Vial holder for freeze drying

thingiverse

Simple clip for connecting up to eight vials together, making it easy to extract them from liquid nitrogen and insert them into the freeze dryer. This design allows access to the vial caps, enabling them to be compressed shut within the dryer's secure environment. Additionally, the clip facilitates contact between the vials and the metal shelves in the freeze dryer, enhancing thermal transfer efficiency. I've successfully printed this clip using PLA, a material that may not be ideal but was readily available at the time. Notably, it withstood multiple cycles of attachment and detachment before succumbing to damage (although temperature could also play a significant role). This clip is specifically designed for use with vials featuring an outer neck diameter of approximately 15.5 mm in diameter and a waist depth of at least 4 mm, accompanied by a lip on top with an outer diameter exceeding 16 mm.