What are Precision Fluid Dispensing Systems?

Precision fluid dispensers play a crucial role in manufacturing the products we interact with regularly. They are used in a wide range of industries, so much so, we often forget their role in our everyday lives.

In this article, we will provide a brief overview of fluid dispensing systems, highlight their applications, discuss common challenges with the technology, and share an overview of NOVA, our modular dispensing system. 

What are precision fluid dispensing systems?

Precision fluid dispensing systems allow users to deposit micro amounts of assembly fluids onto a substrate in targeted areas. When dealing in microlitres or nanolitres, the amount of fluid deposited is often nearly impossible to control with most manual pumps and flowmeters. These systems were developed to implement control, precision, accuracy, and consistency in applications requiring micro-dispensing.

Types of fluid dispensing systems

The two most common types of systems for fluid dispensing are: 

Non-contact: Also known as jet dispensing or jetting. In this method, the fluid is deposited or “jetted” onto the substrate from a distance. 

Contact: This method uses a valve to deposit material in a highly controlled manner. It offers compatibility with a wider range of fluids compared to non-contact systems. Some examples of contact systems include:

• Pneumatic/time pressure: Pulses of air engage the top of the plunger in a specific pattern, driving the plunger forward in the syringe and depositing material.
• Mechanical positive displacement: A rod or piston that forces fluid out of the cartridge.
• Auger: A motor enables the auger screw to rotate, pulling material from the reservoir and guiding it towards the nozzle.
• Progressive cavity (PC) pump: Similar to an auger system, PC pumps utilize a rotor and stator to fill tightly sealed cavities with precise amounts of fluid which are then pushed towards the nozzle, enabling larger consistent deposits with high viscosity fluids.

Fluid dispensing applications

Numerous industries utilize dispensing systems for depositing materials, such as:

• Electronics: Solder pastes, conductive adhesives, conductive inks, flux, coatings, underfill adhesives, and dam and fill. 
• Medical: Biomarker detection, and in- and on-body biomedical sensors. 
• RFID: Eco-friendly and cost effective non-contact data transfer and localization systems.

Recent research indicates the electrical and electronics assembly segment was the leading global market for fluid dispensing equipment in 2022.

Materials used in fluid dispensing 

Precision fluid dispensers enable a diverse range of material compatibility. Some of the most common materials used in these systems are:

• Flux: A chemical compound used in preparing metal surfaces for soldering. 
• Conductive ink: Printable materials that is capable of conducting electricity. 
• Lubricant: Oily materials that help reduce friction in surfaces that contact each other. 
• Solder paste: Powdered metal solder that is suspended in flux.  
• Adhesive: Substances that are capable of holding at least two surfaces together permanently.
• Sealants: Materials that attach at least two surfaces together, filling the space between them.
• Conformal coatings: A film applied over components that provides protection against contaminants and environmental factors.
• Epoxy underfill: An epoxy-material used in PCBs to connect a chip to the board through capillary action.

In the same research report referenced above, the graph below shows the growth of various materials in the U.S fluid dispensing market.

Though Asia accounted for over 40% of the global revenue for fluid dispensing equipment in 2022, we see the demand in the U.S market increasing for systems that are compatible with lubricant, solder paste, adhesives, and sealants. This is primarily driven by advancements in electronics and automotive manufacturing.

Benefits of precision fluid dispensing 

The primary benefit of precision fluid dispensers is the ability to print high-resolution patterns and features quickly. They are designed to implement control methods to ensure high quality results are achieved. Many applications developed using these systems require consistent prints in high volume orders, so repeatability is key.

These systems can also be integrated into production lines to significantly reduce development time. They offer customizable features like interchangeable dispensers and programmable settings. Swappable dispensers allow users to disperse different types of material that would otherwise take longer to complete using manual processes, or even require a different tool altogether. A user can switch from a precision nozzle designed for depositing an adhesive ink, to a nozzle designed for spraying a coating in a matter of seconds.

Challenges with precision dispensing systems

One of the primary challenges that exists is finding the right system for your application. Unless you’re a material scientist, it is easy to become overwhelmed by technical specifications, even if you know your application’s requirements. There is no one-size-fits-all materials dispensing system on the market; each has its own advantages and disadvantages, most often tailored to specific applications. Even after settling on a system to purchase, it's extremely common to face difficulties with material reliability and flow.

Let’s say you have your system, the material, and a substrate. How do you tell the system where to deposit the fluid? How much should it deposit? When and where should it start and stop? 

Balancing these aspects while also adjusting settings to manage consistency, material leakage, and quality results, is often no easy task — especially without an intuitive user interface.

NOVA: Voltera’s precision fluid dispensing system

Just over a year ago, Voltera released NOVA, our precision fluid dispensing system. It is the only system of its kind built to work with screen printable materials (1,000 to 1,000,000 cps). It helps users expand their in-house prototyping capabilities and was designed with a heavy focus on user experience.

NOVA comes with a high degree of dispensing control, ensuring users can deposit materials reliably. A built-in camera and augmented reality overlay provides accurate readings to prevent alignment errors and avoid misprints. The integrated probing system maps the substrate height with a high degree of accuracy, which allows users to print at finer resolutions or increased complexity with confidence. In addition, the closed-loop feedback system and heated Smart Dispenser enables users to achieve consistent flow, regardless of material viscosity.

Benefits of NOVA

• With minimal training, NOVA’s software is easier to use than most other systems on the market.
• Demonstration videos guide you step-by-step through your print.
• Live, in-app chat connects you to our support staff in real time. 
• A materials library allows you to store material-specific information and calibration settings.

For more information on NOVA, click here. 

Conclusion

As additive manufacturing continues to revolutionize research outcomes and product development, innovators are searching for the right solution to meet their goals. They’re looking to accelerate development timelines and find cost effective methods for achieving reliable, high quality results.

If you would like to see if NOVA is a fit for your application, book a meeting with one of our application specialists.