TNO Science & IndustryMicrofluidic technology is an important ingredient for many new technological developments. The combination of microfluidics with engineering, physics, chemistry, micro-technology, manufacturing technology, and biotechnology enables the creation of innovative miniaturized analytical systems and new production concepts. TNO has more than 10 years of experience in this field and is still growing stronger. Main application areasAnalytical instruments for physical, chemical and biological applicationsTNO develops analytical equipment for process, pharmaceutical, and semiconductor industries to improve and simplify process control. By using innovative microfluidic sensor-principles, instruments are designed for in-line determination of relevant parameters. Examples of our activities in this area include the development of microfluidic flow-meters and micro gas chromatography systems. Lab-on-a-chip for biological detectionThe trend in biological detection is in parallellization, miniaturization and integration of laboratory processes and development of on-site detection systems. We develop instruments for environmental, forensic, and medical industries to measure relevant biological parameters (e.g. in DNA, RNA, proteins). One of our main activities in this area is in lab-on-a-chip technology for the integration of sample preparation and biological detection for on-site applications. Process intensificationProcess intensification aims at making industrial processes faster, more efficient, and environment-friendly. We play an important role in the development and implementation of process intensification technologies in the fine-chemical and pharmaceutical industry. This involves upscaling of existing technologies and development of new technologies. Examples of our efforts include the development and scale-up of the helix mini-reactor and the development of parallel micro-reactor systems. Printing equipmentPrinting is a versatile technique to produce sprays and deposit thin layers of materials. TNO explores the different high-end application areas of printing. Our main activities are in printing highly viscous materials (e.g. bio-compatible materials or highly viscous polymers), in pyrolytic metal printing, and in micro stereolithography for 3D structures for custom manufacturing. The role of TNO in R&DTNO is an independent contract research & development organization. We work on projects ranging from basic research to the development of functional models and/or prototypes. We support a large variety of customers in their research and development, ranging from small to large international companies. Our customers are offered various possibilities for their R&D:
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