Flow Controller For Microactuators: A new version of this product is available. Go to the new product page
Obtain precise movements of your microactuator.
With one instrument control both pressure and vacuum.
Quick and accurate response to input signals.
Controlled movements of the actuators without oscillations.
Cutting-edge microfluidic flow controller for microactuators
Microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) are designed to control the movement of tiny instruments. Different energy sources can be used to generate this movement, but for high precision and good stability, pressure-driven flow controllers can be of great interest. Hydraulic actuator systems require the flow of a liquid to initiate the movement while pneumatic actuator systems require the flow of compressed air to achieve precise control of the movement. In both cases, changing the pressure applied to the system generates a movement of precise amplitude and speed. When finely tuned, microactuators can be used for medical procedures or to place spacecraft components, among other applications.
By controlling the pressure of either liquid or gas, the OB1 MK4 allows for precise control of an actuator system with high reliability and efficiency. Whether you work with stable or custom pressure profiles, with positive and/or vacuum pressure, the OB1 MK4 flow controller is the ideal instrument for manipulating your microactuators. Contact our team of experts to find out the best configuration for your setup.
Customizable & upgradable solution for more complex MEMS
The OB1 MK4 flow controller is a versatile instrument that can be customized to meet your specific experimental requirements. By choosing the pressure range of your flow controller, the range of motion can be adjusted accordingly. Additionally, up to four individual lines can be set on a single flow controller, allowing the control of multiple actuators. Alternatively, three channels can be used to generate more complex movement of a single actuator, providing full control in the x,y, and z directions. This dramatically increases the range of achievable motions and expands the scope of potential applications.
Our team of experts is available to help you determine the best configuration and number of pressure outlets required for manipulating your actuator.
Set a pressure feedback loop to obtain the highest stability performances
Accurate and precise movements of microactuators require fine control of the pressure applied. To eliminate the potential pressure drop that could occur before the microactuator and to reach the best stability performances, the flow controller OB1 MK4 can be connected to a pressure sensor (MPS). By collecting data and using a feedback loop, the flow controller adjusts the pressure to meet the targeted pressure set point.
With our user-friendly software, you can easily control the pressure profile applied to the microactuators while the system self-adapts to meet the target pressure value. For more advanced users or integration with other instruments, the SDK libraries enable you to control the OB1 MK4 using your own code.
Our advanced flow control solutions allow for precise motion control of microactuators using either a pressurized fluid or compressed gas. Contact our team of experts to help you determine the optimal configuration.
Illustration:
Antoine Barbot et al., Liquid seal for compact micropiston actuation at the capillary tip.Sci. Adv.6, eaba5660(2020).DOI:10.1126/sciadv.aba5660
Our cutting-edge microfluidic flow controller for synthetic cells studies can also be used for other applications such as:
For all the publications using our products, please click here.
For all the application notes and reviews based on our product, please click here.
This table summarizes the main specifications of the Elveflow® OB1 MK3 pressure controller. To provide quality & performance, all of our instruments are tested and calibrated independently (response time, stability, repeatability… ) after being assembled and all test results are kept.
“We are using the device extensively at the moment and I have been quite impressed by its capabilities”Dr. Hayden Taylor, University of California, Berkeley, United States OB1 flow controller user
“I found the systems quite robust and easy to connect and use”Martino Chiara - deMello Group, ETH Zurich, Switzerland Droplet pack user
“The OB1 is performing so well and we are very impressed by its behavior so far.”Eric Pedrol Ripoll, Facultat de Quimica, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, SpainOB1 flow controller user
“The Elveflow OB1 enables us precise pressure and flow control and measurement in various microfluidic and lab scale projects from tissue engineering to membrane filtration analysis. ”Arne Lüken, Chemical Process Engineering at RWTH Aachen, GermanyOB1 flow controller user
“We are the proud owners of an OB1 we bought about a decade ago. It is still going strong. We would like to ask for a quote for another OB1.”Dr. David Tadres, University of California, Santa BarbaraOB1 flow controller user
“After an easy installation, we are now using the OB1 and flow sensors routinely and are very satisfied by both the flow stability and the software's user-friendly interface.”Nelson BC Serre and Matyáš Fendrych, Cell Growth Lab, Department of Experimental Plant Biology, Charles University, Czech RepublicOB1 flow controller user
“We have used Elveflow's products for about 9 years now and are big fans, and have made lots of recommendations to friends in Wageningen and the Netherlands. They are so easy to use, reliable and the pricing is sharp. We are very happy customers! ”Prof. Dr. Joris Sprakel, Physical Chemistry and soft Matter, Wageningen university, NetherlandsOB1 flow controller user
“I've extensively used Elveflow systems in the World's most Brilliant X-ray source. Elveflow systems are precise, controlled and adaptive to many samples under adverse conditions.”Pushparani Micheal Raj, PhD, Max Planck Institute of Quantum Optics, Lund, Sweden & MAX IV Laboratory, Bavaria, GermanyOB1 flow controller user
“We use Elveflow instrument in several projects and they are great to work with. The LabVIEW implementation was also very successful. I hope more people can get to know the OB1 system.”Seongjin Park, Senior Engineer, IlluminaOB1 flow controller user
The ESI software can control up to 16 Instruments through the same interface. Thanks to TTL triggers you can synchronize your Elveflow system with any other instrument used in your laboratory (microscope or any electrical instrument … ). The Scheduler is a user-friendly tool to automate complex steps of your experiments and protocols.
Enter your targeted volume and this module will automatically adjust the flow rate at the right time to inject it.
Automatic diagnostic of the fluidic path sizing and recommendations to improve your microfluidic setup.
Do not suffer anymore because of bubbles!
Don’t lose precious time in calibration protocols.
For any help to determine what microfluidic instruments you need, you can contact us! Our experts will help you build the best microfluidic setup for your application, with our state-of-the-art microfluidic line.
OtherUpgradeSupportAdvanced RangeOEMServices / Training / Installation / RentalsMicrofabricationEssential RangeAccessories
Get in Touch
Need customer support?
Name*
Email*
Serial Number of your product*
Support Type AdviceHardware SupportSoftware Support
Subject*
Message
I hereby agree that Elveflow uses my personal data Newsletter subscription
[recaptcha]
Message I hereby agree that Elveflow uses my personal data Newsletter subscription
We will answer within 24 hours