We present a reproducible process to directly pattern 3-Dimensional (3D) polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) structures for Organ-on-Chips (OOC) via automated molding. The presented process employs a commercially available system from IC packaging improving the fabrication process for microfluidic channels and thin membranes, which are components frequently used in OOCs. The process removes the manual steps used previously in the fabrication of microfluidic channels and improves the control over the thickness of the PDMS layers. The process was also employed to fabricate and pattern thin PDMS membranes on silicon wafers, without the use of lithography and etching steps and in combination with 3D structures. The use of foil assisted molding techniques presented in this work is an important step toward the large-scale manufacturing of OOCs.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.