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YOU CAN 3D PRINT A LAB CENTRIFUGE THAT RUNS ON A 12V MOTOR AND A SWITCH

A lab microcentrifuge you can print yourself: plastic body and rotor, a 12V DC motor, a rocker switch and a lid cut-off switch.

by ProgressTH (Applied Technology Lab)

FULL CAD BOM DOCS

ScienceOpen-hardware

Built withArduino3D printing

difficulty
●●●○○
time
a weekend
license
CC-BY-4.0
repo
repo 0 stars

WHAT YOU’LL NEED

Videos
7
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COMPAREE VERDICT

This is a deliberately simple machine, and that is the point. V3 runs a 12V DC motor through a rocker switch, with a microswitch under the lid so the rotor stops when the cover is opened. There is no speed control - it is on or off - and no electronics to debug. The earlier F.Lab version (Thingiverse, December 2015) used a brushless drone motor, an ESC and an Arduino Nano; V3 dropped that to make the build simpler. The Thingiverse page notes there is room inside for an Arduino Nano if you want to add timing or cycle functions later, but that is an upgrade path, not part of the build. The makers do not publish a speed figure, so treat it as a quick-spin teaching tool, not a replacement for a commercial high-speed microcentrifuge. The rotor is printed, and the makers themselves list better balance as a future improvement, so load tubes symmetrically. Never run it with the lid open or the safety switch bypassed. For a school makerspace or a community lab, the simplicity is a feature.

GOOD TO KNOW

  • —All STL files and assembly photos are on Thingiverse under CC-BY-4.0, free for any use with attribution.
  • —V3 electronics are a 12V DC motor, a rocker switch and a lid microswitch wired in series - no ESC, no microcontroller, no speed control.
  • —The Thingiverse page notes there is room for an Arduino Nano to add timing or cycle functions as a later upgrade.
  • —The makers link a DNA extraction protocol they have used with their centrifuge; that protocol is from 2015 and predates this version.
  • —The Instructables guide and its Arduino/ESC parts list belong to the earlier 2016 F.Lab version (thing:1175393, CC BY 4.0 on Thingiverse).
  • —This is DIYbio education equipment, not certified for clinical or diagnostic use.

Parts to buy

5 items

From our check of the build. Exact quantities and part numbers are in the creator’s BOM.

  • 12V DC motorFind
  • Rocker switchFind
  • Microswitch (16x28mm, no arm)Find
  • Barrel jack and 12V supplyFind
  • WireFind

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Can I build this?

PrintBody, lid, rotor and mounts, all STLs on Thingiverse; the lid also needs an acrylic sheet.
Buy12V DC motor, rocker switch, microswitch (16x28mm, no arm), barrel jack and 12V supply, wire. No microcontroller needed.
Tools3D printer, soldering iron, wire strippers, screwdriver. No Arduino IDE required.
TimePrinting depends on your printer and settings (the makers do not publish a print time). Wiring is one simple circuit; the lid also needs its acrylic sheet glued or friction-welded in.
Cost$ — a 12V DC motor, two switches, a 12V supply, M3 hardware, a small acrylic sheet and filament; the makers do not publish a total
SafetyThe rotor spins at speed. Keep the lid microswitch working, load tubes symmetrically, and never run it open or unattended.

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

Videos

3D Printed DIYbio Centrifuge V3 Overview

The makers' own V3 overview video, linked from the Thingiverse page. It is an overview of the design, not a full step-by-step build tutorial.

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Gallery

resize.thingiverse.com

Start here

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

  1. 1.Download all STL files from Thingiverse (Body, lid, rotor and mounts. If you downloaded before 24 June 2019 you have the older, smaller case; use the current 104x104 mm files and the motorMount_V2 with hex pockets for the M3 nuts.)
  2. 2.Get a 12V DC motor, a rocker switch, a microswitch and a barrel jack(That is the entire electrical build. The microswitch sits in the lid so the circuit only closes when the lid is shut.)
  3. 3.Wire it as one series loop (Power in through the barrel jack, through the rocker switch to the motor, and from the motor through the lid microswitch back to ground. Both switches must be closed for the rotor to spin. The video walks through the circuit.)
  4. 4.If you want variable speed, build the older version instead (The 2016 F.Lab design uses a brushless drone motor, an ESC, an Arduino Nano and a potentiometer for adjustable speed. Different files (thing:1175393).)

