Investigation of polymer inserts as prototyping tooling for micro injection moulding

An increasing number of microfluidic applications linked with a strong demand for low-cost solutions has pushed research activities towards the development of polymer-based microfluidic systems. This requires the use of micro injection moulding technology to accurately replicate polymer micro parts; however, the tooling cost associated with this manufacturing route remains relatively high. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the feasibility of utilising polymer inserts for prototype tooling in micro injection moulding that can reduce product development time and cost associated with the design and testing of microfluidic systems prior to mass fabrication.