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YOU CAN 3D PRINT A LAB MACHINE THAT NORMALLY COSTS SIX FIGURES

A machine that counts and classifies single cells, fully 3D printable, for about 3,000 dollars instead of six figures.

by Samson Rogers

FULL CAD BOM FIRMWARE DOCS

ScienceOpen-hardware

difficulty
●●●●●
time
weeks-plus
license
CERN-OHL-S-2.0
repo
repo ACTIVE16 stars

WHAT YOU’LL NEED

  • 3D printer + filament — printable parts — files are in the repo

Partner

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1

COMPAREE VERDICT

Cytkit is an open attempt to make spectral flow cytometry accessible outside six-figure budgets. A flow cytometer pushes cells single file through a laser and reads the light each one scatters and fluoresces — it is how immunology labs, cancer researchers and clinical diagnostics count and classify cells. New commercial instruments run from roughly 50,000 dollars to 500,000 dollars. Cytkit targets single-laser spectral detection with solid-state detectors, aiming at 10-colour detection on a 488 nm laser, for about 3,000 dollars in parts. The mechanical design is complete, fully 3D printable, and published with supplier-level BOMs under CERN-OHL-S v2. What is missing is the rest: build instructions, alignment procedures, electronics integration, firmware, and any proof that the thing works. The repository is honest about this — the README says build and test documentation is still being written. This is a serious scientific instrument in active development, not a weekend kit. If you are an optics researcher, a biohacker with lab access, or someone who wants to contribute to open lab hardware, the foundation is here. If you want to count cells next month, it is not ready. The single biggest risk is investing the money and the weeks before the control software and validation data exist.

NOT IN THE REPO

  • —FreeCAD models and STL files for the entire mechanical chassis are in the repository.
  • —Detailed bill of materials with supplier links is present, totalling about $3,000 including planned electronics.
  • —CERN Open Hardware Licence v2 Strongly Reciprocal — derivative designs must stay open, and commercial use is permitted under reciprocal terms.
  • —Build, align and test documentation is explicitly still being written. The repo README states this plainly.
  • —No firmware, software or control code is published yet. Electronics integration is planned but not complete.
  • —This is a work in progress. You can print the parts and order the optics, but you cannot run experiments yet.

Can I build this?

PrintFull mechanical chassis: optical breadboard frame, detector mounts, laser housing, sample stage, fluidics manifold. Large prints; budget multi-day sessions and at least 1 kg of filament.
Buy488 nm laser module, photodetectors, dichroic mirrors and filters, optical mounts, fluidics components (syringe pumps or peristaltic, tubing, connectors), breadboard and posts. The BOM is detailed and includes suppliers; total about $3,000.
ToolsFDM 3D printer (bed 200×200 mm minimum), optical breadboard or table for alignment, multimeter, safety glasses rated for 488 nm Class 3B, and eventually soldering and electronics prototyping tools when the control board is published.
SkillsAdvanced. You need optical alignment experience, fluidics troubleshooting, and comfort building scientific instruments from scratch. If you have never aligned a multi-element optical path or debugged a syringe pump, this will be extremely hard.
TimeWeeks, possibly months. Printing and parts procurement is a week. Mechanical assembly is days. Optical alignment is where the time goes — if you are experienced, days; if you are learning, weeks. Software and electronics integration will add more once those are published.
Cost$$$, dominated by the laser module, detectors and optical components. Filament and hardware are minor compared to the optics bill.
SafetyClass 3B laser — direct beam or specular reflection can cause permanent eye damage in under a second. Laser safety glasses rated for 488 nm are mandatory during alignment and testing. Optical table or breadboard work required.

Build at your own risk. Projects involve tools, electronics and sometimes mains voltage — follow the creator’s safety notes.

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Videos

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Start here

Navigation into the creator’s own docs — we don’t rewrite the guide, we route you to the source.

