Challenge

Design a seal for a POC test that tolerates extended chemical exposure.

  • An existing customer developed a new point-of-care (POC) test to rapidly diagnose COVID-19  
  • The test used a seal to control the release of reagent, eliminating the need for complex fluid handling systems  
  • The seal material broke down when exposed to the customer’s proprietary chemical reagent and didn’t meet long-term aging requirement  
  • The seal failed to withstand mechanical stresses during operation
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Solution

A custom formulation and seal geometry that withstands chemical and mechanical stress.

Renderings
  • Trelleborg engineers found an existing formulation in their materials library that closely matched the application’s requirements
  • Using this as a base, they created a custom compound resistant to the chemistry of the customer’s proprietary reagent
  • The materials engineers subjected the new compound to tests and failure analysis to find the right formulation and durometer
  • With the new compound, engineers redesigned the seal geometry to handle the mechanical stress of the device
  • Trelleborg developed a second compound that improved ease of assembly and long-term wear while reducing friction within the device’s prefilled chamber

Results

A seal that satisfied the customer’s needs, improved patients’ lives in the US and EU, and quickly responded to COVID-19 needs.

  • Trelleborg delivered a solution that surpassed customer expectations on functionality, delivery, and financial value
  • The new compound and seal geometry easily withstood the customer’s reagent and the mechanical stresses during operation
  • The customer secured emergency use authorization and later CE Mark approval for their device
  • The device is currently used as a diagnostic device for COVID-19 detection, and for other infectious disease applications
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