A Novel Technique for Quality Control of Microinjection Molding

In the microinjection molding process, continuous monitoring is important for optimization of the process and control. In microfluidic or lab-on-chip devices, defective microfeatures can compromise biological assays and diagnostic results, and therefore, the quality of these features is a critical issue. Microfeatures can be inspected using advanced inspection and microscopic techniques, but these are expensive, time-consuming, and difficult to use for full-scale production. We present here a new technique for quality control of microfeatures, which uses the filling of a controlled microcavity inside or outside the molded part as a quality control tool for filling microfeatures. Micro gaps (checkpoints) are used as an indicator of microfeature filling. Two micro gaps can be used for filling (checkpoints) as a Go/No-Go gauge.