of silicone-based polymers in small batches, into plastic products that can be manufactured in large volumes. The main goal of this project is to address this problem by developing innovative fabrication procedures for making plastic microscale devices, with potential to scale up the procedures for high volume manufacturing. To achieve this, a combination of microfabrication methods such as epoxy molding, hot embossing, and solvent bonding will be tested, optimized and integrated into a streamlined workflow. Development of practical and scalable fabrication procedures for plastics will enable a smoother transition from prototype to product, accelerate the advancement of microscale technologies, and help to maintain lower production costs. Ultimately, this will benefit the larger biomedical device industry, and allow companies like Bio-Rad to continue developing and distributing innovative tools and instruments in Canada and worldwide, and maintain their standing as a global leader in the industry.