E_Engineering
15 plastic parts designed for perfect compatibility, suppliers coordinated, customisation through printing guaranteed.
Unparalleled development and manufacturing expertise in the field of plastic components.
Ventilator – 15 plastic
housing components
Everything goes together perfectly – like breathing in and breathing out.
Perfectly compatible and finalised plastic parts thanks to ‘Great Performance Engineering’: The 15 plastic housing components for a ventilatorare optimally equipped for daily hospital use – they pass the IP protection class test against water ingress and fulfil the wipe disinfection requirements of DIN EN 60601-1. Device versions and functions are printed directly on the components. Together with the customer, GPE developed and defined stable production processes and has assumed responsibility for managing suppliers of purchased parts, including smart scheduling and downstream finishing. This is how GPE ensures that its customer can deliver continuously and respond quickly to changes in demand.
The task
Manufacturing functional and visible parts for a ventilator used in non-invasive and invasive ventilation. The responsibilities included designing the injection moulding tools including subsequent high-volume production as well as managing the supply chain for products that were to be further processed.
The challenges
In order to be able to harmonise the functional and visible components extremely quickly, GPE assumed responsibility for designing the 15 injection moulds. The design had to meet the requirements for IP protection against water ingress and for wipe disinfection in accordance with DIN EN 60601-1. The production process also needed to encompass multicolour pad printing of different plastic parts in order to identify different ventilator models. In addition, the parts needed a coating – as an eye-catcher, a decorative ring made of plastic had to be manufactured with a galvanic coating to achieve the appearance of ‘glossy chrome’.
The solution
GPE delivered a perfect design of the injection moulding tools and optimally coordinated the processes between quality assurance, toolmaking and production. The delivery times of the 15 injection moulds played an integral role in the success of this project, as the customer had defind fixed deadlines for the market launch of the ventilator. A concept developed by the customer in order to fulfil the requirements of the protection class test was slightly modified after testing the first sample parts. By adding ‘drip grooves’, water that would potentially penetrate the housing would drip off in a controlled manner. Printing on the visible parts and the plastic ring was carried out using the pad printing process – in some cases with multiple colours and within an extremely small space. As a full-service supplier, GPE coordinates the downstream processing of the plastic parts for the customer – one of the parts is subsequently coated in ‘glossy chrome’. GPE fulfilled the wipe disinfection requirements according to DIN EN 60601-1 by using special paints and a topcoat.
The added value
In close collaboration with the customer, GPE developed and defined well-engineered and stable manufacturing processes. GPE handles the process of managing the suppliers of purchased parts, including smart scheduling, and takes care of further downstream finishing processes, using only certified suppliers and ensuring logistics routes remain short. Since GPE carried out the process of harmonising the 15 plastic components relative to each other, the customer no longer needed to coordinate with multiple suppliers. Customisation of the manufactured systems is possible through printing – different device functions can be labelled in this way. White label solutions are also possible via different printing options. The customer receives pre-assembled parts kits with the respective printed labels delivered directly to their assembly line. Framework agreements are in place to ensure that the parts can be supplied on a continuous basis and that GPE can react quickly to changes in demand.
The application
The housing components are found in ventilators for patients with obstructive ventilation disorders (e.g. COPD), restrictive ventilation disorders (e.g. scoliosis, thoracic deformities), neurological, muscular and neuromuscular disorders (e.g. diaphragmatic paresis), central respiratory regulation disorders, obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome (OSAS) and obesity hypoventilation syndrome (OHS). The units are stationary and mobile – and can be used in both domestic and clinical settings for non-invasive and invasive ventilation.