The firmware was installed in the previous post, and we have a fully working centrifuge. Now let’s see if it was worth the effort. Here is a breakdown of the components and their cost*.
| Description | Source | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| 800-1 Centrifuge | eBay | $72.32 |
| RP2040-Zero | Core Electronics | $6.80 |
| D.C. Motors 10200 RPM | Jaycar | $23.95 |
| Hobbywing Quickrun WP 1060 | Hearns Hobbies | $59.99 |
| Meanwell GST18A12 12v Power Supply | Digikey | $28.69 |
| 1.3" OLED Display | Jaycar | $19.95 |
| 2 x Rotary Encoders | Jaycar | $19.90 |
| Arcade Button with LED | Jaycar | $9.95 |
| SPDT Switch | Jaycar | $3.75 |
| Line Trace IR Sensor | Jaycar | $2.97 |
| Peizo Buzzer | Jaycar | $4.95 |
| 2.1mm Barrel socket | Jaycar | $3.95 |
| USB Adaptor | K-Mart | $5.00 |
| 20mm Red Heatshrink (30cm) | Jaycar | $1.60 |
| M8 x 65mm Bolt | Bunnings | $0.80 |
| Miscellaneous materials | - | $5.00 |
| TOTAL | $269.57 |
So the centrifuge cost $270 all up. So the question is, is it 3 times better than it was? Well, what has improved?
- Accurate RPMs.
- Realtime display of time remaining, RPMs and RCF (Gs)
- Remote display via USB serial.
- Choice of RPMs or RCF speed settings.
- More accurate and finer resolution timer.
- Lower power usage.
- Extensible functionality.
- Looks way cooler.
Well, that’s it. I hope you found this helpful. I’m now one step closer to growing Cerebral Organoids, with the ability to separate cells from their media without killing them.