Which setting is safe when you cannot repeat a run? The right syringe pump dosing mode depends on what you need to control. Use volume and flow rate when the dose and the speed both matter. Use volume and time when the run must end on time. Use flow rate and time when you need a steady flow.
A wrong setting can ruin a costly sample. All facts here come from the DK Infusetek website. Its lab and industrial pumps are not for medical use. The ISPLab01-Pro has three metering methods.
What Is a Metering Method in a Syringe Pump?
A metering method tells the pump how much liquid to move, and how. It uses three inputs: volume, flow rate and time. Each method uses two of them.
How Flow Rate Is Set
Flow rate equals linear speed times the inner area of the syringe. Linear speed is how fast the plunger moves. Infusetek shares this rule on the ISPLab01-Pro, ISPLab04 and SPLab pages. A wrong inner diameter gives a wrong flow.
Working Mode vs. Metering Method
A working mode is which way the pump moves. A metering method is how the pump sets the dose. They are not the same thing.
Working modes on the ISPLab01-Pro: infusion, withdrawal, infusion-withdrawal, withdrawal-infusion and continuous.
Metering methods: volume and flow rate, volume and time, and flow rate and time.
How to Choose the Right Syringe Pump Dosing Mode
Pick the two settings that protect what your test cannot lose. It may be the dose, the end time or the flow.
Dosing Mode Comparison Table
|
Dosing mode
|
You set
|
Best when
|
Watch for
|
|
Volume and flow rate
|
Total volume, speed
|
You need an exact dispense volume at a set speed
|
The syringe inner diameter must be correct
|
|
Volume and time
|
Total volume, run time
|
The run must finish in a set period
|
Check that the resulting speed suits your liquid
|
|
Flow rate and time
|
Speed, run time
|
A steady stream must last a set period
|
Check that the resulting total volume is what you want
|
Quick Decision List
If the dose and the speed both matter, use volume and flow rate.
If the end time matters, use volume and time.
If the flow must stay steady, use flow rate and time.
Volume and Flow Rate: When the Dose Must Be Exact
Use volume and flow rate when you need a fixed dispense volume at a set speed. Adding a set amount of reagent to a vessel is one example.
The ISPLab01-Pro shows the volume in real time. You can also calibrate it. The ISPLab04 and SPLab pages call this pair infusion volume to infusion rate. Full specs are on the ISPLab01-Pro page.
Volume and Time: When the Run Must End on Time
Use volume and time when the length of the run is your limit. A timed test is a simple case. You set the total volume and the run time. The run stops when the time is up. This helps when a test must stop at a set hour.
The ISPLab01-Pro, ISPLab04 and SPLab Series all have it. Their pages call it infusion volume to infusion time.
Flow Rate and Time: When the Flow Must Stay Steady
Use flow rate and time when a steady flow matters more than the total volume. Take electrospinning. Infusetek says the flow rate of the polymer solution sets the fiber thickness. It also affects the fiber structure and its mechanical properties.
Among the models checked, only the ISPLab01-Pro has this method. A set speed over a set period keeps the flow even. You can change its flow rate during a run. The pump does not need to stop.
Which Infusetek Lab Pump Offers Which Metering Method?
Only the ISPLab01-Pro has all three methods. The ISPLab04 and SPLab Series have two each.
Metering Methods by Model
|
Model
|
Metering methods
|
Flow rate range
|
Accuracy
|
|
ISPLab01-Pro
|
3: volume and flow rate, volume and time, flow rate and time
|
0.008 nL/min to 165.871 mL/min
|
≤±0.3% (stroke ≥30% of max)
|
|
ISPLab04
|
2: volume and rate, volume and time
|
0.2 nL/min to 26.177 mL/min
|
≤±0.3% (stroke ≥30% of max)
|
|
SPLab Series
|
2: volume and rate, volume and time
|
1 nL/min to 165.8 mL/min
|
≤±0.5% (stroke ≥30% of max)
|
The ISPLab04 takes 10 μL to 10 mL syringes. The ISPLab01-Pro takes syringes from 0.5 μL to 150 mL. You can see more models in the Laboratory Syringe Pump category.
Real-Time Display, Live Changes and Calibration
A long or costly test needs a close watch. The pump has a few tools for that.
Display and Control Features
Screen: a 4.3" full-color screen shows pump data in real time on the ISPLab01-Pro and ISPLab04.
Volume check: the ISPLab01-Pro shows the volume live. You can calibrate it too.
Live change: you can change the flow rate while the pump runs.
Saved modes: the ISPLab01-Pro and ISPLab04 save up to 60 common modes.
Blockage alarm: if the drive gets blocked, the pump stops and sounds an alarm.
Control From a Computer
The ISPLab01-Pro and ISPLab04 work with RS232/RS485 and the Modbus protocol. The SPLab Series works with RS485 and Modbus. You can send commands to the pump from a computer or controller.
Four Checks Before You Press Start
A short routine helps you avoid setup errors.
-
Set the syringe: Pick it from the list or type the inner diameter. A wrong diameter gives a wrong flow.
-
Load it well: Fill the syringe, push out the air and tighten the clamp.
-
Prime the tubing: Push liquid through until you see a steady drip.
-
Run a water test: Use at least 30% of the stroke. The max stroke is 140 mm, so use about 42 mm. Then compare the output with the set volume. If they differ, fix the setup before the real sample.
Who Makes These Pumps?
DK Infusetek is a syringe pump supplier. Its head office and R&D center are in Shanghai. Its production base is in northern China.
The company designs, customizes and makes devices for micro-fluid handling. Its pumps are for lab and industrial use. They are not for medical use.
You can get product download files and online help from the company. It also has video tutorials, such as Infusion Demonstration and Common Mode Settings Demonstration. For questions, email sales@infusetek.com.
FAQs
How do I set a syringe pump to deliver a fixed volume?
Choose a metering mode that has loudness in it. Fill the syringe. Select from the list or enter the inner diameter. Select volume and flow rate or volume and time. Set the values, and prime the line. Do a water test. Volume check in real time.
Which syringe pump dosing mode has three metering methods?
The ISPLab01-Pro provides 3 ways to do metering. Volume and flow rate, volume and time, and flow rate and time. ISPLab04 and SPLab Series have a pair.
Can I change the flow rate during a run?
Yes. You may modify the flow rate while the pump is running. You don't need to turn off the pump. That’s what the ISPLab and SPLab sites state.
Do I need to enter the syringe inner diameter?
Yes. Please choose a syringe from the list below or enter in its inner diameter. This parameter determines the flow rate.
What happens after a power cut?
The ISPLab01-Pro will continue to operate or remain paused, depending on its configuration. The ISPLab04 and SPLab Series remember the previous settings when power is restored.
Are Infusetek syringe pumps for medical use?
Infusetek states that these pumps are not for medical use. They are for industrial and laboratory use.
Conclusion
Volume and flow rate sets the dose and the speed. Volume and time sets the end time. Flow rate and time keeps the flow steady. The right syringe pump dosing mode starts with your goal.
Duko Industrial Technology (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. fits this need. Its ISPLab01-Pro is the only model checked with all three metering methods. It also has live flow changes and a real-time volume display. To compare specs, download the file on the product page or email sales@infusetek.com.