Metrology for Bio Systems

The current paper addresses the advent of next generation bio system focussed Micro Nano Manufacturing Technologies (MNMT). These products and processes have placed significant new emphasis on specification and quality control systems, especially if these product and processes are to achieve economic scale up. Bio technology products and processes are a core element of MNMT and structured surfaces can be a key element in enabling bio system function. There examples of the application of such surfaces in bio systems for functions such as diverse as anti fouling and oseointegration. However a deficit exists in terms of metrology for bio structured surfaces and identifying suitable measurands and instrumentation remains a challenge for production engineers. Functional modelling would seem to point towards a better way of specifying metrology however for bio systems these are rare and often extensive function testing and clinical trials are used to inform the metrology selection. In the present paper the development of MNMT bio systems is discussed in the metrology context and several examples of developing metrology challenges. Four such bio related systems are discussed the solutions are outlined. The case studies cover traditional prosthetic implants, micro fluidic devices, cellular attachment and manufacture of cellular scaffolds.