Designing Equipment for Scientific Research
My professional career essentially started in science research institutes - years before graduating engineering school, and even before finishing high school. It began with 3D modelling calorimetry machines for sheep and cattle, then moved on to managing statistical modelling data for agricultural models.
From Research to Mechanical Design
This led to my first professional mechanical design project, with IRL (now Callaghan Innovation): designing a vacuum-insulated cryostat for tensile testing superconductors in liquid nitrogen.
Designing for Manufacture
Moving from the one-off to the mass-production end of the scale, working with Memory Design on the Sciway X Series Nitrogen Generator is a good example of designing for manufacturing constraints in laboratory equipment. The chassis and cladding were designed to meet their mechanical requirements, be manufacturable, and - importantly - reflect the company's new aesthetic direction. memory.partners/project/medical-lab-equipment/
Bespoke Instrument Design
In more recent years, Max Betteridge Design has had the opportunity to design two Peltier-cooled/heated microscope stages. Each was a one-off, bespoke design for a specific research purpose.
These devices used high-end components for precise motion control, positioning, and levelling. Significant attention was paid to thermal isolation - keeping the low-temperature components separated from the main microscope stage, and holding the test sample at a very stable, controlled temperature.
Environmental control is a significant part of a project like this. When samples are held at low temperatures, condensation and ice build-up become a real problem. To manage this, a custom sealed acrylic enclosure was produced to fit around the front of the microscope. Aluminium extrusion was an effective way to produce a strong, accurate enclosure while allowing easy modification in the future - whether to add functions or adjust the fit to the equipment. 3D scanning allowed the enclosure to be designed to fit the device perfectly, so all clearances could be verified in CAD and reviewed by the client before anything was manufactured.
Working with trusted fabricators in China, all parts were manufactured quickly and cost-effectively. Where there were unknowns in the design - such as the effectiveness of the heat exchanger for water-cooling the Peltier modules - it was easy and inexpensive to produce components in multiple materials. Manufacturing the same parts in both stainless steel and copper was essentially a hedge against the intended design underperforming. Having a copper part on hand meant we could proceed with confidence and a low risk of project delays if the stainless steel failed to transfer heat adequately.
One of the Peltier stages did not strictly need to be custom-made. We were replacing a Linkam stage that had failed and was no longer cost-effective to repair. The client used this as an opportunity to design a custom solution that would outperform the original unit and be easier to maintain and service. One feature added to both stages was a clear window into the heat-exchanger water blocks. The Linkam units tended to block up with residue over time and required significant disassembly to clean. Our designs let technicians see into the water channels, identify flow restrictions, and open them easily for cleaning. The Linkam units also highlighted the value of designing in larger coolant channels, reducing the likelihood of residue causing a failure.
Why Scientific Equipment Is Different
Compared with typical product development, designing equipment for scientific laboratories differs in some important ways. Most notably, the cost trade-offs are reversed. In mass production, a great deal of design effort goes into reducing unit cost. With scientific test equipment, the cost of failure is far higher, so it is common to overengineer components and use premium materials to get the best outcome on the first attempt. Timelines aside, a liquid nitrogen leak onto a sensitive tensile tester, or a coolant leak onto an extremely sensitive confocal microscope, would be far more costly than the entire design budget for the equipment protecting it.
Final Thoughts
Designing equipment for research is as much about understanding the cost of failure as it is about clever mechanical design. Sensible material choices, hedges against the unknowns, and a design that is easy to maintain can save far more than they cost - especially when sensitive instruments and irreplaceable samples are on the line.
Whether you are replacing a discontinued instrument, building a one-off test rig, or developing equipment for production, we can help you get there with confidence. Reach out and let's discuss your project.