Zahoransky to present Z.Sonic turn at Fakuma 2026

Pharmaceutical and medical device manufacturers are under increasing pressure to scale production capacities, reduce unit costs and maintain high levels of process and product quality. At the same time, they must operate within more stringent regulatory requirements, limited cleanroom space and a growing shortage of skilled labor. Zahoransky is addressing these conditions by combining toolmaking, injection molding integration and downstream automation under one roof. From October 12 to 16, the company will present its Z.Sonic turn tool concept for the efficient production of pen injector and autoinjector housings at Fakuma 2026 in Friedrichshafen, Hall A2, Booth 2309. The solution was developed in collaboration with Netstal and will be shown as part of an integrated manufacturing approach for medical applications.

Tool concept for autoinjector housing production

Demand for pen injectors and autoinjectors is growing rapidly, driven mainly by the expansion of GLP-1 medications used for weight management and diabetes treatment. According to Zahoransky, manufacturers need to expand production capacities quickly, but are often constrained by existing cleanroom facilities.

Instead of increasing productivity only by adding more cavities, which would require larger injection molds, the Z.Sonic turn concept is designed to improve efficiency in each production cycle. The mold concept shifts residual cooling of the produced parts outside the mold. Using an advanced indexing plate with a servo-driven rotary unit, further cooling and demolding take place outside the mold in parallel with the injection cycle.

Cycle time and cost data

With a four-cavity mold, Zahoransky reports a cycle time of 12 seconds, compared with 18 seconds for conventional lift-and-strip molds. Based on a sample calculation, annual output increases from approximately 8.5 million to more than 12.8 million parts, while unit costs are reduced by 23 percent. The company states that this results in a payback period of approximately nine months.

At 3,500 kilograms, the mold is also around 1,000 kilograms lighter than a conventional counterpart and has a significantly more compact footprint. This reduces both cleanroom space requirements and the energy needed for heating. In addition, 16-cavity and 32-cavity versions are already being prepared for large-scale production.

At Fakuma, Zahoransky will present the Z.Sonic turn concept in combination with Netstal’s fully electric Elion MED injection molding machine as a fully integrated manufacturing solution.

The Z.Sonic turn tool concept for high-volume production of autoinjector housings takes center stage