Microfluidic Pump — low-pressure peristaltic

First flow. It leaks at two joints and the flow rate is inconsistent, but fluid is moving through the channel under its own pumping action. That’s the milestone.

Status

20% — barely started but the core mechanism is validated. Fluid moves. The rest is engineering.

What works

The peristaltic action itself. Three cams on a shared shaft, offset 120°, compress a silicone tube in sequence. The fluid moves. Slowly. In the right direction.

What leaks

Both barb fittings at the inlet and outlet. The silicone tube wall is too thin for the barb geometry I printed — it tears slightly under repeated compression. Need to either thicken the tube or redesign the barb.

Next steps

• Better tubing: 2mm ID silicone with thicker walls
• Electronic control: small stepper driver, variable speed
• Flow rate measurement: passive optical sensor on a drip counter
• Integration with salamander-v2 once that spine problem is solved

Why this matters

The long-term goal is an integrated fluid actuation system for the salamander. Pneumatic actuation is too bulky; hydraulic requires a reservoir. A peristaltic pump running on low-voltage DC lets the robot carry its own actuator fluid in a closed loop.