"An idea can be realized into a product, with the keyword being collaboration," — drg. Heribertus Dedy Kusuma Yulianto, M.Biotech., Ph.D.
LIQUIVERN UA-6 is a device for measuring one of the parameters in the laboratory commonly used to assess the hydrophobicity of a material’s surface. When a researcher attempts to modify a surface, two characteristics are usually expected to emerge: Hydrophobic (a property of a substance or surface that repels water, is insoluble in water, and forms rounded droplets upon contact), and Hydrophilic (a property of a substance, molecule, or surface that has a strong affinity for water, enabling it to mix with, dissolve in, or easily attract water). To evaluate whether the surface modification technique used has met the researcher’s expectations, an instrument is required. The device developed collaboratively by the Faculty of Dentistry UGM, Akademi Teknik Mesin Industri (ATMI) Surakarta, and PT. ATMI IGI is called LIQUIVERN UA-6.
This initiative began with a need in the Faculty of Dentistry UGM laboratory to measure hydrophobicity. At that time, FKG UGM did not have such an instrument; purchasing an existing factory-fabricated unit was costly and 100% imported. “Well, in fact, there’s a presidential instruction to increase the Domestic Component Level (TKDN). Through assessments, discussions, and collaboration with colleagues from ATMI Surakarta, a protocol was developed in a discussion forum and warmly welcomed by ATMI Surakarta, since they had facilities to fabricate it,” explained drg. Heribertus Dedy Kusuma Yulianto, M.Biotech., Ph.D., familiarly known as drg. Dedy.
FKG UGM collaborated with ATMI because ATMI is one of Indonesia’s leading applied mechanical engineering institutions located in Solo, not far from Yogyakarta, which made the partnership feasible. This collaboration was also an opportunity to work on newer projects, resulting in the realization of the LIQUIVERN UA-6 product. “ATMI is a vocational school with an industry-basededucation model, making them highly suited for manufacturing-oriented products,” added drg. Dedy. This became a strong motivation for FKG UGM to pursue further collaboration.
Initially, the prototype was developed for internal use at FKG UGM, but in the future, it may be fabricated for commercialization or offered to other institutions. However, there are still several matters to address before entering the commercialization stage, including a series of steps and feasibility assessments needed to move toward broader-scale manufacturing.
The operation of LIQUIVERN UA-6 is relatively fast—results of hydrophobicity tests can be obtained in less than 5 minutes. The process begins with placing a 6-microliter water droplet on the sample surface, which is then recorded with a high-resolution camera. The video data is sent to the first computer as raw data, and subsequently processed numerically on a second computer using specialized software. The results reveal whether the surface is hydrophobic or hydrophilic.
For mass production, certainty is still pending. A cost analysisstudy must be conducted, including production cost calculations and price estimation. Once this stage is complete, preparations for industrial-scale production can begin.
The existence of this device enriches laboratory equipment, facilitates researchers in conducting hydrophobicity testing, motivates other creators to innovate, and broadens awareness that collaboration makes it possible to turn ideas into reality. An idea can be realized into a product, with the keyword being collaboration.
Author: Andri Wicaksono | Photo: Fajar Budi Harsakti
