CAD, CAM, CNC Machining, 3D Printing, Laser Cutting, Mechanics
Auto-Aligning, Spring-Loaded
Pipette Adapter
A team of engineers customized a mini CNC pen engraver to be used to automate pipetting and the testing of large volumes of silica nitrite nanopores and test strip consumables.
I worked on designing and building an adapter for the machine. The issue was that four pipettes had to plug into four fluid holes and seal consistently despite any slight variation in the height of the consumables used, the pipettes themselves, and any slight misalignment of the fluid ports, (about +/- 500μm).
The auto-aligning setup I made worked by spring-loading pipettes using customary, 3D printed press-fit adapters that screwed onto barbed inlets that accepted the tubing that would carry liquid samples.
A laser-cut, acrylic bracket held by standoffs was used to position and hold the pipettes in place just enough to guide them into the fluid ports of the consumable.
Fillets surrounding the fluid ports on the consumable further guided the tips of the pipettes into making full contact and sealing the ports.
The use of springs allowed the pipettes to wiggle around just enough to align with the fluid holes if they were slightly off-centered.
