Overview
of biosensor manufacturing process:
A biosensor incorporates a biological sensing element, such as an
enzyme, antibody, antigen, nucleic acid etc, which is associated with a
physiochemical transducer. When an analyte is presented to the
transducer, a chemical reaction takes place that provides an electrical
signal that is proportional to the concentration of the analyte. The
process is:
- The
base electrode - Typically the base transducer is made
from plastic. A number of elements are screen printed onto the plastic,
including:
- The
biological sensing element is then applied to the transducer.
Screen printing process is unsuitable for most biological materials,
particularly with high temperatures used to cure the printed
electrodes. The alternative is to dispense the material. BioDot's range
of Aspirate and Dispense (AD series) systems uses its proprietary
BioJet™ non-contact technology to deliver "on the fly"
dispensing. The drop-on-demand technology allows quantitative
dispensing from 20 nL to 4 µL in a given drop.
Often the researcher will need to experiment with a wide range of
variables when developing a biosensor. These include:
- Changing drop volume with low
coefficient of variables (c.v's)
- Adjusting drop chemistries, often
through a laborious trial and error approach.
- Adjusting drop spacing
- Applying multiple analytes
The BioJet Plus system combines high precision dispensing (typically
less than 3% at 1 µL, 5% at 100 nL), with accurate XYZ stage
movement (+/- 10 µm in X and Y). Its ability to aspirate and
dispense, coupled with high level of control of the drop-on-demand
volumes, allow combinatorial approaches to sensor development.
From a manufacturing viewpoint, BioDot offers a wide range of platforms
with the BioJet Plus technology to allow researchers to scale-up their
ideas from bench, through pilot production onto full manufacturing with
a minimum of process development issues. On-the-fly dispensing allows
extremely high manufacturing output with a typical card of 250 sensors
being dispensed in less than 30 seconds.
- The process continues to where the
individual sensors need to be cut from the cards.
BioDot offers both rotary and guillotine cutters with a variety of
blade options to suit the researcher's specific material. Furthermore,
the cutting systems can incorporate magazine card feed and bottle
collection to automate the manufacturing process.
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