Resonetics has developed a laser micromachining system, RapidX250, for corporate and University researches for fabrication of medical, MEMs, and microfluidics devices in a quick prototype manner with tolerances nearing 1 µm.
RAPIDX250 Resonetics RapidX250 laser micromachining system. Credit: Resonetics LLC
Semiconductor lithography is the traditional method of fabricating standard MEMs devices, but employs considerable time to perform the multi-stage process. Resonetics, a supplier of laser micromachining services and products, has the biggest plastic or polymer laser micromachining facility featuring over 50 UV-based laser micromachining systems.
Laser micromachining is a fabrication technology used in the manufacture of diagnostics systems, non-medical products, and medical devices. The newly developed RapidX250 system utilizes excimer laser having multiple wavelengths of 193 nm and 248 nm in order to fabricate the structures in just one step, considerably reducing the time of prototype designing.
Resonetics’ RapidX250 is highly flexible when compared to any other lasers and techniques. It is enables micro fabrication of two-dimensional tubes and flat sheets, three-dimensional parts such as non-planar surfaces and balloons that include goniometer, XYZ, and theta.
At a wavelength measuring 193 nm, the laser has the ability to finely ablate glass, bio-absorbable polymers, and fluropolymers including teflon, pebax, and nylon. This laser micromachining system features a rapid exchange option allowing the user to switch laser wavelength from 193 nm to 248 nm, hence proves appropriate for machining metals such as stents, ceramic, and polymers. The user-friendly RapidX250 integrates DXF file-to-CNC converter to rapidly transform concepts into prototypes that are suitable for a multi-user condition.