About MiniFAB
Your Partner from Product Design to Volume Manufacturing
About MiniFAB 11 years, hundreds of projects worldwide
MiniFAB is a privately-held contract engineering firm providing custom development and manufacture of disposable polymer microfluidic and micro-engineered products. MiniFAB was established in 2002 and is headquartered in Melbourne, Australia with satellite offices in the United States and Europe. MiniFAB's internationally-renowned team of engineers, industrial designers and biochemists has completed over 900 projects with clients worldwide.
Our mission is to create business success for our clients and our company by developing and manufacturing real world solutions and products using micro, nano, and biotechnologies.
Quick Facts about MiniFAB
- Private company established in 2002
- Headquarters in Melbourne, Australia
- Satellite offices in Europe, US
- Over 30 languages spoken in-house
- People with over 300 years of combined micro-tech experience
- Multi-disciplinary including physics, chemistry, biology, engineering, material science and commercialisation
- ISO 9001 and ISO 13485 certified with Class 1,000 and 10,000 cleanrooms in 45,000ft2 building with 4,000ft2 cleanrooms and 4,000ft2 GMP
MiniFAB has core expertise in microfluidic systems and lab-on-chip solutions for point-of-care (POC), laboratory, and in-field applications. MiniFAB delivers custom solutions into diverse markets including diagnostics and medical devices, environmental monitoring, food packaging and aerospace.
Our company culture is all about delivering for the customer. Working together is what we do best. Our friendly and professional team integrates seamlessly with your team, leading to efficient project management and overall success. At MiniFAB, we distinguish ourselves by having a multidisciplinary team of highly skilled and creative individuals with extensive international experience all working within our 45,000ft2 (4,200m2) facility.
This means that everything from the prototyping, testing, manufacturing and packaging is performed under one roof, all within an ISO 13485:2012 environment. At MiniFAB your concepts are converted into reality faster and more cost-effectively. MiniFAB's proven ability to solve significant and complex technical challenges enables clients to capitalise upon key intellectual property, add value to portfolios and enhance market competitiveness.
Executive Team Meet the team at MiniFAB
Erol Harvey, PhD CEO
Erol is the co-founder and CEO of MiniFAB. Erol has successfully combined a distinguished academic career and entrepreneurial spirit.
With a PhD in Plasma and Laser Physics from Monash University, he spent time in Oxford, UK before returning to Australia in 1999 to become Professor of Microtechnology at Swinburne University specialising in microfluidics, polymer microengineering and packaging.
His team was the seed for the subsequent formation of the CRC for MicroTechnology, a AUD$75M vehicle that brought together Australian academia and industry, attracting such names as Cochlear Ltd, Robert Bosch Australia, and the Australian Institute of Sports.
In 2002, together with Michael Wilkinson, he founded MiniFAB. Erol has served on a number of local and federal Australian government committees, international program review panels and in 2006 Erol was elected a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering (ATSE).
Andrew Campitelli, PhD Manager, Business Development
andrewcampitelli@minifab.com.au
Andrew leads the business development activity at MiniFAB, focusing on building business relationships with clients, creating product development strategies and the development of new business opportunities.
Prior to joining MiniFAB, Andrew established and led the Biosensor Group at IMEC in Belgium, a world-leading research Centre in nano-electronics and nanotechnology.
Andrew has over 15 years professional experience in applied micro and nanotechnology research and development, product design, biosensor development and exploitation, point-of-care diagnostic systems, project management, team and business creation and leadership, strategic planning.
Andrew originally trained as an Engineer, with a PhD in Engineering (RMIT, Melbourne, Australia) and post-doctoral stage (CNRS, France) both specialising in microsystem based biosensors for diagnostic applications.
Bas Garst, MEng Manager, Manufacturing
At MiniFAB Bas is responsible for the ISO13485:2012 certified manufacturing of medical devices and components. As Manufacturing Manager, Bas works with clients to develop and implement strategies for the transfer of Proof-of-Principle devices to pilot production level suitable for clinical trials and then through to volume manufacture.
