Honeybun

Importance of the Topic

Viscosity is critical for formulation development, process design and quality control across biotechnology, pharmaceuticals and materials science. Rapid, low-volume and high-throughput viscosity measurements streamline development of protein therapeutics, vaccines and other injectable products by providing timely insight into fluid behavior under varying shear rates and temperatures.

Study Objectives and Overview

This application note introduces the Honeybun system, designed to perform up to ten simultaneous viscosity measurements in under one minute per run. It aims to demonstrate how microfluidic technology and automated data acquisition can replace traditional one-at-a-time rheometry methods, reducing sample consumption and analysis time while maintaining accuracy and precision.

Methodology and Instrumentation

• The Honeybun system uses disposable microfluidic 'Bun' consumables accommodating ten samples of 35 µL each (or 15 µL in low-volume mode).
• A controlled pressure source drives samples through parallel microchannels while a CMOS camera records flow velocities.
• Software automatically tracks sample flow, calculates viscosities from 0.5 to 150 cP and performs shear rate sweeps in each channel to assess Newtonian and non-Newtonian behavior.
• Temperature control between 4 and 45 °C ensures analysis under different storage or process conditions.

Instrumentation Used

• Honeybun viscosity analyzer with integrated Windows 11 workstation
• Pressure supply: nitrogen or compressed air at 6–10 bar (87–145 PSI), ≥10 L/min flow
• CMOS camera detector with 1920×1080 resolution
• Temperature control unit accurate to ±0.5 °C
• Disposable Bun consumables made of cyclic olefin copolymer

Main Results and Discussion

• The system measured standard viscosity references (1.2 to 10 cP) and complex biomolecules such as monoclonal antibodies demonstrating rapid (≤1 min) and accurate (<3% error) readings.
• Throughput of ten samples in parallel significantly reduced analysis time compared to syringe-based rheometers.
• Shear rate sweeps revealed both Newtonian behavior of simple standards and shear-thinning profiles of protein formulations.
• Temperature variation studies confirmed consistent viscosity tracking from 4 °C to 45 °C, highlighting stability of the method across storage and process-relevant ranges.

Benefits and Practical Applications

• High throughput and minimal sample volume accelerate formulation screening and quality control workflows.
• Disposable consumables eliminate cleaning steps and clogging risk, improving lab efficiency.
• Automated software and live video monitoring simplify operation and reduce user variability.
• Broad viscosity range (0.5–150 cP) covers diverse sample types including proteins, vaccines and injectables.

Future Trends and Applications

• Integration with automated formulation platforms and data management systems for end-to-end workflow automation.
• Expansion of microfluidic sensor capabilities to include multi-parameter analysis such as density or particulate detection.
• Application in continuous manufacturing lines for real-time viscosity monitoring during production.
• Development of smaller or fully portable devices for on-site process analytics and field studies.

Conclusion

The Honeybun platform represents a significant advancement in viscosity measurement technology by combining microfluidic parallel analysis, rapid run times and low sample consumption. Its automated workflow and robust design support diverse biopharmaceutical and industrial analytics needs, enabling faster decision-making and improved process control.

References

No external literature references were provided in the original text.