OS1: An Open-Source Automated High-Resolution DLP Printer for Microfluidic Device Fabrication

Open Source 1 (OS1), an open-source, high-resolution, DLP-based vat photopolymerization platform for fabricating microfluidic devices. Microfluidic function is defined by interconnected negative features, i.e., void regions that form channels, chambers, valves, and other fluidic elements within the printed structure. Accurately producing these features requires high optical resolution, uniform exposure, precise build-surface alignment, and reliable focus control. OS1 addresses these requirements in an automated platform derived from more than 10 years of custom DLP printer development for microfluidics. The printer enables rapid fabrication of microfluidic devices with complex three-dimensional negative-feature geometries that are difficult to achieve using traditional cleanroom-based methods. To reduce dependence on specialized hardware expertise and custom calibration tools, OS1 includes automatic build-surface planarization, automated focus calibration, active focus correction across the build area using a confocal displacement sensor, light-engine power correction using a fiber-optic photodiode sensor, and grayscale image correction for improved irradiance uniformity. These capabilities support repeatable, high-quality fabrication while making advanced microfluidic 3D printing more accessible to other research groups.

This repository is the home to the digital design files for the OS1's hardware, the standalone instruction manual, and the bill of materials.