An open-source peristaltic pump with multiple independent channels for laboratory automation

Abstract

In recent years laboratory automation, high throughput characterization and self-driving laboratories have emerged as promising tools to accelerate the process of researching and developing novel materials. Many of these automated setups rely on precise and reliable liquid handling to perform their large-scale studies. Peristaltic pumps, with their simple and robust design, a low price point and only the tube itself being in contact with the fluid, are well suited to power these increasingly more complex liquid handling tasks. While existing open-source designs of peristaltic pumps already feature multiple channels to accommodate the need for more fluid lines, these channels are all powered by a single motor and can therefore not run independently of each other, reducing their usability and versatility. To overcome this limitation, we developed an open-source peristaltic pump with four fully independent pumping channels, a quick-swap cassette system and an automation friendly SiLA 2 interface. The design was created with lab automation and self-driving laboratories in mind and allows for flow rates from 0.3 μL min⁻¹ to 8 mL min⁻¹ with a repeatability of 0.2%. Another focus of the design was accessibility, with the pump built from 3D-printed parts and commonly available standardized and off-the-shelf hardware components, resulting in an affordable price point of around 280 USD.