R2R Biofluidics · Project

Mass-Producing Cheap Diagnostic Chips Using Printing-Press Technology

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Imagine making medical test chips the same way newspapers are printed — on giant rolls, thousands at a time, dirt cheap. Right now, those tiny lab-on-a-chip devices that detect infections or screen drugs are made slowly and expensively, one batch at a time. This project built a pilot production line that stamps microscopic channels and sensors onto plastic foil in a continuous roll, like a printing press for diagnostics. They proved it works for two real products: a rapid infection-detection chip and a neuron-screening chip for drug development.

By the numbers

100 m²

Foil imprinted per pilot run for each demonstrator chip type

Consortium partners including 9 industry and 7 SMEs

75%

Industry partner ratio in the consortium

Fully functional demonstrator chip types delivered (IVD and drug screening)

Countries involved (AT, DE, DK, ES)

The business problem

What needed solving

Medical diagnostic chips and drug screening devices are expensive to manufacture because they require microscopic channels and sensors built through slow, batch-based processes. This keeps per-unit costs high and limits how widely these devices can be deployed, especially for point-of-care testing outside of hospitals. The industry needs a way to mass-produce these complex micro- and nanostructured devices as cheaply and quickly as printing a newspaper.

The solution

What was built

The project built an operational roll-to-roll pilot manufacturing line and delivered two fully functional demonstrator chips: DEM1 for point-of-care MRSA infection detection with imprinted optical nanostructures, and DEM2 for neuron-based drug screening with nanostructured growth channels. Pilot runs imprinted 100 m² of foil per demonstrator type.

Audience

Who needs this

Point-of-care diagnostic device manufacturers looking to cut chip production costsPharmaceutical companies running high-throughput neuron-based drug screeningContract manufacturers of plastic microfluidic and lab-on-chip devicesMedical device companies wanting to scale from batch to continuous productionFood safety testing companies needing affordable rapid-test chips

Business applications

Who can put this to work

Medical diagnostics

mid-size

Target: Point-of-care diagnostic device manufacturer

If you are a diagnostic device company struggling with high per-unit costs for lab-on-chip tests — this project built a roll-to-roll pilot manufacturing line that stamps microfluidic channels and optical nanostructures onto plastic foil at 100 m² per run. Their DEM1 chip detects MRSA infections with improved sensitivity thanks to imprinted nanoscale optical structures. This could drastically cut your production costs compared to batch-based manufacturing.

Pharmaceutical R&D

enterprise

Target: Drug screening and discovery company

If you are a pharma company running high-throughput drug screening on neurons and need better, cheaper screening plates — this project developed DEM2, a chip with nano-to-microstructured channels that align and grow neurons in a controlled way. The roll-to-roll manufacturing approach means these specialized screening devices can be produced in volumes that match standard microtiter plate formats, making large-scale drug screening more affordable.

Microfluidics manufacturing

any

Target: Contract manufacturer of plastic microfluidic devices

If you are a contract manufacturer looking to scale up microfluidic device production beyond batch processing — this project demonstrated a complete roll-to-roll process chain with 12 partners across 4 countries, including an operational pilot manufacturing line. They produced fully functional chips combining R2R top and bottom foils, proving that continuous-flow production of complex micro- and nanostructured devices is industrially feasible.

Frequently asked

Quick answers

How much would R2R-manufactured chips cost compared to current batch production?

The project objective explicitly states that R2R fabrication will 'greatly reduce production costs and increase manufacturing capacity with respect to currently used products.' Specific per-unit pricing was not published in the available data, but the fundamental economics of continuous roll-to-roll vs. batch processing favor significant cost reduction at volume.

Can this actually run at industrial scale?

Yes. The consortium built an operational roll-to-roll pilot manufacturing line and demonstrated pilot imprinting runs of 100 m² of foil for both demonstrator chips. The production line combines R2R nanoimprinting with complementary printing and manufacturing technologies in a complete process chain.

Who owns the IP and can I license this technology?

The consortium of 12 partners across Austria, Germany, Denmark, and Spain developed this technology. IP is likely shared among the 9 industry partners and 3 research organizations. Contact the coordinator, Joanneum Research (Austria), to discuss licensing arrangements.

What specific products were demonstrated?

Two demonstrators were built: DEM1, an in-vitro diagnostic chip for point-of-care MRSA detection with imprinted optical nanostructures for improved sensitivity; and DEM2, a neuron-based drug screening device with nanostructured channels for controlled neuron growth. Both were produced as fully functional test chips.

How mature is this technology — is it ready for production?

The project reached pilot-line readiness. They delivered an operational R2R pilot manufacturing line, fully functional test chips for both demonstrators, and ran pilot imprinting at 100 m² scale. Backend processing was still batch-based in some deliverables, indicating the full end-to-end R2R chain may need further integration.

What standards and formats do the chips follow?

The demonstrators adopt current standard formats — microtiter plate format and microscope slide format — which means they are designed to be compatible with existing laboratory equipment and workflows. This reduces the barrier to adoption for end users.

Consortium

Who built it

This is a heavily industry-driven consortium: 9 out of 12 partners are from industry, with 7 being SMEs, giving a 75% industry ratio — well above average for EU projects. The consortium spans 4 countries (Austria, Germany, Denmark, Spain) with Joanneum Research in Austria coordinating. The strong SME presence across the value chain — from nanoimprinting equipment to chip design to end-user applications — signals that this technology was developed with commercial viability in mind, not just academic interest. For a business buyer, this means the technology was shaped by companies that understand manufacturing economics and market requirements.

JOANNEUM RESEARCH FORSCHUNGSGESELLSCHAFT MBHCoordinator · AT
GENSPEED BIOTECH GMBHparticipant · AT
SCIENION GmbHparticipant · DE
INMOLD ASparticipant · DK
EV GROUP E. THALLNER GMBHparticipant · AT
FUNDACION TECNALIA RESEARCH & INNOVATIONparticipant · ES
BIONIC SURFACE TECHNOLOGIES GMBHparticipant · AT
BIONANONET FORSCHUNGSGESELLSCHAFT MBHparticipant · AT
MICRO RESIST TECHNOLOGY GESELLSCHAFT FUER CHEMISCHE MATERIALIEN SPEZIELLER PHOTORESISTSYSTEME MBHparticipant · DE
Innovative Technologies in Biological Systemsparticipant · ES
BIFLOW SYSTEMS GMBHparticipant · DE

How to reach the team

Joanneum Research Forschungsgesellschaft MBH, Austria — a major Austrian applied research organization. SciTransfer can facilitate a direct introduction to the project team.

Order a report on this consortium See JOANNEUM RESEARCH FORSCHUNGSGESELLSCHAFT MBH profile →

Next steps

Talk to the team behind this work.

Want to explore licensing the R2R manufacturing process or the chip designs? SciTransfer can connect you directly with the right people in the consortium — contact us for a matchmaking introduction.

Order a report on this topic More in Health & Biomedical