Optical precision from the clean room: 77 Elektronika produces diagnostic cuvettes with ENGEL’s tie-barless technology

In a clean room on the shores of Lake Balaton in Hungary, more than half a million products are manufactured every day for use in laboratories worldwide—unassuming at first glance, yet indispensable in their function. The UriSed cuvettes from 77 Elektronika are specialized containers for the microscopic optical analysis of urine samples. What makes them special it that, as a component used in vitro diagnostics, they are themselves a high-precision products. They are manufactured on 12 fully electric, tie-barless ENGEL victory electric 80 injection molding machines (prior to January 1, 2025, “e-motion 80 TL”), under the strictest cleanroom conditions.

77 Elektronika has been a leading supplier of diagnostic devices since 1986. In addition to blood glucose meters, the company focuses on fully automatic urine analyzers, which are sold worldwide under its own brands as well as OEM and ODM products. The cuvettes are a central component of these devices. Their production requires maximum process reliability as even the slightest deviations in shape or surface can impair the optical evaluation of the samples.

“What we produce is a small plastic part, but not an ordinary one,” explains Norbert Pozsgai, plant manager at 77 Electronika. “Our polycarbonate cuvettes are part of an optical analysis process. This means that every surface, every radius, and every wall thickness must be absolutely precise—not just once, but repeatedly, millions times over.”

These requests can only be met with a combination of highly precise machine technology, optimized tooling, and extensive experience. Each year, 77 Elektronika produces over 200 million cuvette halves—produced in family molds, each with eight upper and lower parts.

Fully electric machines are a must here—if only because of the cleanroom requirements. “A hydraulic machine is out of the question for us—not because of the performance data, but because we want to keep the amount of oil in production as low as possible. Also, thanks to the tie-barless technology, there is less dust buildup.”

The decision to adopt ENGEL’s tie-barless technology was made early on. Today, 77 Elektronika operates 12 victory electric machines with 800 kN clamping force. For Pozsgai, the reasons for the tie-barless design are clear:

1. Maximum use of space: “We can move large tools on relatively small machines without tie bars getting in the way.”

2. Easier automation: Thanks to unobstructed access from three sides, robots, grippers, and conveyor systems can be integrated in a particularly compact and efficient manner—a key factor for the highly automated production cells at 77 Elektronika.

3. Double the precision—on both the injection and clamping sides: The electric injection units perform closed-loop control particularly quickly and precisely during transition phases, ideal for short cycle times and high quality. In addition, the uniform clamping force distribution across all cavities ensures dimensional accuracy even with high-cavity molds (in this case, family molds with 2 x 8 components) while simultaneously protecting the mold through excellent platen parallelism.

A key element of production at 77 Elektronika is the complete automation of the production cells. Each machine is integrated into a precisely coordinated system: an ENGEL viper linear robot removes the injection-molded cuvette halves from the mold and transfers them to an assembly station. There, the parts are precisely aligned before a rotary unit transfers them to a conveyor belt. From there, they proceed to quality control and packaging.

“This production line is the result of years of collaboration with ENGEL,” reports Pozsgai. “Together, we tested, optimized, and gradually perfected the system. Today, the system runs very smoothly and efficiently.” A key advantage is that even minor malfunctions, such as those involving the energy supply or components, can be eliminated during operation without having to call a technician. “Our operators can eliminate most errors themselves, which significantly reduces downtime.”

The automation is divided into two areas. The first part comes entirely from ENGEL, including the robot, conveyor, and assembly unit. The second part—such as packaging—was integrated into the system by another partner. The result is a production cell that meets all the requirements of modern medical technology production—from cleanliness to efficiency.

All victory electric machines at 77 Elektronika are equipped with ENGEL’s Medical Package. It includes, among other things:

• closed drive systems without potential for leakage, for example by means of encapsulated toggle levers,

• surfaces that are easy to clean,

• as well as clean room compatibility after GMP requirements.

“For us, cleanliness in production is a production philosophy we live by,” emphasizes Pozsgai. “The requests for cleanliness, traceability, and safety are constantly rising—we see it as our mission to actively implement these standards or even exceed them.” The machines themselves play a key role here, offering minimal hydraulics, no oil emissions, no unwanted influences, and reproducible quality over millions of cycles.

The collaboration with ENGEL goes back many years at 77 Elektronika—with each new production line, understanding has deepened and the technology has been refined. “Our projects with ENGEL run smoothly within a well-coordinated team,” says Pozsgai. “We haven’t just purchased machines; we’ve jointly developed production solutions that are precisely tailored to our requests.”

The short communication channels, direct access to contact people, and expertise in medical technology make ENGEL a strategic partner for 77 Elektronika. The next machine has already been ordered, another victory electric 80, again for use in a cleanroom, again part of a highly automated line for a small product with a big impact.

In the production of medical consumables, precision, cleanliness, and efficiency are crucial. 77 Elektronika demonstrates how these factors are implemented on an industrial scale, with the help of electric tie-barless injection molding machines from ENGEL’s victory electric series. The combination of machine performance, the Medical Package, and sophisticated automation lays the foundation for the reliable production of over 200 million diagnostic cuvettes annually.

What looks like routine is, in reality, the result of years of development, close collaboration, and an uncompromising focus on quality. And that is precisely where the true strength of this system lies and it’s evident not only in plastic materials, but also in partnership.