Orbital Shaker

Wasn't a fan of other orbital shaker designs I found, so I created this to simplify and customize some features.
Rather than overly complicated Arduino designs, I centered this around a standard stepper drive motor/controller combo connected to a Nema 17 stepper motor.

Features:

  • Top plate can be removed to customize and swap out attachments.
  • Adjustable Speed, direction, and shaking patterns.
  • Customizable adapters:
    • 50mL Falcon Tube Shaker (45 degree angle)
    • Tube Shaker (45 degree angle)
    • Various sizes of Erylenmeyer Flask Holders

Here are all the additional components needed:

Total Cost ~$70.

Print 3 pivots, one drive pivot, and 4 feet. All other items, print 1x.

Outer surfaces of bearings can be superglued into their seats to keep them in place. For the bearings in the linkage plate, I instead used silicone sealant to prevent buzzing and excess vibration.

I also filled a ziplock bag with sand and placed it inside the case to increase the weight of the base, which helps keep it from walking around the table.