Trained in The Netherlands in mechanical engineering with a product design focus, his Masters of Engineering research was with the CRC for MicroTechnology at Swinburne University of Technology in Australia. His research focused on manufacturing and integration technologies for polymer micro-engineered devices, knowledge and skills that he uses extensively at MiniFAB.
Bas established and manages the manufacturing facilities in our cleanrooms that incorporate technologies such as laser ablation, micro-injection moulding, gold deposition, assembly and packaging.
Jason Hayes, PhD Manager, Product Development
Jason Hayes is MiniFAB's Manager of Product Development, member of the Senior Management Team and one of MiniFAB's most experienced Project Managers. Since joining MiniFAB in 2002 Jason has been responsible for delivering many key projects in the area of microfabrication, microfluidic devices and medical diagnostics, working with Australian, European and US based clients. Dr Hayes was also responsible for installing MiniFAB's ISO13485:2012 Quality Management System and for the successful certification audit.
Jason now has over 15 years professional experience in applied micro and nano technology research and development, with particular emphasis in transfer of product development activities to manufacturing. Prior to joining MiniFAB in 2002 Jason worked as systems engineer integrating turnkey laser solutions into development and manufacturing facilities around the world (1996-1999), and then as a senior lecturer (MicroSystems Technology) at Swinburne University of Technology (1999-2006).
Jason earned his BSc and PhD in Applied Physics from the University of Hull in the UK, both specialising in the application of lasers technologies.
Meet some of our Team
Our Board
Michael Wilkinson Chairman
Michael Wilkinson (B.Eng.) has over 20 years of experience in the pharmaceutical and construction industries.
Michael is also a Board Member of the Small Technologies Cluster (STC), a cluster organisation aimed at encouraging the uptake of small technologies in industry. Michael is actively involved in community development and helped in the establishment of the South East Melbourne Innovation Precinct (SEMIP).
As the Chairman and a founding investor of MiniFAB (AUST) Pty Ltd, Michael has been intimately involved in the development of the company since its inception in 2002.
Dr Erol Harvey Director & CEO
Erol has successfully combined a distinguished academic career and entrepreneurial spirit. With a PhD in Plasma and Laser Physics from Monash University, he spent time in Oxford, UK before returning to Australia in 1999 to become Professor of Microtechnology at Swinburne University.
His team was the seed for the subsequent formation of the CRC for MicroTechnology, an AUD$75M vehicle that brought together Australian academia and industry, attracting such names as Cochlear Ltd, Robert Bosch Australia, and the Australian Institute of Sports.
In 2002, together with Michael Wilkinson, he founded MiniFAB. A founding Director of the Australian Nano Business Forum (ANBF), in 2006 Erol was elected a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering (ATSE).
Dr Bruce Whan Director
Dr Bruce Whan has been actively involved in innovation and commercialisation for over 20 years. He is currently the Director of Swinburne University of Technology's commercialisation unit, Swinburne Knowledge and is the CEO of Swinburne Ventures. He is also a Board Member for Commercialisation Australia.
He was Executive Director then Chairman of INNOVIC, the Victorian Innovation Centre Ltd for over 20 years, helping entrepenuers, inventors, and innovators achieve commercial success. He also has extensive experience in training and teaching.
He was the General Manager, Training and Innovation for the Strategic Industry Research Foundation and has provided sessional teaching input on innovation and creativity to Swinburne's Master of Entreprenuership and Innovation program.
Previously, Dr. Whan has held a range of research, technical, operational and management positions in industry.
Careers
MiniFAB has no positions open at this time however we are always on the lookout for high calibre staff.
If you are a truly exceptional person who stands above the crowd please send your application to careers@minifab.com.au and let us know why you must join the MiniFAB team.
Partnering
MiniFAB's business strategy is to help our clients develop and manufacture micro-engineered products. To do this, we regularly search for next-generation technologies and processes that we can evaluate to include in our suite of services.
MiniFAB is particularly interested in collaborations that provide next-generation enabling technology, new manufacturing processes, or other technologies relevant to microfluidic device design, engineering, manufacture, assembly and packaging.
