Many innovative developments at the trade fair - coordinated stage program on all trend topics in the supplier sector
From November 11 – 14, 2024, COMPAMED, the world’s leading trade fair for suppliers to the medical technology industry, will again showcase the entire spectrum of specialist knowledge, innovative product solutions and services relating to medical technology production and development. The trade fair will focus on innovative materials, futuristic components, complex high-tech solutions based on microtechnology and nanotechnology and comprehensive services, including complete contract manufacturing. MEDICA, the leading international information and communication platform for the healthcare sector and medical supply industry, will be held concurrently at the fairgrounds in Düsseldorf, Germany. Together, the more than 5,500 companies participating in both events (including around 750 at COMPAMED) will exhibit innovations along the entire medical supply chain – from supplier components to finished end products for use in inpatient and outpatient care.

Two specialist forums with a program of on-stage events on all four trade fair days have been an integral part of COMPAMED (Halls 8a and 8b). The COMPAMED HIGH-TECH FORUM (in Hall 8a) is organized by the IMicrotechnology Business Network IVAM in collaboration with Messe Düsseldorf and will focus on key technologies of progress in medical technology . The COMPAMED SUPPLIERS FORUM (in Hall 8b) has a broader focus on topics and issues trending within the supplier sector and is organized by the trade magazine Devicemed.

Innovative optical and photonics solutions for medical applications
A special highlight at the COMPAMED HIGH-TECH FORUM will be the session on laser and photonics applications, hosted in partnership with EPIC (the European Photonics Industry Consortium). This session will focus on innovative optical and photonics solutions, which are increasingly also being used for treatment and early diagnosis, as they are minimally invasive and can consequently shorten hospital stays and recovery times. The main segments in this field are photonics devices and procedures involving microscopy, tomography and endoscopy, which allow a wide range of diseases to be diagnosed, treated and monitored. Endoscopy, optical coherence tomography (OCT) and photonics-based biomarkers are important tools for medical imaging to support diagnosis and early prevention of cancer, diabetes and Alzheimer’s disease. In addition, laser surgery and phototherapy are now indispensable for the treatment of skin diseases as well as in ophthalmology and dentistry. Laser-based 3D printing is also being used to manufacture a wide range of medical implants.

After last year’s success, there will also be another hands-on session on microfluidics. Microfluidics is a field of microsystems technology and deals with the use and channeling effects of small amounts of liquid (in the microliter range). Microfluidics is particularly interesting for applications in medicine, life sciences, analytics and process engineering.It is used very successfully commercially use - for instance in labs-on-a-chip and μTAS (micro total analysis systems). Significant advantages over conventional laboratory processes stem from the small amounts of analytical material required and the generally faster availability of test results.

Intensive cooperation between Europe and the U.S.
Another highlight will be the international exchange session “Europe Meets USA - High-Tech for Medical Devices,” which will be included in the Forum program for the third time. This session specifically promotes collaboration between component and device manufacturers as well as users from Europe and the U.S. A particularly noteworthy aspect is the close link with the exhibitors taking part in the concurrently held MEDICA trade fair, which has optimized professional networking along the entire value chain in recent years. The all-day session on November 13 will be rounded off with an international networking event. The event will focus on stimulating cooperation between component manufacturers, device manufacturers and the application sector from Europe and the U.S. as well as initiating joint R&D projects and exchanging experiences on the challenges of the respective markets.

Innovative products and new technologies will be presented and current issues addressed in specialist presentations and discussions: What are the challenges in modern medical technology? How can European and American companies work together to keep up with the global competition?

COMPAMED SUPPLIERS FORUM: daily trend topic sessions
At the COMPAMED SUPPLIERS FORUM, a session on a current trending topic will be offered on each day of the trade fair, covering the areas of manufacturing, regulatory affairs, sustainability and cybersecurity in chronological order. Manufacturing in the medical technology industry is moving towards increasingly customized and personalized products. The new manufacturing processes required for this are connected, flexible and data-supported. Printed electronics and 3D printing are new processes that are driving progress in personalized medicine. At the same time, traditional processes such as injection molding and machining remain important – combinations of old and new often result in effective solutions. In all cases, the relevant standards and regulations must be followed. And in the regulation domain, the second day will be devoted to Regulatory Affairs. The European Medical Device Regulation (MDR) and the In-Vitro Diagnostics Regulation (IVDR) remain a factor for manufacturers, authorities and others involved in healthcare systems. Compliance with these standards ensures patient safety, protects against legal consequences and enables market access for medical-technical products. Only close collaboration with the competent authorities and continuous monitoring can ensure that new products are successfully developed and rapidly brought to market.

