Innovative micro seal kits for lab equipment

PPE has developed a micro seal production technique which replaces individual seal elements with a web of seals, each linked by an ultra-thin membrane.

Problem

A leading manufacturer of fittings, tubing and accessories for nano-scale laboratory and bio-analytical industries faced a challenge in getting fluid in and out of their ‘Lab-on-a-Chip’ applications. The problems were not only associated with the minute scale of the task, but with the need of the sealing material to withstand a wide range of chemicals and temperatures.

Solution

PPE has afforded equipment manufacturers the opportunity to replace individual seals with a single web of multiple seals. By combining micro elastomer seals – measuring a few millimetres across – with robust port bonding to the device’s outer surface, a reliable method for connecting flow-path tubing to the chip is established.

Perlast® was chosen as the sealing material, due to its excellent performance in chemically aggressive environments, as well as high and low temperature extremes. Perlast® is also compliant with FDA, USP Class VI and FCN regulations, making them perfectly suited for use in laboratory or bio-analytical equipment.

In addition to using Perlast® to create an inert and biocompatible seal, Perlast® ferrules are used to create a seal between the tubing and the chip – all while withstanding inline system pressures up to 1,500psi (103 bar).

Result

The seal web makes equipment assembly quicker and ensures all seals are installed correctly. By making this process more accurate and efficient, operational downtime is reduced and the long term sealing performance of chip-based applications is enhanced.

How can we help? Contact our pharmaceutical and biomedical sealing experts to discuss your requirements, or start a discussion online.