Table 1.
Comparison of Bubble Trap Fabrication Strategies.
| CNC Machining | FDM 3D Printing |
Resin 3D Printing |
Soft Lithography |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Est. cost (USD, per degasser) | ~$1’s (at 1000s scale)–~$100’s (at 10s scale) 1 | $0.02 | $1.25 | $2.50 |
| Est. fabrication time (25 chips) | 2–3 weeks 1 | 12–25 h 2 | 40 min | 3–5 days 3 |
| Material | Polystyrene | Polylactic acid | Photocurable acrylate resins | Polydimethyl-siloxane |
| Material elasticity |
Low | Low | Moderate | High |
| Tubing connections |
Inserted adapters, barbed fittings | Integrated barbs | Direct raised ports | Direct ports or fittings |
| Optical transparency |
High | Moderate | Moderate—High | High |
1 Outsourced, varies by build number. 2 Depends on nozzle size. 3 Depends on molds available.