To support medical start-ups: mapping the customer's entire value chain
3/14/2023 Production of the future News

To support medical start-ups: mapping the customer's entire value chain

Medical start-ups usually face two major challenges: product development as such and the transfer of small-scale production to efficient large-scale production. Cost- and time-intensive conversions can be the result if the requirements of series production are not taken into account from the very beginning. Hahn-Schickard-Gesellschaft für angewandte Forschung e. V. and Rodinger Kunststoff-Technik GmbH (RKT) made this experience in some customer projects and took this as an opportunity to bundle their competences in the future.

In vitro diagnostics manufacturing Flexible design of the production facilities (Image: Hahn-Schickard)
With a cooperation, the research and development service provider and the plastics specialist want to facilitate the transfer of ideas from product development to large-scale production for medical start-ups. The cooperation focuses on test carrier systems and in-vitro diagnostics.

Focus on series production right from the start

For a successful transfer to large-scale production, it is advantageous to involve RKT already in the conception and product development by Hahn-Schickard. The research institute assists in the approval and production of the small series. 

This should make the transfer to large-scale production and industrial manufacturing processes at RKT uncomplicated. "Our cooperation aims to provide the customer with the entire value chain up to the series-produced product," says Nils Paust, deputy director of the institute at Hahn-Schickard. According to Paust, the decision to have the value chain fully mapped by Hahn-Schickard and RKT lies with the customer but offers advantages. 

"If we are involved in the conception at an early stage, processes can be coordinated from the outset, from the design suitable for the tool to the choice of suitable plastics," says Andreas Persch, Head of Sales and Projects at RKT. "This saves costs, because if series production is not considered from the outset, later adjustments in design, materials and processes can significantly increase the expense and valuable time can be lost in marketing the products."

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