1. “Innovation to Legacy Manufacturing”
Jennifer Nock
December 2009
Hello I’m Jenny Nock and today I’m going to tell you about my knowledge transfer partnership, but firstly I’m going to tell you a little about me.

2. Engineering Product Design BSc Hons
About Me
Engineering Product Design BSc Hons
July 2007
2.5 yrs
Jennifer Nock
Oct 2008 to
Oct 2010
In 2007, I graduated from Aston University with a 1st class honours degree in Engineering Product design. I then moved to Cornwall seeking sun and sand and have been living in Charlestown for the last 2.5 years.
I started as a KTP associate back in October 2008, in a collaboration between Plymouth university and Becton Dickinson in Plymouth, and earlier this year in I got married. So it’s been quite a busy year!
May
2009

3. Agenda About Becton Dickinson Why KTP? The KTP Project Aim
Progress & Achievements
Benefits
Conclusion
Question Time
Anyway, enough of that, and lets get back to telling you about the knowledge transfer partnership. The agenda for this session is as follows;
I’m going to tell you a little about BD and their main product Vacutainer,
Why the KTP was established
The Project Aim
The achievements to date
The benefits to the parties
And a Conclusion
If you have any questions please save them all up, and ask me at the end.

4. BD Plymouth Pre-analytical medical industry
Manufacture a variety of evacuated blood collection systems – Vacutainer®
Manufacture millions of units per week
UK and European Market
BD Plymouth are in the pre-analytical medical industry and predominantly manufacture Vacutainer’s, which are evacuated blood collection tubes. They manufacture millions of units per week and supply a firm customer base for the UK and European markets.

5. Vacutainer Tubes Plastic Tubes Injection Moulded
Additive added to tubes
Tubes evacuated & sealed with lids
Tubes Labelled
Blood Sample Taken
Tubes Packed & Sterilized
Tubes Dispatched
I just want to give you an overview of the production of the vacutainer tubes and use, so that the rest of this presentation makes sense.
The tubes manufactured by injection moulding. Additives may then be added to the tube to aid with the blood analysis. The tubes are evacuated to enable the correct amount of blood to be drawn into the tube, and are sealed. The tubes are then labelled, packed and sterilized. The tubes are dispatched and the end customer uses the tubes to take blood samples from patients.

6. Why KTP?
Strong market position is maintained by continuous production improvements
Requirement to understand some specific manufacturing processes in order to improve them.
BD lack experience and knowledge to fully understand these processes.
BD’s strong market position is maintained by continuous production improvements, and cost reduction whilst maintaining high quality standards.
BD sought to understand some specific manufacturing processes so that they were in the position to improve them.
They however lacked the experience and knowledge to fully understand these processes.
A two year KTP between BD and Plymouth university was established to draw on the expertise and resources from the ‘School of Marine Science and Engineering’
These capabilities accessed through KTP
Expertise and Resources from: School of Marine Science and Engineering

7. (*amendment from initial project plan)
The KTP Project
Aim
To develop, embed and disseminate a culture of applying technological innovation to advance manufacturing and efficiency improvements resulting in sophisticated production systems.
Projects
Polymer Printing* Complete
Additive Dispense In Progress
The aim of the KTP is to o develop, embed and disseminate a culture of applying technological innovation to advance manufacturing and efficiency improvements resulting in sophisticated production systems.
There are two specific technical problems to be addressed during the duration of the KTP. The first relates to labelling the product by printing directly on the tube, and the second relates to dispensing of additive into the tube.
(*amendment from initial project plan)

8. Polymer Printing Project
Situation
Changes to manufacture of tubes could effect ability to print on tubes.
Project Aim
Confirm business concerns.
Identify solution & develop solution to overcome potential issue
Certain customers require product information to be printed directly onto the tube, as they apply their own labels. BD was concerned that if any changes were made to the manufacture of the plastic tubes, then they would be unable to print directly onto the tube.
The KTP project aim was to identify and develop a solution to overcome this potential issue.

9. Tube Printing Project Progress
Confirmed concerns
Identified Potential Solutions
- Surface treatment best solution
New Surface Treatment Technology
Integration: Tube Handling Technology
Solution Costed
Business Case to Raise Capital
Initially the KTP confirmed these concerns surrounding the polymer printing future through research and experiments. If changes were made to the manufacture then the adhesion properties of the polymer would be affected. We then identified potential solutions to overcome these issues. These solutions were evaluated and it was concluded that surface treatment would be the best solution. There are numerous different types of surface treatment methods, some more aggressive than others. By taking to suppliers and running tests, a new surface treatment technology was identified as being the best technology for this application. In order to integrate the surface treatment onto the line we needed a method to rotate the tubes. This equipment was spec’d out and we received quotes and designs from numerous suppliers. The full solution and integration requirements were identified and costed and business case was prepared so that the capital could be raised.
The project concluded in the form of a completion report detailing all the research and integration work to be carried out. When the solution is required, the company are in the position to implement the surface treatment system quickly, therefore safeguarding the business activity.
Completion Report
Ready for Implementation

10. Additive Dispense Project 
Situation
Additive to blood ratio critical!
Require full understanding of process in order to improve them.
Ultimate goal: Zero Defects
Project Aim
Understand Additive Dispense Process
Improve Additive Dispense Process
The ratio between the additive in the tube, and the blood drawn into the tube is critical. Too much or too little additive in the tube could lead to inaccurate blood test results, and therefore mis-diagnosis of the patient.
The quality of BD’s vacutainer is very high, however BD is striving for further improvement and the next step is zero defects.
The KTP will assist in achieving this zero defects by focusing on understanding and improving the additive dispense process.

11. Additive Dispense Project Progress
Additive added to tubes
Early stages of cause investigation
Developing offline test rig
Further investigation
Evaluate possible solutions
The project is currently in its early stages and we are just investigating all the causes and effects for low or no fills of additive. We are also developing an offline test rig, to conduct further investigate tests and also to evaluate possible solutions.

12. Benefits Exposure to operations of manufacturing plant
& manufacturing issues faced by industry
Polymer Printing Research report
Potential case study for students
Raised awareness of surface
treatment technologies
Access to university test equipment
Additional resource to project
engineering department
Specialist resource to assist
with other projects
Solution to polymer printing
University
Company
Associate
Formal training: KTP and BD
Improved skills: presentation, project management
Project Management Industrial Experience
New contacts in industry

13. Knowledge Transfer so far…
Knowledge transfer limited due to project amendment.
Knowledge base taken on more of a supportive role.
Have been in the background assisting with ‘hot topic’ queries.

14. Knowledge Transfer Future
Knowledge base to be part of a BD
More involvement rather than just reporting to.
Bring the University and BD together.
Culture change to BD with being able to outsource information.

15. Conclusion KTP & Projects Challenging Improved skills
Developed a solution to safe guard business activity.
Majority of benefits from next project
Focus is on Knowledge Transfer

16. Acknowledgements Project Manager – Mandy Bowden
Company Supervisor – Larry Stockman
Academic Supervisors – Neill Hughes, and Dr Peter Dyson
Colleagues at BD Plymouth

17. Any Questions…? Plastic Tubes Injection Moulded
Additive added to tubes
Tubes evacuated & sealed with lids
Tubes Labelled
Tubes Packed & Sterilized
Tubes Dispatched
Blood Sample Taken

18. Tube and Standard Needle Assembly
Cannula
Hub
Sleeve
Needle Holder
Vacutainer Tube