Custom product development
What to expect when partnering with microfluidic ChipShop
tailored solutions
From concept to production – we offer custom development and manufacturing of microfluidic systems and polymer disposables, including design, prototyping, scale-up, assay integration, and instrumentation.
For all scales
We cover the whole production chain – from idea to product launch; from one chip to a million; from chip-in-a-lab to lab-on-a-chip.
Driven by quality. Backed by certification. microfluidic ChipShop GmbH is certified according to DIN EN ISO 9001 and ISO 13485, ensuring quality standards for industrial manufacturing.
Different Phases of a developmental project
Product concept
From idea to product
At microfluidic ChipShop, we are proud of our short communication lines and seamless collaboration – made possible by our multidisciplinary team and bundled expertise under one roof. What sets us apart: design engineers, bioscientists, R&D specialists, and fabrication experts work hand-in-hand from day one to bring your microfluidic project to life.
Every successful development begins with a clear foundation: a jointly created requirement specification document. This defines the product’s specifications, tolerances, and highlights both opportunities and potential challenges early on.
Using rapid prototyping and proof-of-concept studies with our broad portfolio of off-the-shelf microfluidic modules, we create streamlined feedback loops that allow for quick and targeted concept adjustments.
Reduce development risks and benefit from our long-standing experience in the “µ-verse” – saving you both time and development costs.
Design & engineering
Smart design starts here
Combining expertise of our design engineers with application know-how, material science and manufacturability is the core of the design phase. The primary goal thereby is to optimize manufacturing processes and develop cost-efficient, precise and robust microfluidic polymer disposables.
Design for manufacture and assembly is key – a thoughtful design development already during prototyping, that can be realized with industrially scalable manufacturing methods, will pay off and save you unnecessary production costs later.
Whatever your application requires, we deliver tailored microfluidic cartridge designs with integrated solutions for:
- reagent integration
- sample uptake
- valving and fluid control
- sensor integration
… and much more!
Choose from a wide range of custom design options:
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based on standard formats (microscope slide, double slide, titer plate, disc, etc.)
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based on our ChipGenie® edition Dx point-of-care platform
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with complete freedom in a fully customized format
Assay- & system development
From chip-in-a-lab to lab-on-a-chip
With lab-on-a-chip systems, we streamline biological and diagnostic assays, making them faster, simpler, more sensitive, and less error-prone. By integrating multiple assay steps into a single device, we eliminate the need for manual handling or the use of multiple systems.
To meet the complex development challenges of such systems, microfluidic ChipShop offers well-equipped biological and chemical laboratories and experienced interdisciplinary teams. We adapt standard assay workflows to the unique conditions of the microfluidic environment. Our in-depth understanding of the underlying principles and the key steps required to successfully transfer assays on-chip is the foundation of our daily business.
Our mechanical and electrical engineers develop custom instrumentation tailored to your specific application, with full validation capabilities available in our in-house application labs. We offer a range of off-the-shelf instruments, the Chip Genie® devices, specifically developed to support on-chip analysis, ensuring seamless integration and automation.
To complete the solution, we offer a wide range of back-end processing services, including surface functionalization and the integration of liquid or dry reagents on-chip.
Prototyping
Smart Prototyping – Scalable from the Start
For the initial prototyping phase, we rely either on high-precision micromachined prototypes that closely match the performance of injection-molded parts, or on injection molding, made affordable by our strict standardization strategy.
The choice of the fabrication method depends on several factors, including the material selection, design complexity, feature dimensions, or required quantities. That’s why an in-depth design evaluation at an early stage is crucial to define the most efficient and scalable development strategy.
We know that investing in a dedicated injection molding tool can be a major hurdle during development. To overcome this, microfluidic ChipShop offers a wide range of ready-to-use molding tools in standardized formats that can be customized to your specific needs. By utilizing our established production infrastructure – from injection molding and assembly to downstream processing – development time and costs are significantly reduced. This streamlined approach shortens the path to market, ensuring faster results and earlier delivery of functional chips.
