A one-piece 3D printed flexure translation stage for open-source microscopy.

Area of Science:

• Mechanical Engineering
• Scientific Instrumentation
• Open Source Hardware

Background:

• Open source hardware (OSH) offers rapid prototyping and replication of scientific instruments.
• Traditional 3D printed parts often lack the precision and stability required for scientific applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a high-performance, monolithic 3D printed flexure translation stage.
• To overcome the limitations of plastic components in precision mechanisms.
• To enable the creation of stable, miniature scientific instruments.

Main Methods:

• Exploiting material compliance to design a monolithic 3D printed flexure translation stage.
• Utilizing readily available 3D printers and stepper motors for automated motion.
• Characterizing the stage's motion range, precision, and stability.

Main Results:

• Achieved sub-micron-scale motion over an 8x8x4 mm range.
• Demonstrated remarkable low drift (<20 μm/week) without temperature stabilization.
• Constructed a miniature microscope with excellent mechanical stability.

Conclusions:

• Monolithic 3D printed flexure mechanisms offer a viable alternative to traditional machined parts.
• This technology enables the development of cost-effective, stable miniature instruments for in-situ measurements.
• Applications extend beyond microscopy to various laboratory devices.