Design and fabrication of transdermal microneedle inserts by Stereolithography for Ultrasonic Injection Molding

Abstract

In this work design of a transdermal microneedle patches with hexagonal and squared cross-sections are explored using stereolithography for manufacturing ultrasonic injection molding inserts. A multi-cavity mold was designed using Finite Element Method based software, where polypropylene injection molding simulations were performed for design optimization. Manufacture of the proposed device was assessed using a stereolithography based additive manufacturing equipment suitable for high temperature applications. Dimensional accuracy was evaluated using three-dimensional metrology. Deviational height errors of 18.05% and 39.21% were found for the hexagonal and square microneedle insert cavities. A successful proof-of-concept ultrasonic injection molding is a step forward for manufacturing of microneedles for the point-of-care.