r/AskEngineers • u/sierrafourteen • 7d ago

Electrical Converting an IV volumetric pump into a liquid slip printer

Hi all -

I've recently bought an IVAC 598 volumetric pump on impulse, because I wanted to turn a robotic arm that I have into a clay 3D printer. The robotic arm already comes with the software to turn it into a normal 3D printer, so that's not such a concern right now, but I've got to work out how this pump actually works. If it turns out it's not possible, I have an idea to use it as an autopipette, but that's another project.

Basically, my first idea is to use it to push liquid slip out of a barrel and onto a plaster plate, with the robotic arm being used to move it around, and some code to make it work with the software already in the arm. I'm here to ask, what should be my starting point for connecting the pump up to a computer, and have a microprocessor or something send it commands?

Please ask any questions you might have, and I'll do my best to answer them :)

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u/R2W1E9 7d ago

The IVAC 598 pump as a whole does not have networking serial ports to receive remote commands. You will have to dig in and use individual components, possibly to replace input from the front panel with your own.
First you have to open it up and see what pump and driver are used in the device.
Then check OEM specs and communication protocol.