Used in laboratories to administer small amounts of liquid for drug delivery or chemistry research, syringe pumps can cost research labs hundreds or even thousands of dollars. But researchers from Michigan Technological University have now created an open-source library of 3D-printable designs, enabling anyone in need of the commonly used scientific tool to produce their own at a fraction of the cost.
The team of Michigan Tech students, led by Associate Professor of Materials Science and Engineering Joshua Pearce, published a series of designs, each pertaining to different components of a syringe pump. Some parts would still need to be purchased separately, such as the electric motor that pushes the fluid and the syringe itself, but the remaining parts can be built using a RepRap 3D printer.
via Gizmag
