Calamat Ltd has an innovative and agile team, driven to develop products for step change improvements in staining processes for microscopy. It prides itself in developing economical solutions that deliver enhanced image quality and improved ease of use
The Challenge
With the mission to halve the usage of expensive immunohistochemical reagents, Calamat Ltd developed its first product: The CALAMAT® Slide Staining System. This product is a versatile microscope slide staining system for immunohistochemistry, immunocytochemistry and histochemistry (e.g. enzyme, special stains).
Following on from this system, CALAMAT® has developed the CalaClear® Fluorescence System specifically for fluorescence microscopy. This system has the major advantages of enhancing the image resolution and contrast, with the use of an innovative, redesigned microscope slide.
The initial challenges presented to the team at NERIC were related to the flatness of the stamped aluminium slide frames. Once the production process was observed, the team made considerations for implementing an annealing process to flatten the frames, and explored alternative materials to produce them while making improvements to efficiencies. NERIC also investigated feasibility and methods to apply semi-automated manufacturing processes and the availability of equipment to do this.
The Solution
As a result of the bespoke support received through NERIC, Calamat Ltd was presented with a potential alternative and cost-effective material that the slide frames could be prepared from – Printed Circuit Board. This suggestion has led to the successful sourcing of the CalaClear® slide frames in PCB that has an FR4 base and 35 micrometre copper layer on top. The success in sourcing acceptably flat, cost effective, chemically resistant slide frames has meant that the development focus could be moved to the assembly process itself. The assembly process is now nearing completion with process testing and validation currently ongoing.
“I would recommend NERIC to other people who would like to discuss their manufacturing processes, issues or improvements to obtain a different angle on the approach to the solutions. Having an external set of experts looking at the problems or processes, with expertise we did not have in-house, has proved
to be invaluable for Calamat to move forward.”
Melanie Hughes – Business Development Manager, Calamat Ltd