Using the Recycled Parts of a Computer DVD Drive for Fabrication of a Low-Cost Arduino-Based Syringe Pump

Abstract

The accurate and precise transport of the small amounts of the liquid by the syringe pump is widely used in many fields. In this paper, an Arduino-based syringe pump is fabricated using the computer DVD (digital versatile disc) drive. For the fabrication of the syringe pump, low-cost electronic components such as an Arduino microcontroller, a stepper motor, a stepper motor driver, and a display are used. The tray-loading mechanism of the computer DVD drive (close/open mechanism of the tray for inserting/removing DVD) was used for the injection process. To provide the necessary force for the precise and accurate movement of the plunger of the syringe, we replaced the DC motor of the computer DVD drive with the stepper motor and the stepper motor driver. An Arduino code was developed to control the infusion process. Depending on the syringe dimension (inner diameter and barrel length), the stepper motor (angular resolution), and the motor driver (microstepping mode), the code can be modified by using the Arduino software. The syringe pump infuses the water in the flow rates from 0.005 (mL/min) to 1 (mL/min) with a maximum of 10 μL difference between the mean measured volume and the infused volume. The fabricated syringe pump does not require the complex mechanical components that are used in conventional syringe pumps. The project provides instructions for building and testing a syringe pump and enables the students to fabricate a low-cost, open-source syringe pump using the recycled parts of the computer DVD drive for less than $30. As a result, the students will increase their hardware and software skills by completing the project.