Great shapes

A microstructure manufacturing technique being developed by university researchers could create plastic devices for micro-fluidic systems such as mixers, separators, valves and pumps.

The technology from

, Edinburgh, uses a micro-structured conductive metal stamper called a micro-stencil and electrostatic forces to shape a polymer surface.

The principle behind the process is similar to electrostatic printing or copying, in which electrostatic forces are used to form an image in powder or ink directly on the surface to be printed.

Like electrostatic printing, Heriot-Watt's high-resolution technology is non-contact. But instead of creating printed documents, it can be used to create both flat and 3D surfaces, including internal and external radiuses.

'The set-up really is simple,' said Weixing Yu, a Heriot-Watt research associate working on the development. 'The process begins by spin coating a polymer on to a conductive surface. You then need a high-voltage power supply to apply the voltage onto the micro-stencil and the polymer coated surface.'