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Orifice Plates

What are Orifice Plates?

Orifice plates are removable assemblies that are attached to the bottom of the suction chamber. They are plastic threaded collars with a recessed aluminum plate. The aluminum plate is machined with a pattern of holes. These holes are the openings that the layer of skin is drawn through to create the blister. The size of the machined hole and the characteristics of the skin determine blister size.

What are the differences in the 'standard' orifice plate letters?

To facilitate ordering, the following plate designations are used.

Plate 'A' has 1 - 10 mm opening

Plate 'B' has 3 - 10 mm openings

Plate 'C' has 4 - 10 mm openings

Plate 'D' has 5 - 10 mm openings

How many holes can be in one orifice plate?

There is a maximum allowable physical area that can be used for machining these holes in the plate. Typically, plates with 1 to 5 openings of 10 mm diameter are available. These seem to fit most all requirements but we can produce special designs if necessary.

Can the openings in the orifice plate be other than 10 mm?

Yes, Within the available space of the plate different holes can be machined. If you specify a plate with

holes different than 10 mm it will be a special plate and additional charges may apply. Although the

10 mm seems most popular, we will produce a special plate if requested.

How many blisters can be made in one session?

The quantity of blisters harvested in one session is a function of the number of openings per plate and

the number of plates and chambers in use. The NP-2 instrument can operate 2 suction chambers and the

NP-4 can operate 4 chambers. Therefore a total quantity of 1 to 20 blisters could potentially be harvested in one session depending on the plate and chamber configuration.

Is there a problem making many blisters in one session?

There is certain risk in attempting to harvest a great number of blisters in one session. Since the system

uses a common vacuum source, if the failure of one blister causes a great loss of system vacuum, then

the other blisters being harvested could be damaged due to the sudden vacuum loss. This may create

damaged areas of skin that are unsuitable for future harvesting.

Can I make my own orifice plates?

We can supply the blank aluminum plate and the orifice cap assembly for your own drilling and

machining. The principal requirements you need to meet is the ability to do metalworking and

provide smooth finished edges on the insides of the openings.