Bayer Healthcare Case Study

Bayer Health Care LLC, Diagnostics Division is one of the world's leading manufacturers of diagnostic medical equipment. Key products developed include urine analysers and blood gas analysers, which play a critical role in operating theatres and intensive care units throughout the world.

Bayer's Diagnostics Division leads the market with innovation. They were among the first to develop and manufacture portable and desktop urine analysers. The Clinitek Status Analyser has transformed procedures in doctors' surgeries and insurance companies, bringing easier testing and faster results to such organisations. Kevin Sheldrake, Mechanical Design Engineer at Bayer's Sudbury. UK site, says, "Originally we used 2D CAD "Anvil" and Euclid 3D systems. However, the adoption of SolidWorks, SolidWorks Simulation analysis and PDM from NT CADCAM has enabled the design team to work more effectively throughout the whole process, bringing better products quicker to the market place." This is clearly a vital element in maintaining Bayer's leading position.   

SolidWorks allows Bayer's Industrial Design Engineers and Mechanical Engineers to actually see on screen a three-dimensional image of the product being developed, from its concept onwards. Model selection is simplified and Stereolithography enables rapid prototyping and cloning of the model selected for testing and evaluation.

Sheldrake says, "Key advantages of working with this software have been the considerable time and cost savings brought to the design process. The benefit of visualisation of the product enables key decisions to be made without the need for time-consuming and expensive modelling".

Bayer's Diagnostics Division manufactures approximately 10,000 analysers per year and 3D modelling also ensures accurate material usage and component costs to be evaluated as part of the early design concept, resulting in product profitability and value for money to the customer.

Bayer's design team uses eight seats and has worked closely with NT CADCAM since 1997. Sheldrake says, "The support and backup from NT CADCAM has always been excellent and their training has allowed us to use the systems knowledgeably."

Bayer's Sudbury showcase site has acted as a nucleus and now a further fifteen SolidWorks seats are used throughout other Bayer divisions. Sheldrake says, "Having experienced the many benefits of NT CADCAM software at first hand I have no hesitation at all in recommending them."