Table 5 Subtractive manufacturing of microneedles
From: A Review of Nano/Micro/Milli Needles Fabrications for Biomedical Engineering
Fabrication methods | Fabrication illustrations | SEM images | Materials | Advantages | Typical limitations | Typical applications |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Photolithography and etching |
| Solid microneedles
| Silicon, Tungsten | High precision, high efficiency, fit for mass production | Expensive equipment, harsh environment, multiple steps | Bio-sensoring, drug delivery |
Micro machining | ||||||
Laser machining |
| Solid microneedles
| Copper, Titanium, Stainless steel | High efficiency, maskless, high flexibility, non-contact machining | Rough surface quality, lower machining accuracy, arced needle tip | Bio-electrode, bio-sensoring, drug delivery, bioinspired microneedles |
Mililing machining |
| Solid microneedles
| Aluminum alloy, Stainless steel 316L | High precision, good surface quality | Low efficiency, high cost | Microneedle template |
Wire electrical discharge machining |
| Solid microneedles
| Stainless steel | High precision, good aspect ratio, reproducibility | Time consuming, limited material | Bio-electrode |
