title: Micromilling: a method for ultra-rapid prototyping of plastic microfluidic devices.
abstract: This tutorial review offers protocols, tips, insight, and considerations for practitioners interested in using micromilling to create microfluidic devices. The objective is to provide a potential user with information to guide them on whether micromilling would fill a specific need within their overall fabrication strategy. Comparisons are made between micromilling and other common fabrication methods for plastics in terms of technical capabilities and cost. The main discussion focuses on "how-to" aspects of micromilling, to enable a user to select proper equipment and tools, and obtain usable microfluidic parts with minimal start-up time and effort. The supplementary information provides more extensive discussion on CNC mill setup, alignment, and programming. We aim to reach an audience with minimal prior experience in milling, but with strong interests in fabrication of microfluidic devices.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Engineering, Wisconsin Institutes for Medical Research, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA.
authors.forename: David J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Guckenberger
authors.forename: Theodorus E
authors.initials: TE
authors.lastname: de Groot
authors.forename: Alwin M D
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Wan
authors.forename: David J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Beebe
authors.forename: Edmond W K
authors.initials: EW
authors.lastname: Young
mesh_terms: D004867:Equipment Design / Q000379:methods*; D046210:Microfluidic Analytical Techniques / Q000295:instrumentation*; D055616:Microtechnology / Q000379:methods*; D010969:Plastics
chemical_list: D010969:Plastics