Microfluidics Flow Automation Guide for the RMVP system
Enplas’s Rotary Membrane Valve and Pump (RMVP) system automates microfluidic flow control with the footprint of a small hand-held device.
Watch the following videos to learn how you can apply the RMVP system on your device to automate microfluidic liquid flow without large, complex, and costly instruments. The RMVP offers simple, robust motions in addition to advanced, multiplex actions; no application is too big or too small.
The RMVP System Components and Its Basic Mechanism
Learn about the simple, basic components that make up the RMVP system. See how each component operates to automate fluid control on a customized microfluidic chip.
How to Move Fluids on a Microfluidic Chip with the RMVP
Watch how a simple combination of two rotational motors and a membrane-laminated microfluidic chip can move multiple fluids on-chip from one inlet to another without contamination.
How to Mix Fluids on a Microfluidic Chip with RMVP
Using the above push-and-pull mechanism, see how multiple reagents can be conveniently mixed on-chip. The risk of cross-contamination is greatly minimized as the fluids are kept on one simple chip.
How to Simplify Microfluidics Liquid Level Sensing
See Enplas’s suggestion on how to detect liquid levels with a customized plastic microfluidic chip and a simple LED optical system. While this particular liquid level sensing method does not strictly require the RMVP system, the method is enhanced by the automated fluid control functions offered by the RMVP. This method is also used in the following applications and videos.
How to Accurately Meter Fluids on a Microfluidic Chip with RMVP
With the above Liquid Level Sensing method combined with customized metering reservoirs, the RMVP can automate the measuring of various microliters of fluid volumes without complex pipetting. See how in this example video. The three metering chambers meter reagents from 2µl to 10µl in increments of 1 µl.
How to Purify DNA by Magnetic Beads On-Chip with RMVP
There are several ways to use magnetic beads to purify nucleic acids with the RMVP without large electromagnetic equipment or high heat emissions. Watch the video to learn about these methods and determine which design works best for your application.
How to Amplify DNA On-Chip with RMVP
Learn how DNA/RNA amplification can be conducted on a customized microfluidic chip with the RMVP. This mechanism avoids contamination by keeping the amplicon within the chip in a semi-closed environment.
How to Combine and Automate Multiple Microfluidic Flows
Example: DNA Library End-Prep Protocol
See how all of the above functions can be combined to automate the DNA library end-prep process within a hand-held device. The RMVP is very versatile and can be applied to many more applications.
The RMVP system can automate the microfluidic flow of more than 20 different reagents with the size and efficiency of a small hand-held device. Enplas can reliably scale up the production of your customized microfluidic chips to a million pieces annually. Talk to our engineers to see how you can simplify your microfluidic devices by incorporating the RMVP or Enplas’s other unique microfluidic capabilities.
Try the RMVP demo kit in the comfort of your own site.