Objective LIGA based membrane pump The designed and fabricated piezo-driven polymer membrane pumps with outer dimensions of 12 x 12 x 3 mm, are very robust and are the first micropumps working equally well with gases and liquids, exhibiting a really reliable self filling behaviour with liquids. The maximum flow rates are 250 ul/min for water and 2 ml/min for air. Using water the pump can build up pressures of more than 1200 hPa, using air the maximum back pressure is still around 500 hPa. Self filling of the micropumps is enabled by their ability to create a vacuum of 350 hPa. LIGA based gear pump Miniaturised gear pumps have been designed and fabricated, which are particularly suited for use with high viscosity liquids. The pumps with LIGA fabricated gear wheels of 596 um and 1192 um and with outer dimensions of 10 x 10 x 30 mm are driven by small electromagnetic motors. Using oil as pumping medium the pumps achieve back pressure of far more than 1200 hPa and flow rates of up to 1 ml/min. The self filling pumps tolerate air bubbles and particles contained in the working medium. The very small volumes displaced of just 82 nl respectively 213 nl per revolution offer the possibility of very precise dosing of viscous fluids such as oil. Modelling and simulation Modelling and simulation have been performed using commercial (and well-known) FEM packages and the system modelling tool CAMAS/20-Sim. Substantial understanding of the fluidic and mechanical behaviour of micropumps and their components, in particular membrane valves, has been gained. An addition to the existing commercial software is the developed coupled fluid and mechanics solver FAME. Materials analysis An optimisation technique for material parameter extraction has been developed and is successfully used with silicon nitride and titanium membranes. An auto-focus optical set-up to measure membrane deflections has been fabricated which, combined with an optimisation program for material parameter extraction, enables the parameter extraction. Fabrication technology Apart from the (further) development of LIGA based fabrication technology dedicated to micropumps special assembly techniques for microfluidic systems, including laser welding, integrated tubing and self-alignment structures, have been developed. (IMM) In addition, an alternative fabrication technology for high aspect ratio structures, DEEMO (Dry Etching Electroplating and Moulding), has been evaluated to be feasible for applications with less extreme requirements (aspect ratio, wall smoothness). (MESA) Characterisation set-up (3T) A flexible characterisation and test set-up for microfluidic components and systems has been developed. The set-up consists of a fluid part, a carbon dioxide based priming system, sensors (flow and pressure), actuators (flow and pressure), driving and sensor interface electronics and is controlled by a LabView application VI set, making possible the automatic execution of a number of measurement protocols on microfluidic components and complete systems (e.g. micro analysis systems - uTas).The project aims to the development of a working model of a micropump by means of the LIGA technology. LIGA is a (German) acronym for "Lithographie, Galvanoforming, Abformung" and combines deep x-ray lithography with microelectroforming and micromoulding processes. The innovations of the project are the use of the "third" dimension and appropriate polymer structural materials - not applicable in silicon technology - leading to more compact pumping devices, more potential applications and more cost efficient production processes. The project will result in an analysis of the (application) possibilities of LIGA and silicon technology based micropumps. The partners are truly complementary: an expert in silicon micropumps, an expert in LIGA technology and a technology and a technology transfer company.The following topics will be addressed. Designing and modelling of micropumps with regard to LIGA, material research, fabrication and characterization/testing of working models. It is believed that a generic micropump will become an important device within future applications like in medicine and environmental technology. Fields of science natural scienceschemical sciencesinorganic chemistrytransition metalssocial sciencespolitical sciencespolitical transitionsrevolutionsnatural scienceschemical sciencespolymer sciencesengineering and technologyelectrical engineering, electronic engineering, information engineeringelectronic engineeringsensorsnatural scienceschemical sciencesinorganic chemistrymetalloids Programme(s) FP3-BRITE/EURAM 2 - Specific programme (EEC) of research and technological development in the field of industrial and materials technologies, 1990-1994 Topic(s) 2.1.2 - Design methodologies for complex components Call for proposal Data not available Funding Scheme CSC - Cost-sharing contracts Coordinator UNIV TWENTE EU contribution No data Address P.O. BOX 217 7500 AE ENSCHEDE Netherlands See on map Total cost No data Participants (2) Sort alphabetically Sort by EU Contribution Expand all Collapse all 3T TWENTE TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER BV Netherlands EU contribution No data Address INSTITUTENWEG 1 7500 DP ENSCHEDE See on map Total cost No data INSTITUT FUER MIKROTECHNIK MAINZ GMBH Germany EU contribution No data Address CARL-ZEISS-STRASSE 18-20 55129 MAINZ See on map Total cost No data
