nir-vana innovation network

The German medical technology company was founded in 1904 and is specialised in the development, design, tooling and manufacture of moulded parts made of silicone and thermoplastic, which are used in medical technology, wound care and medical and hospital supplies. Its many years of experience in processing silicone rubber by injection moulding form the basis for the medical technology manufacturing sector. It is further involved in projects with universities, hospitals and research institutes. Application areas of the medical technology products are surgery, intensive care and dental medicine. In the clean room production, the production can be implemented and guaranteed according to DIN 13485 in compliance with the Medical Devices Act (MPG) (Class 1 sterile and Class 2 products according to MPG). The aim is to bring innovative products to the market which, in addition to their therapeutic effect, have a major medical benefit and improve the quality of life of patients.

Wound dressing made from 100% silicone:
The company owns expertise in the manufacture of silicone-based wound dressings. They maintain a moist wound environment and, thanks to their grid structure, release excess wound secretions to the outside and do not stick to the wound. The silicone grid can remain on the wound as long as no inflammation is visible. They can manufacture silicone moulded parts for wound care under clean room conditions using plotter technology and to assemble them under monitored conditions. They further operate a plotter facility to produce textured surfaces with an annual output of 10,000 square meters. The plotter is suitable for producing series quantities of up to three million pieces.

Three-dimensional growth surfaces for cell cultivation:
To produce three-dimensional lattice structures as growth surfaces for biotechnological applications, the company has a unique 3-D plotting system that can be used to manufacture silicone scaffolds. Scaffolds are three-dimensional cell culture support structures commonly used in biomedical engineering. They enable uniform colonization with cells. The company works out individual solutions in consultation with the customer and offers to design and dimension these silicone lattice structures variably. Thus, differences in strand and pore structure, pattern of the matrix structure, dimensioning of the overall structure and a product- and cell-typical adaptation can be realized. In addition to their use in bioreactors, they can also be used for absorption and adsorption processes.

Customer benefit from the companies own development department, whose state of the art equipment offer the following options:
- CAD-supported design and construction processing
- 3-D scanner
- Provision of draft and construction documents
- Online transfer of CAD data
- Exchange of information and data via email and the Internet
- Efficient production of samples and prototypes

The company owns approvals for use in the food sector according to BfR (German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment) and proof of biocompatibility. The products also fulfil requirements specified in DVGW (German Association of Gas and Water) and meet the requirements for the German KTW (plastic-drinking water) approval, as part of the DVGW certificate.

Partners from medical and biomedical sector with an interest in the application of the offered solutions or with interest to jointly develop new solutions for the medical sector are sought:

In concrete, the company can manufacture the described products and/or other parts made from rubber, plastic or silicone- therefore they would like to conclude a manufacturing agreement.

Additionally, the required partner would hire the German company to perform a specific task as part of an overall project. For this, the German company is offering to become a subcontractor.

Advantages & innovations

Wound dressing: They maintain a moist wound environment and, due to their lattice structure, release excess wound secretion to the outside and do not stick to the wound. The silicone dressing can remain on the wound as long as no inflammation is visible. Three-dimensional silicone scaffolds for cell cultures: The company offers individual solutions. Thus, differences in strand and pore structure, pattern of the matrix structure, dimensioning of the overall structure and a product- and cell-typical adaptation can be realized. Further developments are possible according to customer needs: The manufacturing concept allows the production of small parts in the one-gram range up to parts with a weight of six kilograms. Clean room production: The clean room-zone concept currently covers the production of class 1 sterile and 2a products according to the medical products law. The production is carried out in clean room class 8 according to DIN ISO 14644 (class 100,000 according to US standard FS 209 E), partly in class 7 (10,000). Manufacturing takes place in a class D clean room and has expandable assembly and production areas. Liquid silicone injection moulding: The liquid silicone injection moulding machines operate in ranges from 250 to 400 kN clamping force. It enables to produce moulded parts and grids that are used in sensitive areas such as medical technology as well as biotechnology and meet the highest standards. Manufacture of lattice (grid) structures and single threads made of silicone: The company operates with a plotter system to produce structured surfaces with an annual output of 10,000 square meters. The plotter is suitable for series production of up to three million pieces. With the unique 3-D plot system a variety of products can be manufactured, including silicone grids for moist wound care, three-dimensional silicone scaffolds for cell cultures, flexible structures, etc.

Stage of development

Already on the market

Partner sought

Industrial partners from medical technology and biomedical technology are sought who have strong interest in the application of the offered solutions. Partners from University hospitals or research institutes are also welcome to jointly develop new solutions for the medical sector. On the one hand, the company offers its already designed products to customers, on the other hand they design and manufacture products in compliance to customer specifications. Thereby, they accompany customer right from the start in the design phase of new and innovative products and guarantees a timely delivery with 100% customer satisfaction. Manufacturing Agreement The German company offers the manufacturing of the described products (e.g. silicone-based wound dressing, molded silicone parts for wound care, structured surfaces) or further products made from rubber, plastic or silicone. Subcontracting The potential partner could hire the German company to perform a specific task as part of an overall project. For this, the German company is offering to become a subcontractor. Establishing an intensive cooperation with customers is an essential part of the company’s philosophy. The goal is to work cooperatively and creatively on product and process development to ensure excellent product quality and precise fit in the application. The German company guarantees a timely delivery with 100% customer satisfaction.