Resources

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

KNOWN ISSUES

  • V3 has no speed control. It is on or off - if you need to dial in RPM, you want the older 2016 version, not this one.
  • The rotor is 3D printed and never perfectly balanced. Load sample tubes symmetrically (opposite sides, equal mass) or it will vibrate hard enough to walk across the bench.
  • The lid microswitch is a safety interlock, not an optional extra. Do not bypass it to run the machine with the lid open.
  • This is education and DIYbio equipment. Do not represent it as certified, sterile or suitable for clinical diagnostics.
  • The Thingiverse page mentions space for an Arduino Nano - that is for adding timing and cycle functions later. It is not in the build and it does not control speed.

Can this actually separate blood or extract DNA?

The makers said they used their earlier centrifuge for DNA extraction; for V3 they publish no speed or g-force figure. Treat it as a quick-spin tool for teaching and simple prep, not a replacement for a commercial microcentrifuge, and it is not certified for anything clinical.

Is the rotor safe if it is just printed plastic?

The rotor is printed and press-fit onto the motor shaft, and the lid holds an acrylic sheet between its printed halves; a microswitch cuts power when the lid opens. The makers publish no load or burst testing and list better rotor balance as a future improvement, so print the rotor solidly, load tubes symmetrically and never run it with the lid open.

Do I need to know anything about biology to build this?

No. V3 is a print-and-wire project: a 12V motor, a rocker switch and a lid microswitch in one series loop. There is no code and no microcontroller to program.

Can I sell these?

The CC-BY-4.0 licence allows commercial use with attribution. However, selling it as lab equipment would require you to handle your own compliance, labelling, and liability — this is a DIY design, not a certified product.

Does it have adjustable speed?

No. V3 is on or off. The earlier F.Lab version (December 2015) used a brushless drone motor, an ESC and an Arduino Nano for speed control - that is a different design with different files (thing:1175393).

Community builds

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Discussion7

Manger MadeBUILDING1mo ago

The GitHub repo link goes to the STLs on Thingiverse

A

admin1mo ago

You're right, thanks for flagging it. The files for this build live on Thingiverse, not GitHub - that button label is wrong and it's on our list. While we were in there we also removed a link that pointed at a different centrifuge project entirely. Files: Thingiverse, CC-BY-4.0, free.

Manger MadeBUILDING1mo ago

@admin There are a lot more mistakes. Your description mentions an Arduino board, esc, and potentiometer. Most of your page is giving information mased on the one on Github. This centrifuge is really just on or off. There is no variable speed option. I suggest starting from the top like you know nothing about the project and try to figure out how to build it. That will help you find all of the information that doesn't go with the build you have pictures for. You also have one picture from the other project.

CompareeTEAM1mo agoedited

Correction, 21 August 2026: an earlier version of this page described a brushless drone motor, an ESC, an Arduino Nano and variable speed control. That belongs to the original F.Lab DIYbio Centrifuge (Thingiverse thing:1175393, the Instructables build), not to the V3 we link here. V3 (thing:3702648, 2019) is a simplified redesign: 12V DC motor, rocker switch, lid microswitch for auto-cutoff, on/off only, with room left for an Arduino Nano if you want to add timing. We also removed two photos that had been pulled in automatically and showed different machines - one of them a commercial benchtop centrifuge. Practical notes that still stand: the rotor is press-fit onto the motor shaft (a dab of hot glue if it is loose), the hinges use M3x30 bolts, and the lid needs a sheet of acrylic sealed between its halves with friction welding or glue. If you downloaded the files before 24 June 2019, you have the older, slightly smaller case where tubes could touch the sides. The linked video is an overview; the makers list a full video tutorial as still to come. Correction (4 October 2026): we re-checked this page line by line against the project's own repository, documentation and videos, and fixed errors in earlier versions.

ProgressTH (Applied Technology Lab)

ProgressTH is a maker and DIYbio education project in Bangkok, working with the F.Lab community lab, focused on building lab equipment cheap enough for schools and community labs anywhere. The centrifuge went through several versions: the original F.Lab design (published December 2015) used a brushless drone motor with an ESC and an Arduino Nano, while this 2019 V3 is a deliberately simplified redesign built around a plain 12V DC motor.

Web

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  • 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.
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