Design, development, and implementation of 3D-printed polylactic acid centrifuge rotors for laboratory-scale applications

In this work, self-made laboratory centrifuge equipment was developed for the separation of suspensions and immiscible liquids. This centrifuge was based on the Arduino microcontroller and fabricated from simple and recycled mechanical and electronic parts, spending an inexpensive budget suitably. The centrifuge frame and rotors were manufactured of Polylactic Acid (PLA) filaments, which were printed in a 3D printer. Two rotors labeled R50 and R15 were designed and fabricated to use tubes of 50 mL and 15 mL, respectively. The maximum speed reached, without vibration interferences, was 3350 and 3030 rpm for R50 and R15 rotors, respectively. The total fabrication cost of the fabricated centrifuge was less than 100 USD and the assembly process was not complicated. Finally, the centrifuge performance was evaluated through phases of separation of precipitate of CuCO3(s) and clinical blood samples. The obtained results showed achievement in components separation, entirely comparable with those obtained employing a commercial centrifuge.