Our Objectives
The centre’s aim is to stimulate take up and accelerate time to market of products using a combination of technologies, components and solutions, working with a network of qualified supply chain partners to supply total system solutions. The evolving facility is designed to achieve a high degree of flexibility without neglecting the need to use processes that provide a route to reliable, reproducible, cost effective manufacturing.
Fluence is a service located in the North East of England, that operates within the UK Micro and Nanotechnology (MNT) Network and the EU Microsystem integration service, INTEGRAMplus, and is focused on supporting the development of products enabled by microfluidic and MNT processes, integrated microfluidic devices and hybrid polymer solutions.
It is operated and owned by Epigem and delivers its solutions by building on Epigem’s existing service capabilities, IP and know how. These solutions include independent advise on selection of materials of construction and methods of polymer fabrication taking account of the range of functions that may require integration and the implications this has for product assembly.
Open access services are provided from proof of concept to prototyping to supply of product for market development. Commercialisation can proceed through the manufacturing operations of the client of Fluence or by transfer to Epigem.
Microfluidic device development employs the Fluence™ tool kit, plug and play methodology, that has successfully taken a number of start up companies from proof of concept to commercial exploitation.
Fluence provides, for example, micro-sealing techniques to interface from the macro to micro and nano domains, enabling 3D multilevel devices with integrated optics, silicon sensors, fine line circuitry and surface chemistry function integration options, plus fluid flow control using microvalves and pumps.
Microfluidically enabled wet coating and imprinting using both sheet and reel to reel film processing, class 100 clean, is supporting the UK’s leading polymer electronics companies and is available for other markets where high volumes are required.