NK-RD Series Reagent Dispenser
Exact volumes at exact positions, for rapid test production.
A benchtop XYZ dispensing platform that places exact volumes of reagent on membranes, pads, cards, slides, chips and plates. Built for lateral flow rapid test production and configured to order.
- Dispense area
- up to 600 × 400 mm
- Channels
- 1 to 8
- Line rate
- 0.1 to 25 µL/cm
- Drop volume
- 50 pL (piezo) / 10 nL (drop jet) to 5 µL
- Repeatability
- down to ±0.005 mm per axis
- Line speed
- 5 to 300 mm/s
Specifications
| NK-RD 300C | 300 × 100 mm, Z 50 mm · ≈ 550 × 450 × 450 mm · ≈ 25 to 30 kg · single card, R&D |
|---|---|
| NK-RD 450C | 450 × 100 mm, Z 50 mm · ≈ 700 × 450 × 450 mm · ≈ 30 to 35 kg · long cards, short master sheets |
| NK-RD 450M | 450 × 260 mm, Z 80 mm · ≈ 700 × 800 × 500 mm · ≈ 40 to 50 kg · several cards per run, slides |
| NK-RD 600M | 600 × 400 mm, Z 100 mm · ≈ 900 × 900 × 600 mm · ≈ 55 to 70 kg · batch nests, plates, pilot production |
| Note | Footprint and weight without enclosure; custom frame sizes on request |
| Kinematics | Cartesian XYZ gantry, 3 axes (optional 4th rotary axis for round parts) |
|---|---|
| Drive class S (standard) | Closed-loop stepper motors, ball screw X/Y, linear guides |
| Drive class P (precision) | AC servo motors with linear encoders, ball screw, linear guides |
| Repeatability | Class S: ±0.01 mm per axis · Class P: ±0.005 mm per axis |
| Positioning accuracy (full travel) | Class S: ±0.02 mm · Class P: ±0.01 mm |
| Resolution | 0.001 mm per axis |
| Dispense (line) speed | 5 to 300 mm/s, programmable per line |
| Max travel speed X/Y | Class S: up to 500 mm/s · Class P: up to 800 mm/s |
| Max travel speed Z | up to 200 mm/s |
| Motion modes | Point-to-point, continuous path, linear and circular interpolation, step-and-repeat |
| Payload | Work table 5 to 15 kg (by frame size) · Tool head 3 to 5 kg |
| Work holding | Vacuum plate (anodised aluminium or stainless), registration pins, adjustable card guides; custom nests on request |
| Card / substrate width | 20 to 100 mm per card guide; full table width with custom nests |
| Syringe sizes | 25 µL to 5 mL (standard set 100, 250, 500 and 1000 µL); larger on request |
|---|---|
| Resolution | up to 48,000 steps per full stroke (micro-step mode) |
| Precision / accuracy | CV ≤ 0.3 % · ±1 % at full stroke |
| Flow range | from ≈ 1 nL/s up to ≈ 40 mL/s, by syringe size |
| Valves and reservoirs | 3-port standard, multi-port optional · 10 to 250 mL bottles per channel, refill while running |
| Functions | Auto-prime, purge, anti-drip back-suction, pressure monitoring for clogs and air (option) |
| Wetted materials | PTFE, PEEK, FEP, borosilicate glass, ceramic, 316L stainless steel |
| Vision camera | Fiducial and card-edge alignment, teach by image, automatic offset when changing nozzles |
|---|---|
| Line inspection | Camera check of line position and width, pass/fail per card |
| Laser height sensor | Measures membrane or part height; automatic Z compensation |
| Drop watcher | Strobe camera checks drop formation (DJ and PJ) before each run |
| Pressure monitoring | Detects clogs, empty reservoirs and air bubbles per channel |
| Card presence and barcode | Prevents dispensing on an empty position; reads lot and card codes into the batch record |
| Operator interface | 7 to 10 inch touch screen on the machine; PC software for programming and records |
|---|---|
| Programming | µL/cm, mm/s, offsets and line spacing; teach by jog or camera; CSV and DXF import |
| Patterns | Lines, dots, arrays, multi-line striping, step-and-repeat over several cards |
| Recipes and users | 100 or more recipes on board, unlimited on PC; operator, supervisor and administrator levels |
| Records | Batch reports with recipe, settings, user and time; CSV or PDF; audit trail for ISO 13485 and 21 CFR Part 11 processes (option) |
| Interfaces | USB, Ethernet, RS-232/RS-485, 8 DI / 8 DO 24 VDC; Modbus TCP or OPC UA for MES (option) |
| Typical throughput | About 120 to 300 cards per hour (single 300 mm cards, 2 to 4 lines, manual loading) |
| Power | 100 to 240 VAC, 50/60 Hz, single phase · 150 to 600 W |
|---|---|
| Compressed air | 0.4 to 0.7 MPa (4 to 7 bar), clean, dry, oil-free; only for AJ and TP modules |
| Vacuum | Built-in pump for the hold-down plate (external connection optional) |
| Ambient | 15 to 35 °C (18 to 25 °C recommended) · 20 to 80 % RH non-condensing |
| Installation and noise | Level, vibration-free lab or cleanroom bench · ≤ 65 dB(A) |
Specifications are typical ranges across the NK-RD Series. Each machine is configured to order, and the values for a delivered unit are stated in its quotation and acceptance documents. Dispensing performance depends on the reagent, substrate, nozzle and environmental conditions. Nebkatum reserves the right to change specifications without notice.
