Inkjet 3D Printing – Studies on Applicability for Lab-on-a-chip Technique

Abstract

Three-dimensional (3D) printing has the potential to transform science and technology by creating bespoke, low-cost appliances that previously required dedicated facilities in order to be made. 3D printing has long been used in manufacturing industries to produce prototypes, however it is only relatively recently that technology has developed to the degree where 3D printing can produce functional devices in their own right, such as tissue growth scaffolds, electronics, pneumatics and recently microstructures. An attractive and booming research field is the use of 3D printing to create microfluidic structures. In this paper, a discussion on applicability of inkjet 3D printing for lab-on-a-chip technique is presented on the base of authors’ works.