ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the methods to fabricate the microchannels for biomedical and microfluidic devices. Conventional and unconventional methods have been used to fabricate different types of microchannels. Manufacturing techniques are micromilling, lithography, extrusion processes, and ablation laser processing. It has always been a difficult task to use conventional production technologies to fabricate the microchannels. In the past few years, some hybrid techniques for the production of microchannels have also been developed. This chapter provides a comprehensive review of the different techniques and procedures used for fabricating the microchannels. The working procedure of the microchannel’s fabrication with different shapes and sizes has also been discussed. The potential application of the hybrid machining processes such as electrochemical machining and rotary ultrasonic machining for the fabrication of the microchannels has been highlighted. In the last section, case studies for fabricating the microchannels duly supported with technical interpretation and surface micrographs have been presented.
KeywordsFabrication; Microchannels; Hybrid machining; Ultrasonic; Laser; PMMA.
