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Design and characterization of a 3D-printed staggered herringbone mixer | JoVE Visualize

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Design and characterization of a 3D-printed staggered herringbone mixer

Vedika J Shenoy^1,2, Chelsea Er Edwards^1,2, Matthew E Helgeson^1,2

¹Department of Chemical Engineering, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA.

Biotechniques|May 18, 2021

View abstract on PubMed

Summary

3D printing offers a cost-effective method for fabricating microfluidic devices like staggered herringbone mixers (SHMs). This study demonstrates its suitability for high-throughput manufacturing, even with variable print quality.

Area of Science:

Materials Science
Biomedical Engineering
Microfluidics

Background:

Traditional photolithography for microfluidic device fabrication is often slow and expensive.
3D printing presents a promising alternative for rapid prototyping and manufacturing.
The impact of 3D printing resolution and quality on microfluidic device performance requires further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the use of 3D-printed molds for fabricating staggered herringbone mixers (SHMs).
To establish guidelines for 3D printer calibration for microscale features.
To quantify the effects of print variability on SHM performance.

Main Methods:

Utilized 3D printing to create molds for SHMs with feature sizes from 100 to 500 μm.
Developed and provided guidelines for 3D printer calibration at microscale.
Quantified the impact of printing variability on SHM performance.

Main Results:

Successfully fabricated SHMs using 3D-printed molds across a range of feature sizes.
Demonstrated that 3D-printed SHMs produce well-mixed output streams.
Showed robust performance of SHMs despite variations in device height and printing defects.

Conclusions:

3D printing is a suitable and advantageous technology for low-cost, high-throughput manufacturing of microfluidic devices.
Guidelines for printer calibration ensure accurate microscale printing.
3D-printed SHMs are effective for mixing applications, even with imperfections.

Keywords:

Manufacturing Engineering

Design And Characterization Of A 3d-printed Staggered Herringbone Mixer

3D printer calibration

staggered herringbone mixer