Microplate Gang Punch
This machine is used to automatically punch discs (or frits) from a sheet and place them into each of the wells of a microplate.
The slide is closed and the START button on top is pushed. In a couple seconds, the punch pins are forced through the material and all discs are placed in the microplate in one motion.
The raw material can be anything that the pins have the force to get through. The pin array has a staggered length so that each pin is forced through the material at different times to minimize the force required. The pins are driven up/down by an air cylinder. The punching force is adjustable for different materials by an internal air pressure regulator. Changing the punch pins, guide and punch plate can set the disc diameter and the placement height can be factory adjusted by internal stops. Thicker materials require more force, so the air cylinder is sized for the application. Tooling can be removed for sharpening or change to a different array pattern. A higher-volume machine would add automatic load/unload mechanisms to handle the plates from stacks and the material from a roll.
This machine is a high-volume solution for filling microplates with small to medium size discs or frits. Any variations within the standard 24, 96 or 384 well formats can be accommodated through minor design changes and/or setup adjustments. The small size and simple design make it a reliable tool that requires almost no maintenance. The hardened pins cut more by scissor action than by sharpness, so the tooling lasts a long time.
Data Sheet
(viewable with Acrobat Reader available here)
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Page updated 10/9/06