Fluid Dispensing 101: Syringe Barrel Selection

A Helpful Guide to Selecting the Best Syringe Barrel for Your Process

Selecting the right syringe barrel helps eliminate waste and keep production running smoothly.

At Nordson EFD, we offer many options to fit your needs. Our standard Optimum syringe barrels include clear, amber, and black. Each is designed for a specific purpose. Let’s take a closer look at what each of can offer.

Watch this video to learn more.

Clear Syringe Barrels

Our clear syringe barrels are compatible with the widest range of fluids, making them suitable for most applications. The unique clarity of the barrels makes it easy to see fluid levels and check for air bubbles. Note: To get a better understanding of best practices to avoid entrapping air refer to this video, How to Fill a Syringe Barrel.

Amber Syringe Barrels

When working with UV-cure materials, we recommend our amber barrels. These syringes block UV and visible wavelengths at less than 12% visible light from 550 nm or less. They are also translucent enough to see fluid levels.

Black Syringe Barrels

For light-sensitive materials, our black barrels provide complete light blockage.

Unity HiTemp Syringe Barrels

We recommend using our Unity HiTemp syringes when working with hot melt applications. These can withstand temperatures of up to 180° C (365° F) for up to eight hours. Our line includes Opaque Extreme HiTemp Barrels, Clear HiTemp Barrels, and Clear HiTemp Tapered Barrels, which fit industry-standard heater blocks.

Selecting a Syringe Barrel Size

While fluid is an important factor to consider when choosing your syringe barrel type, syringe size is also important. At EFD, we offer standard sizes of 3cc, 5cc, 10cc, 30cc, 55cc, and 70cc.

Note: A great rule of thumb when choosing a size is picking one that will last your operator an entire shift. This will eliminate having to switch out the barrel during a shift, which can slow production and effect productivity.

However, choosing a syringe barrel size may be out of your control in some instances, such as when dispensing material that cures quickly or dispensing onto so many parts that even our largest syringe won’t last an entire shift.

Overall, when selecting a syringe barrel, it’s important to first look at what type of fluid you’re working with. Then, fluid-depending, you may be able to pick a size based on what is most productive for the operator. Working with the right barrel will lead to the best dispensing results and is an important part of the overall success of your application.

Need more info about dispensing best practices? Don’t hesitate to contact us at [email protected]. For more details about Nordson EFD’s Optimum dispensing component systems, download this guide.

Tom Muccino

Tom Muccino is a Regional Sales Manager at Nordson EFD. He manages the sales team located in the Midwest to the West Coast of the U.S. and Canada. Tom has more than 30 years of fluid dispensing expertise. He joined Nordson EFD in 1987.