32-position valve solves fluid transfer dilemma

Omnifit has helped the manufacturer of a cell analysis instrument solve a difficult fluid transfer problem by providing a custom-designed 32-position inert rotary valve

Omnifit has helped the manufacturer of a cell analysis instrument solve a difficult fluid transfer problem by providing a custom-designed 32-position inert rotary valve.

The customer required a 16-port electrical rotary valve, with four of the ports capable of handling a wax material at 70C, and the remaining 12 ports required to handle aggressive fluids.

The valve also had to be able to switch to an 'off' position between each port, requiring a total of 32 positions.

The customer also had specific dimensional limitations for the valve, which added additional challenges to the design process.

After holding extensive consultations with the client engineering team to determine their specific requirements, Omnifit designed and manufactured prototypes to enable the customer to undertake validation studies.

Once the final design was agreed, manufacturing was scheduled to meet the call-off requirements.

The custom solution devised by Omnifit was based on an inert rotary valve with a stainless steel rotor and a PTFE body.

The internal flow paths are 4mm in diameter to maintain adequate flow rate.

Integral heaters are incorporated to maintain the valve assembly at 70C, ensuring the wax fluid flows smoothly through the required ports.

An optical encoder ensures accurate positioning of the rotor to maximise flow rate.

Driven by a 24 volt DC motor, the valve is positioned using computer-controlled TTL compatible signals.

Overall dimensions of the valve are 210mm x 140mm x 110mm.

Omnifit has been a specialist designer and manufacturer of inert fluidic components for over 30 years.

Its products for instrument manufacturers include bottle caps, fittings, tubing sets, manual and electric valves and chromatography columns.

When designs are approved, Omnifit manufactures to meet the customer supply chain requirements for scheduled, Kanban or JIT delivery.

Partnered with Bio-Chem Valve, the Omnifit provides a complete line of precision fluid transfer solutions.

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