This project is funded under H2020 – INDUSTRIAL LEADERSHIP – Leadership in enabling and industrial technologies – Nanotechnologies (Grant agreement number: 760927). It aims at a holistic new design strategy, coordinated pilot lines and business model for the prototyping, fabrication, and commercialization of polymer-based microfluidic systems. It stems from the recognition that a microfluidic chip is a key part of a microfluidic MEMS, but only a part. Many limitations to fast prototyping, industrialization and ultimate performances lie not in the chip itself, but in the world-to-chip connections and integration of multiple external components. We shall address in a single strategy the streamlined construction of whole microfluidic systems, starting from existing pilot lines in injection moulding, 3D printing and instrument construction.

First, the resolution of 3D printing will be increased by a factor at least 10, down to 1~3μm, with a throughput 10 to 100x higher than that of current high resolution 3D printing machines, to support the flexible production of chips with complex 3D architectures. New soft, bio, environment-friendly and/or active materials will be integrated in the production chain using a technology patented by the partners. Large-scale markets requiring mass production at the lowest cost will be addressed by a fully integrated pilot line, streamlining injection moulding of raw chips, reagents, and components integration, sealing and quality control. Intercompatibility between 3D printing and injection moulding, regarding architectures and materials, will be developed to accelerate the prototype to product value chain. After development and upscaling, the technology will be demonstrated and qualified in operational environment by end-users with lab-on-chip applications in health (cancer diagnosis, organ-on chip) and environment (water control).

TelLab’s Contribution:

TelLab will demonstrate environmental applications of the prototype devices with deployments in the field and will perform validation through evaluation against comparative techniques in the TelLab ISO 17025 accredited laboratory.

For more details regarding the project and our partners, please go to the Holifab website.