Microbritt's new patented micromilling method enables the high-precision fabrication of customer-defined products using materials such as silicon, glass, ceramics, and polymers. The patent has been granted in Europe and validated as a Unitary Patent (covering most EU countries) and a UK national patent.
Microbritt’s patented micro-milling method was first developed at Newcastle University and then commercialised to form a spinout company three years later.
The new method is said to improve the machining quality in brittle materials by using a technique that does not stress the material during the cutting process.
“This process is called a ductile machining process,” said Dr Carl Dale, CEO and co-founder of Microbritt. “Ductile machining reduces the energy put into the material and reduces the risk of damage. Brittle materials, like silicon used in the semiconductor industry, have previously been difficult to machine because of their fragility. Still, Microbritt’s new patented process makes this possible and brings established CNC machining technology into a new manufacturing domain.”
Dr Dale added that microscale products are usually manufactured in a cleanroom facility that relies on strict parameters and restrictions on the geometries that can be defined.
“Microbritt’s micro-milling technology allows customers to make novel geometries that are challenging to manufacture by conventional means,” he said. “It can be used as an alternative or complementary to the convention.”
Microbritt’s technology has applications across several sectors for the UK economy, such as semiconductors, healthcare (microfluidics), photonics and quantum. For one of its IUK projects, Microbritt is also currently working with key partners to explore the use of microfluidics to monitor and treat agricultural crop diseases.
Microbritt has also recently secured a £400,000 investment led by the North East Innovation Fund, supported by the European Regional Development Fund, and managed by Northstar Ventures, alongside business investor Angel Groups.
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