Building A Time-Metered Dosing System

Accurate, repeatable liquid dispensing is critical across scientific, medical, and industrial applications. This proof-of-concept time-metered dosing system integrates a disc pump with The Lee Company’s VHS® Series 2-Way Dispense Solenoid Valve to achieve high-precision droplet control. The compact unit (100×90×20 mm, <50 g) uses air pressure from the disc pump to pressurize a liquid reservoir, with dispensing volumes controlled by valve open time. The disc pump’s fast response and pulsation-free output enable precise pressure regulation, while the VHS® valve delivers ultra-fast actuation (as low as 250 µs) to produce droplets from nanoliters to milliliters.

The Smart Pump Module’s integrated drive electronics support closed-loop pressure control and remote operation via free software. The VHS® valve’s small footprint allows tight-space mounting, including well plate arrays, and is available with customizable nozzles and connectors. Testing showed a coefficient of variance of ~4% at 10 µL dosing, with smaller doses limited by measurement resolution rather than system performance.

Future work aims to characterize sub-10 µL dispensing using droplet analyzers, expanding dosing range and precision. This lightweight, pressure-driven approach eliminates the need for bulky, multi-component benchtop systems, enabling new generations of untethered, integrated liquid handling devices. Its size, weight, and precision make it ideal for applications requiring portability, automation, and rapid deployment, significantly improving both user experience and commercial viability.