Contents
Case Study

One instrument budget, two shortlisted systems, and a trained user 39 days after the order.

Last Updated
October 16, 2026
Industry
Thermoelectric modules and materials
Location
United Kingdom
Customer since
2024
Measurements
Contact angle and surface tension
Request a quote Book a 15 minute demo
Drop shape method validated against a KRÜSS DSA100E in peer review Two peer reviewed validation papers Trained remotely in one call

The research team at a UK thermoelectric company secured budget for one contact angle system and set itself two weeks to order. It shortlisted two systems, asked for a firm price with automatic dispensing, and added surface tension to the same instrument. Its research engineer assembled the Dropometer from Droplet Lab's videos and was trained in one remote call.

Product photo: a Droplet Lab Dropometer with the automatic dropper. Not a photo of the client's lab.
Abhimanyu Photo
Written by
Abhimanyu Bhandankar
Holds an MBA from Schulich School of Business and a BE in IT. He joined Droplet Lab in July 2019 and now leads sales and marketing.
CEO at Droplet Lab
Read More
Gurdeep-Saini-Photo
Technical Review by
Gurdeep Singh Saini
Holds a BASc in Mechanical Engineering from Ryerson University (now Toronto Metropolitan University) and an MASc from York University. He develops the automatic edge and baseline detection behind the Dropometer's analysis.
COO at Droplet Lab
Read More
Abhimanyu Photo
Written By

Abhimanyu Bhandankar

CEO at Droplet Lab

Holds an MBA from Schulich School of Business and a BE in IT. He joined Droplet Lab in July 2019 and now leads sales and marketing.

Gurdeep-Saini-Photo
Reviewed By

Gurdeep Singh Saini

COO at Droplet Lab

Holds a BASc in Mechanical Engineering from Ryerson University (now Toronto Metropolitan University) and an MASc from York University. He develops the automatic edge and baseline detection behind the Dropometer's analysis.

Primary outcome: from purchase order to a trained user in 39 days

Days from purchase order

Purchase order received 5 January 2024

Instrument built and ready 26 days
Research engineer trained 39 days

The purchase order arrived on 5 January 2024. The instrument was built and ready on 31 January, 26 days later, and shipped to the UK the next day. The research engineer assembled it from Droplet Lab's videos, and one remote call on 13 February completed onboarding, 39 days after the order. The client has not yet shared measurement data, so this page reports the purchase and setup only.

2 systems

Shortlisted by the team before it ordered.

2 measurements

Contact angle and surface tension on one instrument.

90 min

One remote onboarding call covered both measurements.

3 days

From the firm quote request to the purchase order.

Executive Summary

Who

The research team at a UK company that designs and supplies thermoelectric modules and develops thermoelectric materials. The instrument sits with a lead research scientist and a research engineer, who is its main user.

Problem

By 2 January 2024 the lead research scientist had secured budget for one contact angle system and planned to place a purchase order within two weeks. He had shortlisted two systems, needed automatic dispensing and delivery to the UK, and asked for a firm best price rather than an estimate.

Solution

A Dropometer with the automatic dropper, a contact angle module and a pendant drop surface tension module. Surface tension was added at no extra cost when the team asked for it, so one instrument covers solids and liquids.

Time to Value

13 December 2023: first quotes. 2 January 2024: budget secured, two systems shortlisted. 5 January: purchase order. 31 January: instrument ready. 1 February: shipped. 13 February: onboarding completed.

Results

The instrument was built 26 days after the purchase order. The research engineer assembled it from videos, and one remote call trained him 39 days after the order. In April 2025 the lead scientist reported that the team was generally very happy with it.

Highlights

39 days

Purchase order to trained user

26 days

Purchase order to instrument ready

90 min

Remote onboarding

2

Measurements on one instrument

The client, at a glance

Research focus

Thermoelectric materials and modules.

Products / applications

Thermoelectric modules and thermal management products. The application for the Dropometer has not been shared.

Measurement stage

Research and development.

Users

A lead research scientist and a research engineer, the main user.

Materials and surfaces tested

Not shared by the client.

Key constraints

One instrument budget, a two week ordering window, delivery to the UK, and a small team with project deadlines.

The challenge: one budget, two systems, a two week window

The team had budget for one wetting instrument and little time to choose it.

One budget, one instrument

The lead research scientist secured budget for a single contact angle system. Whatever the team bought had to cover its needs without a second purchase.

Two systems, two weeks

He had shortlisted two systems and planned to place a purchase order within two weeks, so the choice had to be made quickly and on firm terms.

A firm price, not an estimate

The first quotes were marked as estimates. The team asked for a firm best price for the automatic version with UK shipping before it would order.

What success would require

Automatic dispensing, delivery to the UK, and a setup a research engineer could learn alongside project work, with surface tension in the same instrument as the deciding addition. Contact angle shows the wettability of a solid surface, and surface tension describes the liquid. For how these measurements are used in electronics, see our Electrical and Electronics guide.

