Case Study
PEEK HPV Microfluidic Manifold Block for an Analytical Instrument OEM
Microfluidic flow manifold block with narrow channels
Overview
| Industry | Analytical / laboratory instrument OEM |
|---|---|
| Part | Microfluidic flow manifold block with narrow channels |
| Material | PEEK HPV (low-friction wear grade) |
| Batch | Small-batch production |
The requirement
A medical diagnostics company needed a microfluidic flow manifold that carries reagent continuously without fouling, with sealing faces clean enough to seal reliably and a channel network narrow enough to control the flow precisely.
The challenge
HPV PEEK produced stringy, beaded burrs at the channel exits, and the sealing faces had to be scratch-free and uniform to seal reliably.
Our approach
High-speed, low-depth-of-cut parameters to minimise stringing, positive-rake carbide tooling, and soft-brush deburring instead of blasting.
Five steps from drawing to delivery
- DFM review and material plan — Channel widths, exit geometry and the sealing faces were reviewed against the drawing, and PEEK HPV was selected for its low-friction wear grade rather than the base grade.
- Fixturing, tooling and programming — Positive-rake carbide tooling with high-speed, low-depth-of-cut parameters, chosen so the stringy chips HPV PEEK produces are broken rather than pulled at the exit.
- Rough and finish machining — The channels machined with those parameters and the sealing faces finished last, keeping them clear of tool witness and of the stress zone around the channels.
- In-house inspection — Dimensional check of the channel network and the sealing faces on the CMM, plus a visual check of every channel exit for burrs.
- Documentation and delivery — A first-article inspection report tied to the drawing revision, material certificates for the batch and batch traceability.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
HPV PEEK has a high melt viscosity and strings at the channel exits. High-speed, low-depth-of-cut parameters with positive-rake carbide tooling break the chips instead of pulling them out of the wall.
Blasting embeds particles in a part whose whole purpose is to carry reagent cleanly. We used soft-brush deburring and kept the sealing faces clear of tool witness.
The channels were machined first and the sealing faces finished last, away from the stress zone around the channels, so they stay flat and uniform enough to seal.
The channel network and the sealing faces on the CMM, plus a visual check of every channel exit. The assembly passed the customer's leak test with low friction maintained.
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