Fluid Metering Inc has launched its valveless OEM pumps targeted at low and micro-volume fluid control.
FMI OEM pumps integrate the company’s patented CeramPump valveless pumping principle with precision stepper control.
The CeramPump utilises one moving part, a sapphire-hard ceramic piston, to perform all fluid control functions, eliminating valves typically present in low volume metering technologies.
The valveless function is achieved via the synchronous rotation and reciprocation of the ceramic piston within a precisely mated ceramic liner.
The reciprocation action of the piston - similar to a standard piston pump - accomplishes the pumping function.
The piston also rotates, alternately aligning a flat at the end with the inlet and outlet ports of the pump. When the flat is aligned with the inlet port, fluid can be drawn into the pump.
When the flat is aligned with the outlet port, fluid can exit the pump. Only one port is open at any time and at no point are both ports interconnected. This effectively functions as, and replaces, conventional check valves.
FMI claims that utilising sapphire-hard, dimensionally stable components, as well as eliminating check valves, produces a pump that will maintain 0.5 % precision for millions of cycles without maintenance or recalibration.
The CeramPump also eliminates multiple syringes, valves, and actuators typically present in other low and micro-volume metering systems.
