ARC Summit Medical: Where Material Science Meets Reliable Manufacturing

It’s a time of remarkable promise for medical device manufacturing. But that promise won’t be realized unless the right people meet at the right time. Making those connections possible is the goal of the Association of Roll-to-Roll Converters (ARC), and what this year’s ARC Summit Medical in September is all about.

ARC Summit Medical takes place September 29-30 in Minneapolis, with Delta ModTech serving as Headline Sponsor. ARC Executive Director Chris Kerscher believes that this type of event is where real innovation in the medical device space occurs.

“Our association and its member companies can help bridge the gap between the fundamental core research and making a product at scale economically for the marketplace,” Chris said. “That’s what we’re trying to accomplish at the event. We are really at that intersection between material science and reliable manufacturing.”

If ARC sounds like a new name, the organization itself isn’t new. Formerly known as AIMCAL, it has spent more than 50 years bringing together companies involved in roll-to-roll converting. Its transition to ARC reflects a broader mission: representing the entire converting supply chain.

A rebranded association to represent the entire supply chain

AIMCAL stood for the Association of International Metallizers, Coaters and Laminators. But that description spoke only to discrete processes.

The association decided to rebrand itself to better represent the bigger picture of converting. They wanted to become known as an organization that brings together people regardless of market, region, size and company. ARC was born.

This required more than just a new name and logo; it required new companies and new members.

Besides the legacy companies that were part of AIMCAL, ARC also merged with a printing association. “We really represent the entire supply chain from raw material and equipment producers, to the converters that are producing these products, all the way up to the brands and final product development,” said Chris.

While the membership has changed, the goal has not: “Our goal and mission is to help solve challenges, and educate, connect and grow our segment of advanced manufacturing,” Chris said.

Different member backgrounds, similar challenges

Despite their different backgrounds, ARC members are facing many of the common challenges that will be discussed at the Summit:

Knowledge leaving the industry. With an aging workforce, much of the tribal knowledge from operations to management is leaving with retirees. The industry is faced with not only the age-old problem of recruiting new talent, but also the challenge of passing critical manufacturing insights to the next generation.

ARC looks to address the issue by not only providing training resources, but a suite of industry consultants to help companies transition effectively.

Scaling new products. There is no shortage of innovative new ideas flooding the marketplace. The challenge has always been showing companies how to translate inspiration into execution. That involves showing companies how innovative materials and smarter manufacturing processes can enable faster scaling.

Improving margins. Perhaps nothing represents the organization’s goals more clearly than helping members improve their bottom line. From reducing scrap to increasing uptime and improving training, there are multiple ways organizations can accelerate efficiency.

Chris notes that this is where the power of connecting with other industry experts, whether they’re from your own vertical or others, really pays off.

“For example, can we learn something that is commonly used in the paper industry and apply it to the battery industry?” Chris said. “That’s where we see a lot of success in bringing people together from across the supply chain.”

Meeting at the heart of medical device manufacturing

The Summit will be a place to connect with people facing similar challenges and an opportunity to unearth unexpected solutions. It’s only appropriate then that it be held in Minneapolis, Minnesota, the heart of where much of medical device manufacturing in the US takes place.

The event will bring together industry leaders in wound care, wearables, PPE, flexible sensors, drug delivery, flexible packaging and diagnostics. It will also include presentations from marquee companies such as Solventum, Avery Dennison, H.B. Fuller and Steris, along with other medical-device and raw-material companies.

Delta ModTech will take these conversations from the classroom and show them in operation on the shop floor. Featured demonstrations will include:

• A medical converting/high-speed packaging demonstration, converting a composite IV film dressing and packaging it in a four-side-seal pouch.
• The EDGE® Laser Adaptive Cut System with Vision Driven Setup, demonstrating high-speed, toolless laser processing of complex shapes with file free cut path setup.
• A High-Capacity Coating System, demonstrating slot-die coating on PET with air impingement and infrared drying.

Chris notes that these demos and presentations serve as the starting point for innovation. “Many times, the thought leadership might start with the presentation, but it certainly doesn’t end there,” he said.

Those presentations lead to networking and idea exchange, which can become catalysts for solutions that extend well beyond the event. Chris summed it up: “We’re really trying to shorten the distance between ‘Hey, I’ve got a problem’ and ‘I know somebody that can solve it.’”

Whether you have a manufacturing problem to solve, expertise to share or simply want to see where medical converting is headed next, ARC Summit Medical will bring the people, technologies and ideas together on September 29-30.

Register here and receive $100 off registration by using the promo code “Delta100.”