Microfluidic Snap-Fit Assembly Enabled by Additive Manufacturing

Interconnects are a necessity in microfluidic assembly to link micro or nanoscale features to workable platforms and provide world-to-chip access. Packaging issues can hold back progress in microfluidic or biosensor projects and are recognised an underestimated challenge in microfluidic manufacturing and production. Conventionally interconnections between microfluidic modules are obtained via a screw fastening or clamping systems both reliant on operator screw torque which can modify flow behaviour from one module to the other and in turn affect fluidic related performance such as hydrodynamic separation efficiencies. The proposed solution is a microfluidic snap-fit assembly. We described the design, model and test of a snap-fit package enabled by additive manufacturing for microfluidic applications.