One platform, many dispensing jobs
A rigid Cartesian gantry moves up to eight dispensing channels over a vacuum hold-down table, while precision syringe pumps meter each reagent on its own. The volume is set directly in µL/cm for lines or nL/µL per drop, independent of motion speed. Contact line dispensing, non-contact spray, drop-on-demand jetting and piezo nano-dispensing all run on the same machine, and recipes, user levels and batch records make it ready for regulated production.
Lateral flow rapid tests
- Test and control lines: capture antibodies or antigens striped on nitrocellulose cards, 1 to 8 lines in one pass (CL module).
- Conjugate pad: gold or latex conjugate sprayed evenly onto glass fibre or polyester pads (AJ module).
- Sample pad: buffers, blockers and surfactants applied (AJ module).
- Multiplex and dot assays: dots or short lines for multi-analyte tests (DJ or PJ module).
- Cassette assembly: adhesive or sealant dots (TP kit).
A typical starting point for lines on nitrocellulose is about 0.5 to 1 µL/cm with a line width near 1 mm; final values depend on the membrane and the assay.
Other applications
Electrode spotting for electrochemical biosensors and test strips such as glucose and lactate strips; biochip, microarray and protein array spotting; filling SBS microplates (96, 384 and 1536 wells) and microfluidic cartridges; freeze-dried reagent beads and dots; adhesive, coating and sealant dispensing in medical device assembly; and R&D and pilot production of new assays.
Dispensing modules
CL · Contact line
Syringe-pump metered, low-contact-pressure nozzle. 0.1 to 10 µL/cm, line width from about 0.3 mm (typically 0.6 to 1.2 mm), CV ≤ 1 to 2 %. For test and control lines on nitrocellulose.
AJ · Air-jet spray
Non-contact, air-atomised, syringe-pump metered. 1 to 25 µL/cm, spray width about 3 to 10 mm, CV ≤ 2 %. For conjugate and sample pads.
DJ and PJ · Drop jets
DJ: micro-solenoid valve, 10 nL to 5 µL per drop, for dots, arrays, multiplex lines and plates. PJ (option): piezo capillary, 50 pL to 100 nL per drop, for biochips, microarrays and biosensors.
TP · Time-pressure kit
Option. Pneumatic syringe barrel, 3 to 55 cc; dots and beads from about 0.05 µL, 1 to 100,000 cP, CV ≤ 3 to 5 %. For adhesives and sealants in assembly.
Configured to order
Each machine is built from a frame size, a drive class (S: ±0.01 mm or P: ±0.005 mm), up to 8 dispensing modules and the options you need: vision alignment, line inspection, laser height sensor, drop watcher, clog detection, barcode reader, safety or humidity-controlled enclosure, HEPA laminar flow, UV-C lamp, temperature-controlled reservoirs, reagent stirring, audit trail software, IQ/OQ validation package and MES integration.
Ordering code: NK-RD-[Frame]-[Drive]-[Channels]-[Options]. Examples:
- NK-RD-300C-S-2CL: entry R&D striper, single card, two test/control lines.
- NK-RD-450C-S-3CL1AJ-E-M: rapid test production, three lines plus conjugate spray, enclosure and clog detection.
- NK-RD-450M-P-2CL2DJ-V-I-RH-A: multiplex tests with vision inspection, humidity control and audit trail.
- NK-RD-600M-P-4DJ2PJ-V-W-H: biochip and microarray spotting under HEPA.
Every machine comes with its frame and vacuum plate, the selected modules with pumps, reservoirs and tubing, the touch screen, PC software and recipe library, a starter nozzle and syringe kit, tools and documentation. To get a quote, tell us your application, substrate, card size, number of lines, target volumes, reagents and the throughput you need.
Quality and support
The NK-RD is production and laboratory equipment; it is not itself a medical or in-vitro diagnostic device. It is designed for use in ISO 13485 manufacturing environments and comes with a user manual, quick-start guide, spare parts list and electrical drawings. IQ/OQ protocols and PQ support for your assay are available as options, with on-site or remote installation and training, remote diagnostics, spare parts and preventive maintenance plans.
Source: catalog NBK-RD-CAT-001 REV0.00.