Elos Medtech : How we specialize to supply components to some of the biggest healthcare companies

Over the past decades, Elos Medtech in Skara, Sweden, has been supplying technically advanced components and products to some of the biggest companies in the medical device industry. The high-performance thermoplastic components we injection mold are used in demanding medical areas such as diagnostics, life support, neurosurgery, and cardiovascular surgery. But how did we get here? In this blog post, I share the dedicated competencies and specialization areas that have taken us to where we are today.

1. Extending our site with a focus on cleanroom production

Over the past few years, Elos Medtech has experienced an increased customer demand in terms of both new and present customers who want to subcontract their production of medical device components. This is why we have expanded our site in Skara over and over again. And the demand keeps increasing. Therefore, we have once again expanded the production site, this time focusing on building a larger space for our ISO 8 cleanroom production for injection molding, sterile packaging, and labeling. The site, which previously stretched over 3,300 square meters, has now been expanded by another 2,400 square meters. The expansion has doubled the production area and significantly increases the opportunities to meet our customers' existing and future needs. In addition, the new cleanroom environment creates a more flexible production allowing us to meet each customer's specific needs to a greater extent.

2. Highly automated production plant

Let us continue with our focus on automation. Our highly automated production plant in Skara, with over 5 500 square meters of injection-molding machines, three and six-axis robots, and clean-room manufacturing facilities, has been designed to meet the global demand for life-support equipment and other essentials components for the medical and healthcare industry. The automated clean environment minimizes the risks of unwanted particles entering the products and potentially affecting their efficacy. Based on a strategic decision to automate all of our production plant processes, we can manufacture technically advanced components for our customers with limited manning.

3. Decades of experience in injection molding

One of our greatest strengths in Skara is our specialization in injection molding of high-performance thermoplastic as well as more basic materials. Over five decades, we have gained a high level of in-depth understanding and specialist knowledge, which we now use to meet our customers' varying requirements and demands. We produce complex components that require narrow tolerances. These components are used in laboratory, diagnostics, and intensive care products and instruments. We also offer insert molding combining high-performance polymeric material with metal into a single product and post-processing procedures such as automated packing, ultrasonic welding, and laser marking. In our manufacturing process, precision, accuracy, and measurement are key.

4. Specialized in narrow tolerances and unthreading

We develop tools and manufacture a wide range of high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) fittings to meet our customers' system requirements. We specialize in narrow tolerances and external and internal unthreading of fittings with internal as well as external threads. These products have a vital function in the tubing throughout an HPLC system, and we strive for uncompromised quality and maximum precision and accuracy. Based on our long experience and expertise in injection molding, we have the advanced skills necessary to handle the exacting needs and complexity of geometry and size of the receiving port and the threads of the fitting.

5. High competence in high-performance polymeric materials

Our production site in Skara possesses a high competence in high-performance polymeric materials. The components we injection mold are used in some of the most demanding medical areas such as life support, neurosurgery, and cardiovascular surgery. Made from PVDF, ETFE, ECTFE, PEEK, PES, PPS, and PPSU as well as polyolefins PS and ABS, these carefully designed components are injection molded to ensure high accuracy and uniformity.

6. Superior quality and documented traceability

Elos Medtech is known for its superior quality - and never compromise on it. All our activities have one common goal: To avoid defects or variations and ensure a documented traceability. When designing and manufacturing small components, checks and measurements are crucial. To prevent imperfections or variations, we use a CNC measuring machine with multi-sensor technology. By prioritized investment such as technically advanced machinery, our operation meets the most stringent documentation management requirements, traceability, quality, and process management. We are also certified according to ISO 13485 as well as being audited by the FDA.

7. High technical competence and tooling management

In our production site in Skara, we have a high technical competence related to the design of molding tools as well as project management. Components for medical devices to be injection molded must be very carefully designed to facilitate the molding process. The material used for the medical device, the desired shape and features of the medical device, the material of the mold, and the properties of the molding machine must all be taken into account. We work closely with our customers to ensure the right processes and technologies, such as the design and production of advanced molding tools. We demonstrate a level of precision that begins with the product and extends to documentation and delivery.

8. Technical review and high customer service standards

We work closely with our customers to provide total technical solutions. Based on our high technical competence, we always evaluate the feasibility of a part and provide feedback to the customer. If requested, we can also participate in the customers' technical review of the components we will manufacture. Together with our customers, we analyze every detail of the component, such as radius, draft angles, and gate locations. We discuss the design for manufacturing (DFM) and possible improvements. Our customers highly appreciate this, and we pride ourselves on the positive responses we often get from our customers. To us, providing high customer service standards is a top priority.

These were some of the dedicated competencies and specialization areas that have taken us to where we are today. If you want to learn more, or in fact, are looking for a specialized development and manufacturing partner, pleasevisit our website for more information, orcontact me directly. I am always open to discussing your needs.