In life science and medical device manufacturing, material handling systems must deliver accuracy, cleanliness, and reliability at every stage of production. From delicate diagnostic components to packaged medical devices, products must move through automation in a controlled and traceable manner to meet regulatory and quality requirements.
Automation NTH designs and integrates material handling systems that support gentle part movement, consistent flow, and scalable production. These systems are engineered for regulated environments where contamination control, repeatability, and throughput are equally critical.
Material Handling Systems
Automation NTH integrates a wide range of material handling technologies to move parts efficiently between processes while protecting product integrity.
Conveyor Systems
Conveyor systems provide controlled and repeatable transport of components and assemblies throughout automated production lines.
Belt conveyors are commonly used in diagnostic manufacturing to transport lightweight components such as cartridges, tubes, and sealed pouches between dispensing, capping, and inspection stations. Their smooth motion supports cleanroom compatible operation.
Roller conveyors are often used for trays, pallets, and packaged medical devices moving through labeling, serialization, and final inspection. These systems support accumulation and buffering between stations to balance line throughput.
Overhead conveyors are frequently applied in medical device assembly and curing processes, allowing parts to move through controlled environments while minimizing floor level congestion and contamination risk.
Robotic Handling Systems
Robotic systems provide flexible and programmable material handling across a wide range of life science applications.
Articulated arm robots are used for pick and place operations, part transfer between stations, palletizing, and packaging. In medical device assembly, these robots move housings, connectors, and subassemblies while maintaining orientation and repeatability.
SCARA robots are optimized for high speed horizontal motion and are commonly used in diagnostic device manufacturing where fast, precise placement of small components is required.
Delta robots support ultra high speed pick and place of lightweight parts. These systems are often used for sorting diagnostic consumables, kitting components, or loading parts into downstream processes.
Collaborative robots are used in hybrid cells where automation and operators work in close proximity. Typical applications include assisted assembly, inspection, or packaging tasks within regulated environments.
Automated Guided Vehicles and Autonomous Mobile Robots
Mobile material handling systems support flexible internal logistics and work in process movement.
Automated guided vehicles follow predefined routes and are commonly used to deliver kits, trays, or pallets from staging areas to diagnostic or medical device production lines.
Autonomous mobile robots dynamically navigate using onboard sensors. These systems are ideal for environments where layouts change or multiple lines share material flow. In life science facilities, they reduce operator traffic while maintaining traceable and repeatable material transport.
Feeding Systems
Feeding systems ensure consistent part orientation and controlled delivery into automated processes.
Vibratory bowl feeders are widely used to orient small plastic or metal components such as caps, clips, and connectors for diagnostic and medical device assembly.
Centrifugal feeders support higher speed feeding of larger or symmetrical parts, making them suitable for packaging components or device housings.
Flexible feeding systems spread parts across a platform for vision guided robotic picking. These systems are ideal for high mix diagnostic production where part designs change frequently.
Step feeders elevate and orient delicate components using controlled mechanical motion. They are commonly used where part surfaces must be protected.
Linear feeders transport oriented parts in a controlled line from a feeder into assembly, marking, or inspection stations.
Escapements isolate and release individual parts into the next process, supporting precise timing for assembly, labeling, or inspection.
Bulk Handling Systems
Bulk handling systems manage larger quantities of materials while maintaining controlled flow.
Hoppers are used to store and dispense bulk components such as caps or closures into feeding systems. Level sensing supports automated refill and uninterrupted production.
Screw feeders transport granular or powdered materials in applications such as media handling or specialty manufacturing processes.
Vibratory feeders gently convey bulk materials where part protection is critical.
Pneumatic conveyors use air pressure or vacuum to transport powders or lightweight components through enclosed paths. These systems are well suited for clean and contained material movement in regulated environments.
Strategic Value of Integrated Material Handling
By integrating conveyors, robotics, feeding systems, and bulk handling into a unified automation platform, Automation NTH delivers material handling solutions that support precision manufacturing and long term scalability.
These systems reduce manual handling, improve throughput, and minimize contamination risk while supporting traceability and regulatory compliance. Material handling becomes a coordinated and controlled process that enables reliable production rather than limiting it.
Let’s Build the Right Material Handling Solution
Whether you are assembling diagnostic kits, producing medical devices, or managing sterile packaging operations, Automation NTH can design a material handling system tailored to your product, process, and regulatory environment.
Download our comprehensive guide to learn more about how to create a successful automated manufacturing system for your organization.
