Microfluidic applications use microfluidic syringe pumps to provide their fluid flows, which due to their low nano, pico and femto litre volumes need to be quite precise mechanically. The main concern is the flow smoothness or how free the flow is from pumping artifacts like pulsations, delayed starts whilst mechanisms take up mechanical slack, and pressure build up – from mechanical movement taking up slack etc.
I have microfluidic application customers who often pump low volumes at low rates for many hours at a time. Many of them employ repetitive sequences – a treatment, a wash, another treatment, another wash.