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