DIY Microfluidics Using a Chinese CNC mill
Ongoing doc ;)
Motivation
- Be able to create a functional chip that
- is designed and made within 1 hour
- that is bleach, ethanol/ipa resistant
- that can be heated up to 100C
- optically translucent and not too auto-fluorescent
- could be produced in the 10, 100, 1000s
- easy to upgrade to injection moulding
- solid and can be stored indefinitely
Step-By-Step
Step 1: Designing the Chip (CAD)
Step 2: Transforming to Machine Code (CAM)
Step 3: Operating the CNC
Step 4: Sealing/Bonding the Chip
Open Challenges
- Bubbles!
- Can we treat (and how) the surface of PMMA to do what?
CNC
- T8 lead screws for X, Y and Z
- 12mm steel rods
- an 80W DC spindle
- GRBL controller
- NEMA steppers
- 20×20 alu extrusion
- ER11 collet
- Ball bushings
- Power supply (12-36V)
Resources
- Support gussets: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:1387216
- CNC1610 Parts for Z: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2043613/comments
- CNC1610 Parts for 20×20 profile: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2839281
- “. The markets are enormous; the mechanical market in Baoan is IKEA sized, and the electrical markets in HQB span four city blocks. ”