The insight: buy a configuration, not just an instrument

What Was Deployed

A Dropometer contact angle and surface tension kit with the automatic dropper, contact angle and pendant drop surface tension modules, Hamilton syringes, all software licences and shipping to the UK. Surface tension was added at no extra cost at the team's request. With it, the team can run sessile drop contact angle measurement on solid samples and pendant drop surface tension on liquids in one setup. The automatic dropper sets each drop's volume, which supports reproducible contact angle measurement. The research engineer assembled the instrument from Droplet Lab's video guides, then a remote call with Droplet Lab's engineer covered both measurements.
The Origin

A firm price, and one more measurement

In December 2023 the company's lead research scientist asked Droplet Lab for quotes. On 13 December Droplet Lab sent two: one with the automatic dropper and one without.

On 2 January 2024 he wrote back. He had secured budget for a contact angle system, Droplet Lab was one of two systems on his shortlist, and he planned to order within two weeks. He asked for a firm best price for the automatic version with UK shipping.

Droplet Lab sent an updated quote the same day and offered one extra measurement module at no cost. The team chose surface tension, and the purchase order followed on 5 January, marked for delivery as soon as possible.

Book a 15 minute demo Request a quote
Decision Rationale

Two systems on the shortlist, one budget

The team compared two systems and two configurations of the Dropometer before ordering.

Option A

The other shortlisted system

The second system on the team's shortlist. Not named by the client.

Not chosen.
Option B

Dropometer with manual dispensing

Contact angle with manual dispensing, the lower outlay of the two quotes.

Not chosen: the team wanted automatic dispensing.
Option C

Dropometer with automatic dropper and surface tension

Contact angle and pendant drop surface tension on one instrument, with syringes, licences and UK shipping.

Chosen.
The team asked for two things: a firm price and surface tension in the same instrument. Droplet Lab met both, and the order followed three days later. The choice had a cost. A small team with project deadlines had to learn two measurements on a new instrument, which it did from videos and one remote call. The client has not shared which other system it considered. Teams weighing similar options can use our guide to the best contact angle goniometer for advanced research.

Next Step

One instrument budget, and both contact angle and surface tension to cover?

The Dropometer measures contact angle on solids and pendant drop surface tension on liquids, with an optional automatic dropper. The drop shape method is validated against a KRÜSS DSA100E in peer review. Book a 15 minute demo and bring one sample and one liquid you need to measure, or request a firm quote.

Request a quote Browse customer citations

Rollout timeline

Timeline (high level)

13 December 2023 to 5 January 2024: Quote and order

  • Two quotes sent, with and without the automatic dropper
  • Budget secured and two systems shortlisted on 2 January
  • Surface tension added at no cost
  • Purchase order on 5 January

5 January to 1 February 2024: Build and ship

  • Instrument built and ready on 31 January
  • Shipped to the UK by UPS on 1 February

February 2024: Self assembly

  • Research engineer assembled the instrument from Droplet Lab's videos
  • Asked for a training call on 8 February

13 February 2024: Onboarding

  • Remote call with Droplet Lab's engineer
  • Contact angle and surface tension covered

April 2025: Feedback

Lead scientist reports the team is generally very happy with the instrument

Proof and validation: what we can show so far

Test method

Sessile drop contact angle and pendant drop surface tension, with automatic dispensing. The liquids, drop volumes and samples the team measures have not been shared.

Sample size and operators

One main user, a research engineer, trained by Droplet Lab. Sample numbers not shared.

Repeatability / reproducibility

No customer data shared yet. We will add results only after the client shares them and approves their use.

Notes / assumptions

All dates on this page come from the order and support records. The client is not named on this page.

Outcomes to date

Measured Outcomes

26 days

Order to instrument ready

From the purchase order on 5 January 2024 to a built instrument on 31 January.

39 days

Order to trained user

From the purchase order to the completed onboarding call on 13 February 2024.

90 min

Remote onboarding

One call covered contact angle and surface tension, after the engineer had assembled the instrument himself.

Operational Outcomes

Two measurements, one budget

Contact angle and surface tension on a single instrument.

Self assembly

The research engineer assembled the instrument from videos before training.

In use

In April 2025 the lead scientist reported the team was generally very happy with it.

What's next

Delivered

Dropometer with automatic dropper, contact angle and surface tension
Research engineer trained by remote call

Next Step

One instrument budget, and both contact angle and surface tension to cover?

The Dropometer measures contact angle on solids and pendant drop surface tension on liquids, with an optional automatic dropper. The drop shape method is validated against a KRÜSS DSA100E in peer review. Book a 15 minute demo and bring one sample and one liquid you need to measure, or request a firm quote.

Request a quote Browse customer citations