ZentriForm System Allows Rapid Production of Microfluidic Chips

Andreas Hettich GmbH & Co. KG announces the incorporation of the ZentriForm system together with the newly-developed ROTOFIX 46 centrifuge. This system will be presented at Microsys 2010 in Stuttgart, Germany 13th -16th of September.

The use of elastomers, such as two-component silicones, is very widespread in the field of rapid prototyping. Silicone is generally moulded using a silicon wafer. The removal of air bubbles from the silicone mass while still fluid is a complex process that may have an outcome that is not entirely satisfactory. The ZentriForm system helps to make this process more reliable: A 4-inch wafer containing the structure to be moulded is placed in the centrifuge insert, the liquid silicone mixture is poured in and then centrifuged in the ROTOFIX 46 which can be heated.

The centrifugation process removes the air bubbles from the silicone and the heating starts the curing process at the same time. The silicone is pressed against the structure throughout the entire curing process. This procedure results in a product that is free of bubbles and accurate in terms of shape. It also saves time as the degassing and curing are carried out in a single step. There are also other advantages over conventional methods: The casts have a reproducible thickness that is constant over their area. This enables standardization of receptacles for fluid contacting and a standardized capping procedure.

In principle, it is not necessary to use silicon wafers as carriers for the structure to be moulded. The inserts can also be arranged such that moulding is carried out with a structure that is of milled steel and which is exchangeable. This variation is particularly suitable for very small production runs and for structures, such as 3D structures, that are very difficult to produce lithographically, but can be produced through milling. The ZentriForm system thus enables the rapid production of microfluidic chips – both by specialists and those new to this technology.