What materials do you have?

We work in many common thermoplastics, including cyclic olefin copolymer (COC), cyclic olefin polymer (COP), poly methyl methacrylate (PMMA, also known as acrylic), polycarbonate (PC), polypropylene (PP), polystyrene (PS), and others.

See our material compatibility chart for help in choosing.

What’s the minimum order quantity?

5 parts

What’s your feature resolution?

We do sharp features down to 1 µm every day, and can also do many sub-micron features

Do you offer lidding and bonding services?

Yes! We provide both PSA lamination and thermal diffusion bonding.

How can I get fluids in and out of the finished devices?

The easiest way is to have us include fluidic ports that can receive many different types of friction-fit connectors. See our fast-track prototype page for more details.

Can I do different depths of microfeatures on one part?

Yes, our proprietary process can handle many different depths on the same part. The only limit here is the complexity of the master fabrication.

Can I combine macrofeatures and microfeatures on the same part?>

Yes, one of the big advantages of our technology is we can combine precision microfeatures right alongside macrofeatures (such as large reservoirs or through-holes). We can even put micro and macro features on the same side of the part!

What are acceptable master materials?

Etched Si, patterned photoresist on Si, etched glass, machined metal or plastic, soft substrates.

Does the type of master used determine how many parts can be made?

No, since we’re transferring the pattern the master doesn’t acquire wear as more parts are embossed

How does the type of master determine the quality of embossed parts?

Any defects that exist on your master will be faithfully reproduced in all embossed parts, so the quality of microfabrication is very important. Choose the method likely to give you the best results for your critical features and dimensions.

Can Edge provide the microfabricated master for my project?

Yes, we have a network of partners we use to provide microfabrication services. If you have a suitable wafer, we can use it. But if not, we'll take care of getting it sourced.

Can you add electrodes to embossed parts?

No, this isn’t a service we’re offering at this time

Can you embed glass windows, filters, or other external elements into finished microfluidic cartridges?

Yes, there are numerous approaches we can use to incorporate such elements.

What if I need to scale up production quickly?

No problem! We have a large capacity and can immediately scale to 1,000 to 10,000 pieces per month for most programs. This involves no changes to our tooling or process, so you’ll receive parts of the same high quality and precision as the initial prototypes.

I have a lot of prototyping to do. Can I get a discount?

Potentially yes. We are happy to discuss a partnership with you that will get you access to a guaranteed number of design iterations over an agreed period of time. In many cases we can provide better pricing in exchange for the guarantee of a longer-term relationship.

I’m currently using PDMS and require certain properties, such as optical clarity at certain wavelengths, gas permeability, or a deformable geometry. Can I switch to plastic, and can you advise me on the right choices?

Yes, in most cases there are suitable plastics that can replicate the properties you need, and we have lots of experience helping folks transition out of PDMS. We can give you as much information as you’d like and help guide the choice towards a good long-term manufacturable solution.

Is Edge Embossing ISO certified, and/or do you have a Quality Management System in place?

We aren’t currently ISO certified but are prepared to apply for certification as soon as is needed. We are also prepared to implement a Quality Management System for any production that reaches the Design Control stage.