Precision Syringe Pumps for OEM Liquid Handling Systems

Precision syringe pumps are used for aspiration and dispensing of liquids and gasses in analytical and diagnostic laboratory processes that require extremely high precision and accuracy. Such pumps are important components of automated liquid handling instruments and systems utilized in a variety of life science applications.

Syringe pumps typically consist of three elements: a syringe, a drive mechanism and a valve. They work by filling the syringe with fluid and emptying it through an alternate flow path. The simplest configuration features a 3-port valve. One of the ports is connected to the syringe and the other two act as the inlet and the outlet.

TriContinent’s Precision Syringe Pump Product Line

TriContinent offers a wide range of dry-running syringe modules intended for pumping both liquids and gasses. They are defined by their industry-leading precision and accuracy, wide volume and flow rate ranges. They include self-priming capabilities, a reverse flow option and long-lasting, maintenance-free operation. Our portfolio comprises:

• C-Series syringe pumps with a 3-cm stroke for syringe sizes from 50 µL to 12.5 mL and 3, 4 or 6-way valve options for multi-source aspiration and dispensing. These pumps are designed for low-flow, low-pulsation applications. They are capable of achieving a resolution of up to 192,000 micro steps/full stroke.
• CX-Series syringe pumps with a 6-cm stroke for syringe sizes from 50 µL to 25 mL and valves with up to 6 ports in a variety of configurations. These pumps excel for larger volumes and flows and are also optimized for very low-flow applications with minimal pulsation requirements. They are capable of achieving a resolution of up to 384,000 micro steps/full stroke.
• MC-Series syringe pumps with a 30-mm stroke for syringe sizes from 50 µL to 5 mL, 4, 6 or 8-channel syringe configurations and 3-port or 3-way distribution valves. These pumps are designed for multiple-probe liquid handling. They feature long-life rotary shear valves and offer full stroke resolutions of between 6,000 and 48,000 steps.
• AccuPump2 syringe pumps with 16.5-mm and 33-mm strokes for syringe sizes from 50 µL to 10 mL and both valve (diluent) and non-valve (sample) options. These pumps offer a seamless replacement for industry standard pumps using the Cavro® protocol and offer multiple configuration options.

Unique Design Features for Higher Precision

High dispense accuracy and precision are two of the most important requirements in many demanding liquid handling processes and syringe pump systems carried out in life science applications. Meeting these requriements is crucial for achieving the optimal process results. Accuracy is how close the dispense volume is to the desired result. Precision is how close the dispense volumes are relative to each other.

TriContinent’s syringe pump modules accurately and precisely handle thousands of different types of fluid. They accomplish many aspiration and dispensing operations for volumes ranging from a few microliters to 25 milliliters. Apart from offering high accuracy, they ensure the highest precision thanks to their unique design features including:

• Extremely high-resolution direct drive stepper motors that can operate in both standard and high-res modes, offering a broad range of stroke speeds.
• Lead screws with a high thread count that help control pump operation by precisely controlling the pump plunger’s linear actuation.

Typical TriContinent Precision Syringe Pump Applications

TriContinent’s precision syringe pumps are used in a number of life science applications requiring the highest metering precision and accuracy. These include:

• Clinical microbiology
• Flow cytometry
• In-vitro diagnostics (IVD)
• Mass spectrometric analysis
• Next-generation sequencing (NGS)
• Tissue diagnostics