Innovation in Fluid Dispensing: Design and Process Drivers
Key Highlights:
- At MD&M West, Nordson EFD demonstrated precision dispensing solutions, including 3-axis and 4-axis systems, for applications like sensor encapsulation and underfill dispensing.
- Real-time data connectivity and operator lockout features enhance process control, repeatability and line integrity.
- Adopting automation early in R&D can significantly reduce costs and improve scalability for medical device production.
The focus of Mark O’Shea, senior business development manager for Nordson EFD’s presentation at MD&M West 2026, was constructed around medical device assembly and automation.
His presentation, “Cracking the Code on Assembly Automation,” emphasized how adopting effective assembly approaches early in R&D process can greatly impact a product’s ability to scale into full production.
O’Shea highlighted some of the challenges associated with automating fluid assembly applications with medical devices. A clear trend observed across the full product-development cycle, from R&D to prototyping to large-scale production, is that companies need to involve experts early in the process. That means from fluid formulators, dispensing application experts to automation houses and integrators,” O’Shea said.
He stressed prioritizing early detection of easy-to-fix issues before they snowball into costly, difficult problems down the line when the design is frozen.
Challenges Manufacturers are Dealing With
According to O’Shea, systems are built around the manufacturing process. They are set up to ensure the right fluid is specified for the right substrate and that variables such as surface tension or environmental conditions are pinpointed and accounted for. However, he noted that what works in the R&D lab does not necessarily translate to what’s happening on the production floor.
Consider for example, fluid selection. “You may have an R&D engineer who is weighing a two-part epoxy and an R&D engineer weighing Part A and Part B, mixing them with a popsicle stick in a Petri dish, applying it with a toothpick to make a perfect prototype," O’Shea said.
READ MORE: MD&M West 2026 Booth Briefing—SME Insights on Precision Dispensing
Once you move into process engineering or high-volume manufacturing, that approach breaks down. In this environment, you need controlled, repeatable cure times, and you cannot afford to waste materials or rely on techniques that don’t scale.
“You want to drive [all of those questions] to the front end of the process to avoid those costly and time-consuming problems downstream,” he said.
High‑Accuracy Fluid Dispensing with Smart Controls and Automation
At the MD&M West show, Nordson EFD, which specializes in precision fluid dispensing technologies and advanced solutions for medical device manufacturers, showcased three automation demos highlighting precision fluid dispensing for electronics and wearables. In one setup, a 3‑axis PROX system dispensed a low‑viscosity medical epoxy to encapsulate delicate embedded sensors in wearable devices (materials designed to contact skin while sealing out moisture and contaminants to ensure reliability).
A second demonstration used a 4‑axis PROPlus platform to simulate underfill dispensing. This involved applying UV‑cure or thermal adhesives to fill gaps between a chip and its carrier or between a finished package and the PCB substrate. This is an essential step for mechanical stability and protection against thermal and environmental stress.
READ MORE: MD&M West 2026 Booth Briefing—How AI and MES Are Transforming MedTech Production
A third cell focused on high‑accuracy needle bonding, driven by two PICO Nexus controllers paired with angled PICO XP jet valves. Across the exhibit, the company emphasized its Optimum line of fluid‑dispensing components as foundational to consistent, high‑quality results.
The OEM also underscored data‑driven process control via its PICO Nexus platform, citing real‑time connectivity for monitoring and decision‑making both on‑site and remotely. Nordson highlighted operator lockout features aimed at safeguarding line integrity and ensuring repeatability and part‑to‑part consistency in production.
About the Author
Rehana Begg
Editor-in-Chief, Machine Design
As Machine Design’s content lead, Rehana Begg is tasked with elevating the voice of the design and multi-disciplinary engineer in the face of digital transformation and engineering innovation. Begg has more than 24 years of editorial experience and has spent the past decade in the trenches of industrial manufacturing, focusing on new technologies, manufacturing innovation and business. Her B2B career has taken her from corporate boardrooms to plant floors and underground mining stopes, covering everything from automation & IIoT, robotics, mechanical design and additive manufacturing to plant operations, maintenance, reliability and continuous improvement. Begg holds an MBA, a Master of Journalism degree, and a BA (Hons.) in Political Science. She is committed to lifelong learning and feeds her passion for innovation in publishing, transparent science and clear communication by attending relevant conferences and seminars/workshops.
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