IM expert delivers respirator components in record time

After receiving a government contract to manufacture high-quality medical components, Germany-based injection moulder Reiter HG Geiger Kunststofftechnik GmbH was able to produce the required quantities within a very short time.

MD Eva Söhnlein explained: "With the major order from the German government for the fastest possible delivery of intensive care respirators to overcome the corona crisis, the demand for corresponding components such as adapters for respiratory gas purification also rose sharply in our company. Compared to the previous year, we recorded an increase of up to 400 per cent for individual components.”

The production figures were increased within a few days to cope with the demand. Reiter has expertise in various product areas, so that a wide variety of components were requested. The portfolio of the Franconia-based company ranges from temperature measuring grommets and fresh gas measuring grommets, which are required in sensor technology for monitoring the patient during the anaesthesia phase, to filling and connection adapters to prevent mix-ups of anaesthetics, to complex valve assemblies for breathing gas control.

Production of the assemblies is a complex process, Söhnlein added, as each component requires its own injection moulding tool and highly demanding materials such as PEEK, PPS, PSU and PPSU. Furthermore, the components still had to meet the highest and strictest quality requirements.

Söhnlein concluded: “It is particularly important in final assembly to find the right balance between automation and manual work steps. We have combined assembly and workpiece inspection in one work step to avoid production batches of assemblies being overlooked during final acceptance. In this way, we can ensure the high-quality standard of our products.”