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Software for microfluidics

Software apps help speed up the microfluidic design process.

Top-down view of a microfluidic device with six meandering fluidic channels connected to pipette interfaces. All within a SLAS adapter.

CAD tools

Computer-aided design (CAD) programs let you define the channel sizes, microfeature geometry, and footprint of your microfluidic device.

2D CAD - Easy to learn, but imprecise

Parametric 2D CAD tools like AutoCAD and DraftSight give you precise control of your microfeature dimensions. They are the go-to programs for designing photomasks used to fabricate PDMS devices by soft lithography. However, they don’t capture the full picture of your device in three dimensions, making them incompatible with other fabrication methods.

A 2D microfluidic device in AutoCAD. The features of the device are outlined in white.

2D microfluidic device in AutoCAD.

3D CAD - Powerful, but complicated

3D CAD programs are the industry standard for defining the exact details of your microfluidic device. The most common packages used by microfluidic technology developers are SolidWorks from Dassault Systèmes and Autodesk Fusion. While extremely powerful, the steep learning curve can frustrate new users.

A 3D microfluidic device in Fusion 360. The device is shown in isometric view, with the height of each feature visible.

3D microfluidic device in Fusion 360.

Schedule a workshop with our engineering team to work through the challenges of 2D and 3D CAD for microfluidics.

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Simulation tools

Computational Flow Dynamics – CFD – software can help predict your microfluidic chip’s performance before making physical devices, saving time and cost in the development process. COMSOL and ANSYS Fluent are two of the most popular programs used by pros in microfluidics.

Get expert help

Unsure where to start? Our applications team can help you select the best software options for your project.