Open-source interactive design platform for 3D-printed microfluidic devices

Microfluidics and 3D printing offer exciting opportunities in biology, chemistry, and medicine, but designing 3D-printed microfluidic devices remains complex and requires expertise in fluid mechanics, 3D modeling, and printing. Existing tools provide limited assistance, especially for 3D printing. This work introduces Flui3d, an interactive, open-source platform for designing microfluidic devices for 3D printing. Flui3d features a parameterized component library, multilayer design support, and design-for-manufacturing (DFM) functions that compensate for light penetration in stereolithography, enabling reliable fabrication on consumer-grade printers without specialized knowledge or custom resins. The platform outputs STL and SVG files and stores designs in human-readable JSON for sharing and reuse. We present key features and benefits, demonstrate designs and fabrication examples, evaluate design complexity, and discuss potential applications.

Yushen Zhang, Mengchu Li, Tsun-Ming Tseng, Ulf Schlichtmann