The MCA-4 uses a precise electric micro-injector system and a high-quality optical system for accurate contact angle measurements of micro-droplets on small surface areas of only 100 x 100µm. With special capillaries available in three different inner diameters, micro-droplets in the range of 10 to 1000 pL can be produced with high reproducibility. This state-of-the-art system is equipped with an additional top-view camera that enables the deposition of droplets with pinpoint accuracy and the observation of the three-phase line and the spreading of micro-droplets on solid surfaces.
Citations
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Top-view Camera
This video shows how the top-view camera helps deposit droplets using a glass capillary with an inner diameter of 5µm onto the measuring points of a circuit inside a ROM and onto the read-write head of a hard disk with pinpoint accuracy.
The two videos below show that, in addition to pinpoint deposition, the top-view camera can also be used to observe the three-phase contact line of the droplets. Here, droplets are deposited into 100 µm-wide cells of an OLED panel. Because the height of the cells' walls prevents direct measurement of the contact angle from the side, the top-view camera helps evaluate surface cleanliness by observing the spreading behavior of droplets on the solid surface.
■ Main Features
- Fast image-capture system with standard 400 fps at 640x480 resolution, USB 3.0 CMOS camera, max. 2700fps at 640x64 resolution
- Automatic recognition of drop deposition by FAMAS analysis software
- Top-view camera allows for the deposition of droplets with pinpoint accuracy and for the observation of the spreading of micro-droplets
- The high magnification lens and a 12-fold zoom provide a field of view from approximately 75x56µm to 910x680µm
- Fine adjustable micro stage in x-, y-, and z-axis for exact positioning
- Fast image capture system allows accurate measurements of even quickly evaporating picoliter droplets
- Droplet calibration standard bearing three sets of one full circle for calibration and three droplet silhouettes of 5º, 60º, and 108º for periodic inspection of measurement accuracy
■ Optional Hardware Accessories
- Jacket-type sample stage for temperature measurements from +10 to +70℃
- Inkjet head system, using piezoelectric technology to generate droplets from about 8 to 60pL
■ Key Application Areas
- Miniaturized areas such as silicon wafers, OLED panels, electronic components, and printed circuit boards.
- Very thin wire materials, such as single fibers, hairs, and filaments.
- Defined locations on the surface of tiny samples
- Inks at very small droplet volumes (emitted from an ink-jet head)
- Other or micro-structured areas where conventional methods and droplet volume are not applicable
| MCA-4 | |
| Camera system |
USB3.0 CMOS camera with: 400fps at 640x480 pixels 500fps at 640x400 pixels 1000fps at 640x200 pixels 2700fps at 640x64 pixels |
| Optical system |
focus: manual focus with a 12-fold zoom lens field of view: 75x56μm to 910x680μm ±5% magnification: 5.3 to 64 times |
| Measuring methods | contact angle: sessile drop (static and dynamic) |
| Analysis methods |
contact angle: θ/2, tangent, curve fitting (ellipse, circle) surface free energy of solids: OWRK, Owens-Wendt, Kaelble-Uy, Kitazaki-Hata, Wu, acid-base, Zisman |
| Measuring range | contact angle: 0 to 180° |
| Resolution | contact angle: 0.01° |
| Accuracy1) | contact angle: 0.5° |
| Maximum sample surface area and height (WxDxH) | 50x25x5mm |
| Sample stage operation: X-axis Y-axis Z-axis |
manual 25mm 25mm 15mm |
| Dispenser operation: X-axis Y-axis Z-axis Droplet generation Air supply pressure |
three-dimensional manual manipulator 30mm 30mm 30mm + 10mm hydraulic micro-manipulator automatic 0.4 to 0.7 Mpa |
| Dimensions (WxDxH) of: Main instrument Rack for control boxes Installation area |
550x620x700mm 420x320x323mm 1000x650x720mm |
| Approximately weight of: Main instrument Control box |
50.0kg 15.0kg |
| Electric power: Voltage Frequency Power consumption |
AC100-240V 50/60 Hz 60W 125VA |
| Operating environment |
temperature: +10 to +35℃, humidity: 30-80%RH (non-condensing) positioned away from sources of electrical noise and vibration |
1) Accuracy is the repeatability in terms of standard deviation based on the manufacturer’s calibration standard

















