Emerson delivers fluid control solutions to meet the needs of diagnostic instrumentation in clinical laboratories

As a fluid control engineer, you know there is no room for error in clinical laboratory environments. Emerson knows this too, that’s why their latest valve has been designed specifically to meet the needs of laboratory applications.

The ASCO™ Series 038 miniature solenoid valves offer isolated fluid control and are designed for use with neutral or aggressive liquids in clinical diagnostic instruments. With a width of only 5.7mm, and a weight of 4g, they are ideal for saving space in complex clinical laboratory instruments with dispensing applications. Built with high quality materials such as a PEEK body and FFKM seal materials, the Series 038 miniature solenoid isolation valve can handle practically any type of reagent. A low dead volume of 0.75µL and overall internal volume of only 1.2µL reduces reagent waste and improves the effectivity of cleaning steps between test cycles. A latching electrical coil version is available to minimise heat transfer to thermally sensitive samples and reagents, resulting in instrument efficiency and accuracy.

Emerson knows that each clinical laboratory OEM has their own unique set of valve requirements and flow specifications for their instrument development. This is where Emerson’s unique Rapid Engineered Solutions program comes into play. Emerson engineers work directly with your design engineers to deliver customised valve samples and fully functional plug & play assemblies through an iterative design cycle, ensuring you receive what you need, when you need it – anywhere in the world.

An example of this iterative design process in operation was with a manufacturer of an innovative DNA sample preparation and sequencing instrument.  The manufacturer was plagued with design issues using an incumbent valve supplier’s product. High internal volume of an 8-valve manifold solution created an abundance of wasted reagent which resulted in a much higher cost-per-run price point. The company’s current solution was rather complex in that it required an extended fluidic path with multiple connection fittings and long-lengths of specialised tubing. As a result of an inefficient design, the performance of the 8-valve manifold solution created air bubbles in the fluidic path that decreased dosing accuracy and increased overall cost.

To overcome these challenges, Emerson experts worked with the company to develop a customised 8-channel manifold solution that incorporated Series 038 5.7mm solenoid isolation valves that reduced the internal volume by nearly 20 times, and the overall package size by 1/3.  This plug and play solution was only part of Emerson’s response to the customer’s needs. While designing the new manifold solution, it was also suggested that a simple modification to the position of the 8-station manifold within the instrument would result in a reduction in fluid path length by ½.