  1. 1.Read the repository README and the BOM spreadsheet in full (The README is honest about what is missing. Do not order parts until you understand the gaps.)
  2. 2.Source the laser module and detectors first(These are the long-lead and high-cost items. Verify specifications match the design before committing to the full BOM.)
  3. 3.Print the mechanical parts and do a dry-fit assembly(The STL files are in the repository. Check fit and tolerances before ordering optics.)
  4. 4.Monitor the repository for build documentation updates(Alignment procedures, control software and validation data are all still in development. Star the repo and watch for releases.)

Resources

Documentation, files and community threads for this build — we link straight to the original sources and never rehost the creator’s files.

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KNOWN ISSUES

  • The build and alignment instructions do not exist yet. You will be working from CAD files and a parts list, not a step-by-step guide. If that sounds hard, it is.
  • No firmware or control software is published. The repository is mechanical design and BOM only. You cannot run this until the electronics and code are released.
  • Optical alignment is the hardest part of any flow cytometer build, and there is no procedure in the repo yet. Budget days to weeks even if you have done this before.
  • Class 3B laser hazard. If you do not already own 488 nm safety glasses and understand direct vs. specular reflection risk, learn that before you order the laser.
  • Fluidics debugging — syringe pumps, tubing, air bubbles, sample preparation — is where many DIY flow cytometer projects stall. This is not documented yet either.
  • The $3,000 figure includes planned electronics. If the control board design changes or you have to prototype your own, cost and time both go up.

Can I actually count cells with this right now?

No. The mechanical design is complete and you can build the chassis, but the control electronics, firmware and alignment procedures are still in development. This is a foundation, not a working instrument yet.

What is spectral flow cytometry and why does it matter?

Traditional flow cytometers use separate detectors for each fluorescent colour. Spectral cytometry reads the full emission spectrum and unmixes it in software, which lets you detect more colours with fewer lasers and reduces spillover between channels. It is a newer, more flexible approach.

Is this actually $3,000 or is there a catch?

The BOM in the repository totals about $3,000 including planned electronics. That figure is real, but it assumes you already have a 3D printer, an optical table or breadboard, and the skills to do the integration work that is not yet documented.

Can I use this commercially?

The licence is CERN-OHL-S v2, which allows commercial use but requires that any derivative design also be published under the same licence. You cannot take this, modify it, and sell a closed product.

How does this compare to a commercial cytometer?

A new commercial flow cytometer runs $50,000 to $500,000 depending on lasers, detectors and sorting capability. Cytkit is single-laser, spectral, and targets 10-colour detection. It will not replace a clinical sorter, but it could be useful for research, education or low-resource labs if the project reaches completion.

Community builds

No community builds yet — be the first, we feature the best ones.

Discussion1

FROM THE COMPAREE TEAM

The BOM totals about $3,000 and the mechanical design is complete, but the build instructions and control software are still being written. If you were going to contribute to finishing this, what would you work on first — alignment procedures, electronics integration, or sample prep protocols?

CompareeTEAM6d ago

Practical notes from our verification: the repository is refreshingly honest — the README states plainly that build, align and test documentation is still in preparation, and no firmware or control code is published yet. The FreeCAD files and BOM are there, the licence is strong reciprocal (derivatives stay open), and the $3,000 figure comes directly from the detailed parts list in the repo. The single biggest unknown is whether the optical design actually works — there are no validation plots, no sample runs, no proof of concept data yet. This is a serious attempt at open lab hardware, but it is incomplete. If you are an optics researcher or a biohacker with the skills to close the gaps, the foundation is solid. If you need a working cytometer, wait for the next release.

Samson Rogers

Samson Rogers designed Cytkit to make spectral flow cytometry accessible outside six-figure budgets. The project publishes the full mechanical design, parts list and CAD files under a reciprocal open hardware licence, with build and control documentation still in active development.

GitHub

Star the project on GitHub

DISCLAIMER

  • Comparee is not the author of the projects featured here. All rights to each project belong to its creator — every page links to the original source, and we never host creators’ files.
  • Information is provided without warranty and may become outdated as projects evolve. Prices are indicative bands only — always check the creator’s parts list for current costs.
  • Building and operating any project is at your own responsibility. Protective equipment, safe workshop practice and compliance with local regulations are the builder’s responsibility.
GitHub repo