Diagnostics of heart attacks
PIA Automation USA has been contracted by a leading medical diagnostics manufacturer to build an immunoassay assembly line for tests used in the detection of troponin in fluid samples used to aid in the diagnostics of heart attacks. Once more, through their work, PIA has the honor of helping to protect and save lives.
The core expertise of this leading diagnostics manufacturer includes the development and production of immunoassays, monoclonal antibodies, and molecular assays. One of these products is an immunassay for the quantitative determination of troponin I - a protein released into the blood during myocardial damage - in whole blood and plasma samples. The test is used to aid in the diagnosis of myocardial infarction in hospitals around the world.
The manufacturer was seeking a competent and reliable partner to produce this immunoassay, and they quickly found one in PIA Automation at the Evansville site. "We have maintained a close relationship with the customer for many years and our on-going collaboration has now resulted in this recent fourth order." reports Falc Borchard, Vice President of Sales & Applications at PIA North America.
The automated high-speed assembly line is composed of two main sections: One that produces the basic botton half of the immunassays and one that produces the top half of the product, with lids and filters of the product, before laser welding the two halves together. Both sections have a number of specialized stations, such as high-precision dispensing units, a precise filter placement followed by heat-stacking, and multiple lasers which are scribing, etching, and welding. The quality of these processes are checked by multiple camera inspection stations along the line before applying a final product label at the end.
"The special characteristic of this line is the extremely low cycle time: only 3 seconds are needed to run through all twenty stations. That means around 1,200 products are built on our line in one hour," explains William Wargel, Mechanical Engineer.
Falc Borchard, Vice President Sales & Applications PIA Automation North America
PIA's assembly and testing equipment is fast, safe, accurate, and delivers high-quality products that help protect and save lives worldwide. "Our experience with low cycle times, where precision and compliance with high quality standards are equally important, make us the ideal partner for such projects."
