Design and Implementation of a Triple Syringe Using Smart Monitoring

Accurate microfluidic flow control is essential for many lab-on-a-chip and point-of-care diagnostic applications. Syringe pumps are common pieces of benchtop equipment with this functionality. These systems are too expensive to be practical for use at research institutions with limited funding. 3D printing allows for the creation of a wide variety of alternative syringe pump systems; however, these systems lack the adaptable control and flow rate characterization necessary for use in microfluidic devices. Here we provide a straightforward and cheap method for managing several syringe pumps. It also demonstrates how to establish flow control and how to characterize the volume flow rates for a variety of syringe volumes.