SALZBURG, Austria, October 28th, 2011 – The Steinbeis Foundation has awarded their 2011 Löhn Award to Sony DADC BioSciences for the transfer of highly dynamic variothermal (HDV) technology to Sony DADC in Anif, Austria. The Löhn Award has been awarded annually since 2004, in honour of Prof. Dr. Dr. h. c. mult. Johann Löhn who was instrumental in the technology transfer aspect of the Steinbeis Company. Reflecting that theme, the Löhn Award recognises outstanding projects that see the transfer of competitive technology and knowledge between science and business. Winning projects also have to have demonstrated effective collaboration and management as well as producing results with potential for industry applications.
Sony DADC’s award-winning project focused on addressing some of the challenges in the increasingly popular area of microfluidics and lab-on-a-chip technologies. The potential of these technologies in medical science is enormous, but the price of the chips is holding back some research. The exacting standards of the equipment cause production techniques to be complex and costly, with the single-use nature of the equipment further adding to this. Cost-effective mass manufacturing of these components is central to seeing the potential of this technology maximised by a variety of different areas within the bioscience and pharmaceutical industries.
Working with Watlow, a company designing and manufacturing thermal solutions, and the Steinbeis Transfer Centre for Plastics, Sony DADC BioSciences have refined the manufacturing process for these plastic chips, using injection moulding, to great effect. Using the thermal expertise of Watlow, they were able to achieve the rigorous standards expected of the chip’s performance by controlling the temperature – highly dynamic variothermal (HDV) – during the injection moulding process. This solution could be utilised successfully in a commercial environment by Sony DADC, incorporating it into large-scale production.
“We are proud of the work we have achieved with Watlow and Steinbeis and very honoured to receive this award in recognition of our collaborative partnership and technological advancements,” said Dr. Christoph Mauracher, Senior Vice President at Sony DADC BioSciences. “By addressing the central challenge of chip manufacture through our collaboration, we are now closer to being able to offer it as a commercially viable solution for the industry.”
This collaborative project began in 2009, and allowed the sharing of specialist knowledge in commercial microfluidic chip production, thermal control and the properties of plastic areas between Sony DADC, Watlow and Steinbeis respectively.
About Sony DADC BioSciences
Sony DADC is a leading disc and digital service provider for the entertainment, education and information industries, offering world-class digital and physical supply chain solutions and software services. Building on the company’s experience in high-precision manufacturing, its mass production capability and supply chain expertise, Sony DADC’s BioSciences division partners with Life Sciences, Medical Technologies and Diagnostics companies, enabling the industrial manufacturing of smart consumables.
Sony DADC’s global set-up comprises production sites, distribution hubs, digital & service facilities in 19 countries worldwide, including Japan, the US and Europe.
For more information please visit http://biosciences.sonydadc.com.
About Steinbeis Foundation
Steinbeis Foundation, based in Germany, specialises in the transfer of competitive knowledge and technology, working with individual entrepreneurs and large corporations. Working with business leaders and academics, including over 689 professors, the Foundation offers comprehensive support. There are over 800 Steinbeis companies, including Transfer, Research, Counselling centres, generating an annual turnover of €124m. For more information, please visit http://www.stw.de/.
About Watlow Plasmatech GmbH
Watlow Plasmatech, Austria, is part of the Watlow group, which is based in St. Louis, Mo, USA. Plasmatech developed a unique way of manufacturing electrical high performance layered heating elements by spraying them directly to a substrate or to the heated part with the plasma spray method. Partnering with many companies in industries such as Life Sciences, Semiconductors, Solar Energy, Plastics Processing and Medical Technologies on a global base indicates the wide range of efficient use for the layered heater technology.
For more information, please contact Reiner Lehnert under RLehnert@watlow.com
Media Contact:
Sony DADC:
Christina Schobesberger
+43-6246-880-281
christina.schobesberger@sonydadc.com
Steinbeis-Stiftung:
Michael Kübler
+49-7131-504-291
kuebler@hs-heilbronn.de
Watlow Plasmatech GmbH:
Reiner Lehnert
+49-7251-367-135
RLehnert@watlow.com
