Design Tools Aid Biochip Development

The "lab-on-a-chip" market segment is said to be served with the introduction of FlumeCAD, an integrated CAD system targeting the needs of the micro-Total Analysis System (µTAS) industry. The software enables the general design of integrated chemical and biochemical analysis or synthesis systems. The package supports 3D simulation of chemical transport in electrophoretic, electroosmotic, and pressure-driven systems. It includes tools for the design and analysis of DNA separation and PCR amplification systems on chip. Other benefits include 3D device physics modeling of fluidic microcomponents; performing flow, chemical transport, and containment analysis; enabling analysis of complex fluidic networks; and calibrating microchemical flows with valid simulations.