Assessment of the design and performance of the Sage syringe pump model 341A, with particular reference to its accuracy and stability.

Consideration of the timing circuitry employed in the Sage pump model 341A indicates that the pump's performance will be strongly affected by component tolerances, and our measurements have confirmed this impression. Thus, delivered flow rates may deviate considerably from those indicated on the calibration chart; our instrument was about 10% slow at all settings. For many applications it will be necessary to carry out a full calibration procedure, which should be repeated following any repairs to the electronic circuitry. The pump also suffered from drift at certain settings because an inappropriate component had been used in the timing circuitry. These findings will also apply to the Sage pump models 240A and 242A, which employ similar timing circuitry to the 341A. When precautions are taken to overcome these problems, the pump's performance is satisfactory for both clinical use and some laboratory applications.