MANUFACTURING
Injection Moulding of Microfluidic Chips
Injection moulding is the dominant way to manufacture microfluidic chips at volume. Once a design is proven, moulding can turn out thousands to millions of identical, optically clear parts at low cost per unit. This guide explains how it works and how to design for it.
What is injection moulding?
Injection moulding forces molten thermoplastic into a precision-machined metal mould (the tool), where it cools and solidifies into the final part. The microfluidic channels are formed by the inverse features on the mould surface. Because each shot reproduces the tool exactly, moulding delivers excellent part-to-part consistency — essential for diagnostics and analytical devices. Producing micron-scale features this way is called micro injection moulding.
Why injection moulding for microfluidics?
- Low cost per part at volume — the economics improve as quantity rises.
- High repeatability — identical chips, shot after shot.
- Optical quality — clear thermoplastics such as COC and COP mould well and suit optical detection.
- Scalability — from tens of thousands to millions of parts.
The role of tooling
The mould is the major up-front investment. It must be machined to high precision (often by CNC and electrical-discharge machining) and finished carefully, because every imperfection is copied onto every part. Tooling cost and lead time are why moulding is reserved for proven designs — you prototype first by PDMS, 3D printing or CNC, then commit to a tool.
Materials for moulded microfluidics
Common choices are COC and COP (excellent clarity, low autofluorescence, good chemical resistance), PMMA (low cost, easy to mould), polystyrene (familiar in cell culture) and polycarbonate (tough, heat-resistant). See the COC vs COP vs PMMA guide and our material parameters.
Designing for injection moulding
- Maintain manufacturable channel aspect ratios and add draft angles so parts release from the tool.
- Keep wall thickness reasonably uniform to avoid sink marks and warpage.
- Plan the bonding strategy — moulded chips still need sealing.
- Validate the design in a production-representative material (e.g. CNC-machined COC) before cutting the tool.
Cleanroom and regulated production
For medical and IVD products, moulding runs in a cleanroom (e.g. ISO Class 7) under ISO 13485, often followed by sterile packaging and gamma sterilisation. We coordinate this end-to-end — see manufacturing services and prototype to scale.
Frequently asked questions
What is injection moulded microfluidics?
Microfluidic chips made by injection moulding — molten thermoplastic (such as COC or COP) is forced into a precision mould to produce large numbers of identical chips at low cost per part.
Why is injection moulding used for microfluidics?
It delivers low per-part cost, high repeatability and optical quality at volume, making it the standard method for producing thousands to millions of chips.
What plastics are used for moulded microfluidic chips?
Commonly COC and COP for optical clarity and chemical resistance, plus PMMA, polystyrene and polycarbonate depending on the application.
When should I switch from prototyping to injection moulding?
Once the design is validated in a production-representative material, since the mould (tool) is a significant up-front cost and lead time. Prototype first with PDMS, 3D printing or CNC.
Microfluidics at scale
Ready for injection moulded microfluidics?
Upload your design for a written quote, or book a call to talk through tooling, materials and cleanroom production under ISO 13485.
Europe · North America · Singapore · Shipping worldwide
Reply by email within 1 working day · Tue / Thu 10:30–15:00 UK for calls