Date: March 11, 2024
Designer: Caleb Mueller
Objectives and Constraints
- Objective: Design and manufacture a culture plate holding system that is compatible with a proprietary orbital shaker
- Constraints: Cannot cover the sides of the culture plate and must resist vibrations for long periods
Materials and Tools
- Software: Autodesk Fusion
- Materials: PETG and PLA filament
- Equipment: Ender 3 3D printer and digital calipers
Phases of Development
I. Client Consultation
- Met with the client to determine the design criteria and properties of the holding system. Measurements were taken of the orbital shaker and the culture plate to determine the dimensions of the CAD model.
II. CAD Modelling and Prototyping
- Modelling of the system was completed, with iterative progress presented to the client. Models were 3D printed with PLA and PETG, joined with sanding and super glue, and tested in the orbital shaker.
III. Printing of Final Assembly
- 12 final models were printed on an Ender 3 printer using PETG filament and joined together using sanding and super glue.
Skills Developed
- Effective client consultation
- Consideration of expansion and shrinkage of different 3D printing plastics
- 3D CAD tolerances
- Methods of joining PETG and PLA plastic.
Support and Resources
- Graduate Student: Maryam Ghaffarzadeh
- Supervisor: Dr. Stephen Rader
- Lab: UNBC Northern Medical Science Lab
Product Images
- Figure 1: Culture plate holders in use on the orbital shaker
Client Feedback
“I was trying to attach plastic plates to a shaking platform for an algal growth assay. I used to use tape for that, which was a nuisance because it required lots of tapping and untapping. Spark Lab designed a plate holder that would fit into the holes in the platform. I am immensely thankful to Fryderyk Paczkowski and Caleb Mueller from the Spark Lab for their ingenuity and support in creating the custom plate clamp holders for my research project. Transitioning from the cumbersome tape method to these well-crafted clamps has significantly streamlined my process of growing C.merolae strains, allowing for seamless measurements and maintenance of these cultures. This improvement has not only enhanced the efficiency of my work but has also positively impacted the quality of my research outcomes.”
– Maryam Ghaffarzadeh