SHARP - Piercing Progress: Innovating Sustainable Practices for IVF Needle Manufacturing
| Reference number | |
| Coordinator | Stiftelsen Chalmers Industriteknik |
| Funding from Vinnova | SEK 1 000 000 |
| Project duration | August 2024 - September 2025 |
| Status | Completed |
| Venture | Strategic efforts HI |
| Call | Sustainable manufacturing of pharmaceuticals and medical technology products - spring 2024 |
Important results from the project
The project had two main areas, electropolishing and packaging solutions. Regarding the electropolishing minor adjustments in the targets were made, justified by the insight that some of the project challenges were more critical and required more focus to be able to concretise further internal work. Within the packaging solutions part, no modifications were made, and the pilot tool for comparing packaging alternatives will contribute to future work.
Expected long term effects
With increased knowledge of the possibilities and limitations of the production process, further optimization can be made that further strengthens quality and efficiency. Suggestions for possible alternative steel materials have been compiled as possible for further development of the product in question. Regarding packaging, the developed pilot tool can constitute significant support for focusing work on the more challenging parts of a package more easily and effectively.
Approach and implementation
The project was constituted by two work packages where Vitrolife has been deeply involved in all activities. AP1 focused on electropolishing, and the initial literature search carried out led to change of focus and minor adjustment of the goals. The work was then supplemented with practical tests. AP2 focused on packaging. Here, work began with simplified climate calculations of current needle packaging, after which the work moved on developing a pilot tool for comparing alternative packaging.