Sustainability and cybersecurity
Sustainability has also been an issue of significance in the medical technology industry for a considerable time. This will be the topic of focus on the third day of the trade fair. It is an extremely complex subject, especially in the field of medical equipment, because medical products can be sustainable in starkly different ways. One example would be in their production by using less energy and consuming fewer resources. Another would be in their application by decreasing material usage, reducing their packaging or lengthening their service life. Recyclability and building a circular economy are also considerations of note. The fourth day of the forum will be dedicated to cybersecurity, which is becoming ever more important. Medical devices are increasingly connected and digital. This has a significant array of advantages but also increases possible risks with regard to patient safety and privacy. This makes safety precautions in the medical technology industry all the more important with a view to preventing unauthorized access to medical devices, patient data and critical infrastructure. Unfortunately, attacks of this nature have become increasingly common in recent times. As a result, eliminating vulnerabilities in software, inadequate authentication processes and insufficient encryption is crucial. Cybersecurity in the medical technology industry includes the implementation of security protocols, firewalls, encryption technologies and access control mechanisms.

IVAM joint booth: 38 participants from 7 different countries
In addition to the two specialist forums, the IVAM joint booth is a permanent fixture at each COMPAMED. This year, the booth will bring together 38 participants from the industrial and research sectors, representing seven nations - Germany, France, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Taiwan, the U.S. and China - as well as multinational project partnerships. Miniaturized components that enable smart, precise and reliable medical devices will be on display. The exhibits will also include high precision turned and milled parts, micropumps, miniature valves, sensors, ultrafine wires and tubes and micro-optics. Visitors will also have the opportunity to view microelectronic and microfluidic systems. In addition, functional coatings, smart textiles and innovative manufacturing and processing methods will be exhibited, including state-of-the-art laser processes, 3D printing systems and diagnostic modules. Topics such as contract manufacturing and R&D services will also play a key role.

A COMPAMED classic: packaging for the medical sector
Another focus at COMPAMED will be packaging for medical devices which place particularly high demands on the relevant machine manufacturers. Again this year, MULTIVAC will exhibit innovative, sustainable packaging solutions for the medical devices industry. The centerpiece of its trade fair presentation will be a fully automated packaging line for the production of medical combination packs, which will include loading and unloading robots and using sustainable monofilm. The core element of this line is a thermoformed packaging machine enclosed in glass. An integrated SCARA robot will be responsible for automated precision-loading of the individual products into the pre-formed cavities. Before sealing with the base film, the top film is printed in-line in multicolor using a digital printer with UDI-compliant data. An optical inspection system then visually inspects the printed image. Thanks to comprehensive sensor technology and continuous process monitoring, the RX 4.0 thermoformed packaging machine offers high process accuracy and reproducibility. “We provide medical organizations with a diverse range of innovative inspection solutions for labelling and product control. Various components such as cameras, code readers or sensors are used depending on the task at hand. The result is a solution with components ideally suited for one another and a consistent operating concept,” explained Thomas Große, sales project manager at MULTIVAC Marking & Inspection.

Innovative materials and coatings
One of the most popular topics at COMPAMED are always innovations from the field of material developments and coatings. U.S. based Specialty Coating Systems (SCS) is one of the world’s leading providers of services and solutions for conformal coatings, including parylene, liquid and ALD coatings, as well as multilayer coating technologies. Atomic layer deposition (ALD) is a process for depositing ultra-thin layers – down to atomic mono-layers - on a base material. The conformal coatings from SCS create bio-compatible surfaces with high lubricity and offer excellent barrier properties against moisture, chemicals and dielectric effects for applications including medical equipment. Dexter Magnetic Technologies takes a different approach: The company is developing next-generation magnetic solutions. Permanent magnets of this type are currently used for cell separation, pacemakers, lasers, implantable valves and detectors. They are also used in cardiac support systems, pacemakers and many other medical solutions. The company’s expertise in magnets’ performance under extreme conditions and their compatibility helps customers achieve solutions that meet the strictest requirements for FDA or CE approval.

The examples show: COMPAMED 2024 is the international hotspot for the medical technology supplier sector with a top-class stage program and many new exhibitors in the five spheres: “Manufacturing & Devices”, “Services & Advice”, “Materials”, “Micro Tech” and “IT in Tech”.

Last year, 83,000 visitors from 160 countries attended COMPAMED and MEDICA.

For further information about COMPAMED and MEDICA 2024: www.compamed-tradefair.com and www.medica-tradefair.com