Need for Speed

To produce a closure plug with a Luer Lock attachment that would allow for needle-free injection via an injection membrane, our customer, one of the world's leading manufacturers of medical and pharmaceutical products, needed a certified partner with plastics experience who has made a name for itself in finding creative and innovative solutions to technically demanding challenges.

The project for the high-speed production of the connection system for infusions and injections in the double-digit million range, involved the in-house production of two injection-molded parts—the housing and cap—and the procurement of an additional filter, with all parts requiring assembly.

The Challenge:

High-volume production and assembly of three parts
Ultra-fast cycle times
Quality workmanship
Keep part prices low

Tooling and Automation Expertise

We relied on injection molding based on two high-cavity molds to produce the plastic housing and cap. The hot runner system and spindle unit allow 48 components to be produced simultaneously and then removed—all within the space of a few seconds.

Using the decisive know-how and experience of our in-house experts, we developed, in close cooperation with a machine manufacturer and our customer, an automated assembly machine with an inclined conveyor, into which the injection molded and additional parts are fed and automatically assembled.

Camera and sensor controls ensure the quality of the individual steps at all times.

Röchling Medical Case Study: Sekundenschnelle kundenspezifische Montage und Endbearbeitung

The Process:

The housing is fed into machine, and a filter is mounted onto it
The cap is fed into machine and ultrasonically welded onto the housing
The assembly is discharged into a box after a quality check via a sensor

Use case from Röchling Medical on customer-specific assembly and finishing in seconds

Continuously Optimized

Due to the high production volumes, we encountered an issue with the conveyor pot of the automatic assembly machine. It was simply too small for the number of parts that needed to be fed into the system. As a result, the pot had to be frequently refilled manually, which was very inefficient for a project of this volume.

To solve this problem, our in-house automation team installed an inclined lift conveyor that continuously feeds parts into the assembly machine, allowing it to run self-sufficiently for up to six hours before new parts need to be added. This is an excellent example of how we combine intelligent automation solutions with classical processes to achieve a highly efficient result.

Speed Meets Quality

Our tooling and design expertise and our desire to find a smart automated assembly solution allowed us to deliver the results our customer expected from us.

The ultra-fast assembly takes place in less than three seconds and allows for very low cycle times, so we could easily handle production in the double-digit millions. The automatic assembly machine can operate in three shifts, with production running for up to six hours without manual intervention thanks to the inclined conveyor.

The Result:

Assemblies are produced automatically in less than three seconds.
Self-sufficient production lasts for several hours before additional components need to be added, thereby minimizing human involvement.
100% automated quality control

Röchling Medical Case Study: Customized assembly and finishing in seconds

Röchling Medical Competences

Our Expertise, Your Benefit

Our customers benefit from our extensive expertise in plastics and metal processing, but also from our many years of experience in medical technology and pharma. As your solution partner, we are familiar with both the regulatory and practical requirements of creating components and products for the healthcare sector tailored to your needs. We meet the highest quality and hygiene standards and operate in strict compliance with relevant regulations, such as the Medical Device Regulation (MDR).