3D printer, resin, and interconnect

A method of manufacturing a microfluidic device comprising:

• constructing the microfluidic device layer by layer by applying a layer of uncured resin and curing to crosslink the layer by exposure to UV light from a UV source,
• for the exposure of each individual layer;
• the exposure of each layer comprising multiple exposures, each exposure patterned by the UV source to expose at least a portion of the layer to cure the resin in that portion and to optionally leave one or more portions unexposed to not cure resin in those portions, the exposure patterns of the multiple exposures designed to result in a layer with any combination of cured portions having a different degree of crosslinking, and uncured portions,
• the thickness of the layer sufficiently small, and the exposure to UV light of a time to crosslink resin in the exposed portions of the layer corresponding to the exposure pattern,
• without UV penetrating to any layer underlying the layer sufficient to cure uncured resin portions in the underlying layer,
• flushing uncured resin from the unexposed portions of the constructed layered microfluidic device to result in a microfluidic device with voids corresponding to the uncured portions in the layers, the voids interconnected to function as microfluidic components.

A method for interconnecting microfluidic devices comprising:

• providing a first microfluidic device with one or more microfluidic ports on a first flat surface,
• providing a second microfluidic device with one or more microfluidic ports on a second flat surface,
• the second microfluidic device having one or more integrated microgaskets on the second flat surface, an individual microgasket surrounding a microfluidic port on the second surface,
• alignment structure on the first microfluidic device and the second microfluidic device that align to hold the fluid ports of the first and second microfluidic devices in alignment,
• the microgaskets, and alignment structure on the second fluidic device formed as an integrated structure with the device using a 3D printing layer by layer method by applying repeatedly a layer of uncured resin and curing to crosslink the layer by exposure to UV light from a UV source,
• providing a clamping force that forces together the first flat surface of the first fluidic device, and the microgaskets on the second flat surface to compress the microgaskets and form a fluid seal against the second first flat surface around the microgasket-surrounded microfluidic port,
• at least one of the microfluidic ports positioned on the first flat surface to align with microfluidic ports positioned on the second flat surface such that under the clamping force, there is fluidic communication between the first microfluidic device and the second microfluidic device through microfluidic ports.