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Annual report 2013

A flexible backing plate facilitates efficient syringe handling by pharmaceutical companies

Nowadays vaccines are produced at such high speeds that many pharmaceutical companies are upgrading their machinery. For a long time, loading and unloading have struggled to keep pace with production, and even the continuity of production itself has come under threat. Flexiways took the lead by co-developing a flexible backing plate for vaccines with Sirris.

The challenge | Swift processing of syringes

Flexiways is a small player that mainly designs systems for the pharmaceutical industry. The company decided to develop a new concept for a backing plate capable of placing syringes in any position whatsoever. The aim was to find a definitive solution to the problems faced by existing machines when sterilising, labelling and marking vaccines and adding components.

The solution | In search of the optimal box

Flexiways asked Sirris to help it develop the product based on a predesign. Sirris was duly assigned to identify the most suitable material and ideal technology and then produce a test series of 200 units.

Structural calculations and simulated injection moulding were used to adapt and optimise the components of vaccine boxes (the base, lid and actual box). This was followed by a comparison of the stacking stability of existing models of box and cost estimates for individual components and their variants.

The result | Fine-tuning of prototypes

The developed prototypes made of sintered polyamide gave Flexiways a new product to present to its customers. This resulted in a number of questions being asked about the units' compatibility with existing models and production lines, which in turn enabled Flexiways to refine its prototypes. The company then patented its design and orders for the so-called Krysalid assemblies soon started flooding in.