Through strategic partnerships, IDEX Health & Science engineers innovative components that result in optimized optofluidic systems. At IDEX Health & Science, we don’t just build components; we also create innovative solutions that maximize performance and enable the complete optimization of the entire optofluidic pathway. We manufacture highly trusted products used in life science instruments that perform precise sampling, reagent handling, optical analysis, sample processing, and many other analysis tasks.
Browse through our case studies below to see how partnership is the new innovation:
SOLUTION:
Our lab-on-a-chips feature liquid reagents stored in both blister packs and in cavities on the chip. A controlled release of the liquid reagent is achieved with a frangible seal on the channel which connects the blister to the rest of the fluidic network of the cartridge.
SOLUTION:
Our rotary shear valves provide complex flow-switching without accidental flow pumping. These features enhance applications that use multiple reagents, where carryover or accidental flow would hinder the analysis.
SOLUTION:
Our support team worked closely with the customer to teach valve operation, sample loop overfill, rinsing, and pressure equalization methods. These procedures were used in the instrument after collaborative validation, resulting in a significant increase in system reliability.
SOLUTION:
Reagents are dispensed and dried onto reagent carriers called reagent plugs. These plugs are prepared independently from the cartridge in larger batches, functionalized on a SBS titerplate format and assembled to the cartridge in a final assembly step. The processes for dry reagent preparation can be developed and performed independently of the cartridge manufacturing processes using standard equipment and has been proven to be scalable and compatible with industrial functionalization and assembly processes.
SOLUTION:
Our team of engineers were able to optimize the customer’s model for manufacturability at a very early stage. Advances in additive manufacturing and material science accelerated fluidic manifold delivery to make it happen. In final form, the manifold assembly consolidates several pencil-tip-sized valves and a pressure regulator into a bench-top hematology instrument.
SOLUTION:
Our dynamic vacuum-level control system provides optimized degassing while protecting solvent composition. The result is extremely high quality degassing with minimal detriment, that greatly enhances run-to-run reliability.
CUSTOMER REQUIREMENT:
Our partner required a compact, low pressure, low power consumption pump for diagnostics.
SOLUTION:
We created a compact, multi-channel peristaltic pump with three digitally-controlled fluid drives in a single panel-mount package. This innovative design reduces system components and provides streamlined controls for automation.
SOLUTION:
Our engineers installed a Ronchi Grating directly onto the consumable, allowing active alignment by autofocusing. Since the grating is located in a defined proximity to the detection channel, the instrument can easily detect the position of the disposable and fine-tune for optical read-out.
SOLUTION:
We developed composite metal/thermoplastic probe assemblies with the strength and precision of metal and the biological compatibility of a wetted flow path. These engineering innovations ensure reliable probe integrity, every time for every instrument.
SOLUTION:
We used our expertise in engineered thermoplastics, process control, and manufacturing to create a fluidic manifold that met the demands of ultra-low-volume analysis and allowed the easy interchange of consumable microfluidic chips.