Important to consider:
Prototypes fabricated with different techniques or materials than the final series production part (e.g. PDMS molding or laser-cut laminates versus injection-molded thermoplastic) can differ in mechanical and chemical properties. This can affect fluidic process conditions and sealing performance, and ultimately the overall structure of the device. Experiments conducted with these materials may not be transferable to the volume production of polymer disposables. Therefore, we recommend prototyping with materials and fabrication methods that are compatible with the scaling requirements for mass production (precision milling and injection molding).
Micromilling of polymers
Starting from a single piece
For low-volume prototyping, we offer high-precision mechanical micromilling of thermoplastic polymers across a wide range of substrates and standardized interface platforms.
This method yields components that closely resemble injection-molded parts, differing for instance in an increased surface roughness in machined areas. By using platforms with matching interfaces and material properties, a seamless transition to injection molding is ensured.
For applications requiring very small structures, highly accurate z-positioning, or exceptionally smooth surfaces for optical detection, direct prototyping via injection molding is recommended from the start.
Injection molding in standard formats
Starting from 100 pieces
Injection molding is our preferred method for medium-scale prototyping to industrial-scale production.
The process begins with selecting a suitable thermoplastic based on the application and the required properties. Among others, ultra-precision milling is used to create mold inserts that define the chip body, including fluidic interfaces and intricate microfluidic structures. Molten plastic is then injected into the mold cavity under high pressure, ensuring precise replication. Once cooled and solidified, the part is ejected and ready for post-processing.
You can benefit from our pre-existing injection molding infrastructure by adapting your design to our standard platforms. This approach reduces development time and costs, allowing for fast iterations and streamlined production scale-up.
Evaluation (functional, fluidic)
Versatility – industrial manufacturer with on-site fluidic and bio labs
Our team of biologists and chemists develops tailored protocols for on-chip assays, reagent integration, surface functionalization, and more – bringing your microfluidic application to life. To support this, our laboratories are fully equipped with essential tools such as spotting systems, PCR machines, lyophilizers, electrophoresis units, and our proprietary ChipGenie® instrumentation series, specifically developed to support microfluidic workflows.
This versatility enables robust validation of microfluidic systems under realistic assay conditions.
For in-depth functional testing, our labs also feature advanced pump systems, pipetting robots, and the expertise of fluidic engineers and lab technicians. This infrastructure enables comprehensive testing of microfluidic designs, ensuring functionality, precision, and compatibility with downstream processes.
Volume production
Industrial manufacturing methods are at the heart of our business
From one to a million – from prototype to series production– scalable processes are of high importance for commercial viability of your device. Our manufacturing facilities can cover a large range of production volumes.
Working with injection molding as early as possible allows for easy and seamless upscaling once a design has proven to work, without change in design or material.
Injection molding is the preferred method for producing high-precision microfluidic devices with exceptional optical clarity and chip-to-chip reproducibility. Once the initial investment in custom mold inserts is made, production can be scaled to many thousands of chips annually—without further tooling costs.
Importantly, the molded chip body itself typically represents only a small portion of the overall production cost. Up to 80% of total manufacturing expenses often come from back-end processing steps such as assembly, sealing, reagent integration, or packaging.
As a result, production up-scaling requires not only an optimized chip design but also a tailored automation strategy for back-end processing. At microfluidic ChipShop, automated production lines in ISO-certified cleanrooms enable efficient handling of assembly, sealing, reagent integration, and packaging, ensuring consistent product quality at every production scale.
QC & custom packing
Excellence in fabrication – 100% made in Germany
To meet customer needs and comply with regulatory requirements associated with the development and fabrication of diagnostic and medical devices, microfluidic ChipShop GmbH has been certified according to DIN EN ISO 9001 and DIN ISO 13485 since 2003.
Our polymer disposables are produced in a temperature-controlled cleanroom of approximately 400 sqm (4,300 sqft). The injection molding machines are housed in cleanroom hoods in order to reduce the particle load. From this area, we transport the parts into a class 7 cleanroom (500 sqm / 5,400 sqft) for assembly and back-end processing.
We ensure quality with optical measurement stations, including a confocal white-light interferometer and high-precision stereo microscopes, as well as functional fluidics testing stations for rigorous industrial-grade quality control.
Additionally, we offer customized packing solutions, such as blister packs and branded storage boxes in various sizes, tailored to your specifications.