Steve Kregel

It’s an RGA that we’ve modified to enable ionization at ~100 Torr, followed be efficient transmission to the quad in high vacuum. The main selling point is all of the CAD files and control code will be on GitHub, and the whole thing costs about $30k. Other analyzers and ion sources will come later.

We’re much more focused on hardware development over software, but we are using python to control everything. The goal is to enable groups to optimize their system for their specific requirements.

I’m not a vendor, but I’ll be presenting the work my group has done on developing a fully open-source mass spec. It’s designed for atmospheric sampling, but could be easily adapted for other purposes. Unimpressive specs compared to commercial systems, but extremely flexible.

Picture of a computer screen showing a mass spectrum

Exciting news! Our open source mass spectrometer saw its first ions this week. Still a lot of work to do, but a full characterization and schematics should be available by #ASMS2026. Message me if you’d like more details.

This is what’s known as a “curl up with the dog and a good book” kind of day.

Every mass spectrometer should have a laser.

This is part of the reason that I’m working on a fully open-source MS instrument. It’s targeted for atmospheric monitoring rather than proteomics, but it’s a step toward making MS hardware much more accessible. Hoping to have it ready to unveil at ASMS 2026.

Open-Source Photochemistry in the Organic Chemistry Teaching Laboratory We report the development of an undergraduate organic chemistry laboratory exercise that utilizes a set of low-cost, open-source photoreactors to introduce students to photochemical principles. A seri...

We built some open source photo reactors and implemented them into the organic teaching lab here at Bradley. This was a fun project led mainly by the undergraduate students! Check it out: pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/...

I understand, and I agree that it’s the right policy from a vendor point of view. But as an instrument guy it’s frustrating to know the hardware can do exactly what I want it to do, but the software is locked down so I can’t make it happen without a soldering iron.

My counter point to that is that if the user is doing something outside the expected use case there may be default (and unchangable) settings which skew their data in unexpected ways. Without access to the instrument settings such things are impossible to know.

One of the infinite uses for 80/20!

My institution is pressuring me to update from Windows 10 to 11 on the instrument computer. I’m fighting them for as long as I can, but I’m expecting something like this to happen when they finally win.

The Wisconsin Oscillator: A Low-Cost Circuit for Powering Ion Guides, Funnels, and Traps In this work, we present the Wisconsin Oscillator, a small, inexpensive, low-power circuit for powering ion-guiding devices such as multipole ion guides, ion funnels, active ion-mobility devices, and ...

I completely agree. A couple years ago I published the open source Wisconsin Oscillator for powering ion guides and funnels. (doi.org/10.1021/jasm...). It’s now the basis for a fully open source MS system we’re developing and hoping to publish in the next year or two.

If you’re at #ASMS2025 come stop by my poster (ThP304) to learn about how we hacked an RGA to measure trace atmospheric species using low cost RF oscillator circuits!

A bit late this year, but I’m on my way to #ASMS2025. Come see my poster on Thursday (TP304) to learn about hacking a commercial RGA into an atmospheric mass spectrometer!

PhD Timeline xkcd.com/3081

Great job tonight Wisconsin. Sorry I couldn’t be there to help, but glad to see things moving in the right direction.

The ACS has deleted its website on Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Respect. And with that move, have shown they are worthy of none of the latter.
People ask why no-one stands up to fascists, this is why - they are too worried about their own standing to challenge it.
www.acs.org/about/divers...

I feel validated as an instrument builder when this shows up unannounced

**screams in early career scientist**

Thanks for posting Mike!

A Hybrid Vacuum Flange RF Oscillator for Low-Cost Mass Spectrometry In this communication we report the construction of a printed circuit board which mounts directly to the vacuum chamber of a mass spectrometer and produces the RF waveforms needed by many nonmass-selective devices such as ion guides and ion funnels. Our device is designed to replace a standard KF40 flange, can maintain vacuum chamber pressures of less than 10–6 Torr, and contains the circuitry of the open-source Wisconsin Oscillator RF power supply to generate RF waveforms of 1–4 MHz and up to 200 Vp-p. In this iteration of the Wisconsin Oscillator, we also introduce a variable resistor to control the output RF amplitude and show that its ion transmission capabilities are identical to those provided by commercial RF power supplies. With this new implementation we have greatly reduced the space and monetary requirements for driving nonmass-selective ion manipulation devices, which we expect to be advantageous to those developing low-cost and/or portable mass spectrometry systems.

Ever wanted to apply RF voltages to an ion guide or funnel without all that messy resonance matching and co-axial cables? Check out my groups first publication, in which we modify the open-source Wisconsin Oscillator to mount directly to the vacuum flange #teammassspec pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/...

I’ve always believed that mandatory pre-processing of the raw data is a disservice to researchers. Raw data doesn’t need to be the default, but it should be an option.

This is a great idea! I wish we’d done the same with my now 3 year old.

Unpleasant surprise after thanksgiving. Motor bearing on the mass spec vacuum blew out over break 😢

Hello #chemsky! I'm an Assistant Professor at Bradley University and I teach Analytical Chemistry and Instrumental Analysis. I also work on building miniature (and open source) mass spectrometry hardware. Keep your eyes peeled for a full open source MS in the next year or so!