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3D-Printable Rotary Valves for Low-Pressure Pneumatic and Fluidic Applications in Analytical Chemistry
Tomas Drevinskas1, Andrew Berg1, Aaron C Noell1
1NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, 4800 Oak Grove Drive, Pasadena, California 91109, United States.
Abstract:
We report on a fused deposition modeling 3D-printable rotary valve fabricated from high-grade plastics such as polyether ether ketone or lower-grade plastics like polylactic acid. The valve weighs less than 90 g and has the potential to be integrated into portable and autonomous chemical analysis systems. It has been demonstrated to be leak-proof up to 2.75 bar (40 psig). The valve operates on a 5 V power supply and can be controlled via USB cable or I2C communication. The cost of the valve, including electronics, when printed from high-grade plastics, is less than 100 USD per piece.

