Microfluidic chip technology for medical use - laser bonding technology

Microfluidic chip technology has been confined to the laboratory in the early days. Its main use was in drug discovery and DNA testing. It is a very cost-effective manufacturing technology. Thanks to the development of laser technology, we can now see that microfluidics has moved from the early laboratories to medical use. With the application and experience of microfluidics in the laboratory, microfluidic chip technology can quickly enter the medical point. Microfluidic chips are made of glass or plastic substrates. They contain (micro) fluid channels to move samples between different analysis stages. Blood, urine, saliva, stool and even breath can be tested with this technology.

Because medical microfluidic devices are designed for use at the point of care, they can allow patients with chronic diseases to self-monitor at home. Doctors can test patients on site without having to send samples to a lab and then wait for results.

High volume driver

The development of laser plastic welding is behind the move from small-volume professional laboratory use to today's high-volume diagnostic devices. Manufacturing microfluidic devices requires extremely high precision and particle-free processes to achieve cleanroom compatibility. Laser plastic welding meets these demands with:

l  Join lines in the micrometer range

l  Hygienic energy input

l  No foreign matter or additives

l  Traceability/end-to-end process monitoring

l  Extremely short cycle times

l  New Design Options

For high-volume production, the key is repeatability, which makes laser plastic welding an ideal choice, especially when combined with its high-speed process, precision and use on a range of materials. Material selection is an important factor and can be a difficult balancing act. OEMs should work closely with their chosen laser company and ensure that the company has the R&D, design and process engineering resources to ensure their performance and design-to-manufacturing goals are met.