Transporting the mRNA vaccine against COVID-19 from Biontech/Pfizer is a real logistics challenge. On the one hand, because of the cold chains that need to be maintained, and on the other, because the journeys need to be as vibration-free as possible. GPS-Kärnten GmbH has implemented an interesting design solution for this with components from ACE Stoßdämpfer GmbH.

Mobile operational COVID vaccination team for small and medium-sized enterprises

Carinthia is the only province in Austria whose population is declining. More than two thirds of the emigrants who remain in Austria are between the ages of 15 and 34. This is according to a study [1] by the Carinthia University of Applied Sciences. Most of them move to Vienna and Styria. This means that Carinthia is particularly affected by an ageing rural population. This has also created particular challenges when it comes to immunization against the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Due to the known burdens of the corona pandemic, a large number of measures were implemented to enable easy access to COVID vaccinations for as many parts of the population as possible in accordance with the applicable laws, ordinances, decrees and other regulatory requirements. For this reason, the idea was born to also reach the population in the workplace. To this end, a mobile vaccination bus was put into operation for small and medium-sized enterprises with fewer than 100 employees. This vaccination bus could be requested by eligible employers for the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th vaccination of their employees.


When the GPS team started working on the idea, one of the aims was to transport the properly refrigerated Biontech doses as vibration-free as possible. Otherwise, the structure of the lipid nanoparticles present in the vaccine could be destroyed, which could lead to liposomes coalescing and dosing inaccuracies [2]. As the dosage of the Biontech product is only 30 µg, small errors can have major consequences. To avoid this, an Internet search was launched. While searching for vibration dampers, the team came across the website of ACE Stoßdämpfer GmbH. Most of the Langenfeld-based company's customers come from the handling and automation, food and medical technology, automotive and furniture industries. In these and other industries, the normal procedure for determining design components is to calculate a customized solution based on a wide range of characteristic data. The corresponding design is either carried out by the specialists from Langenfeld or with the help of a configuration or design tool, several of which ACE offers free of charge at this link:
www.ace-ace.de/de/berechnungen.html

The software is kept so simple and intuitive that the ideal components are suggested within a short time and can be ordered around the clock thanks to a connected online store. In Austria, everything went differently in this case for several reasons.

ACE contributes to the fight against the pandemic


The GPS team decided not to carry out the design itself online. Therefore, direct contact was established with Hans-Jürgen Greindl from ACE. The sales engineer responsible for Austria not only impressed with his quick response and expert advice, but also surprised the GPS team by providing the vibration dampers he had determined online free of charge within a short space of time: "Normally, as a company and part of the STABILUS Group, we tend to support vocational colleges and technical universities and their students in this way, so that the next generation of academics can find their bearings in the field of vibration technology or damping solutions at an early stage. Incidentally, this and our INNOVACE student competition regularly give rise to new approaches and products," he explains, noting that in this case, the charitable purpose of GPS and the aim of combating the pandemic were the deciding factors.


In turn, GPS provided the ACE expert with a surprise: "With an estimated total weight of less than 100 kg for the structure to be calmed, I was thinking of mounting it on four CM-VSC1-2-M8 cup mounts. However, when the GPS team then ordered a total of 8 of these heavy-duty vibration isolators, I assumed that two refrigerators filled with the vaccine doses would have to be calmed. The fact that GPS instead realized a double storage system surprised me at first, but shows how seriously the problem of the lipid nanoparticles, which could not be destroyed during transport, was taken." This resulted in a sandwich construction solution in the GPS workshops based on the motto: We play it very, very safe!

Vibration dampers against vibrations and shocks


The cup mounts supplied by ACE effectively protect structures and components of all kinds against vibrations and shocks. Normally, however, the loads are inherent in the system, i.e. they are caused by the structure of an overall construction, its dimensions and the dimensions of its drives or other sources of vibration that cause the oscillations. In the case of GPS's mobile vaccination station, however, the vibrations and shocks are caused by driving over cobblestones, kerbs and potholes and are therefore unpredictable. For this reason, GPS also opted for double bearings. With a natural frequency of 16 Hz to 35 Hz and a load range of 3 kg to 16 kg per storage point of the refrigerator, a buffer was already taken into account. By doubling the values, it was possible to turn the inoculation mobile into almost a sedan chair. As a result, none of the samples became unusable during transportation. The tear-proof protection of the machine elements is important for this when things get rough in rural areas. Their small size was a positive side effect for the sandwich solution that was implemented. In this case, however, the freely selectable installation positions, which can also be tilted and designed in X, Y or Z axes as required, did not play a role.


Available as standard with either neoprene or natural rubber as a damping material, these compact helpers can also be covered with silicone for high damping in extreme temperatures or very heavy impacts. The vibration dampers can be used for all types of loads in the push, push and pull direction and are available with a central thread or through-hole. Together, GPS and ACE have thus succeeded in bringing a low-threshold vaccination service to remote corners of the Carinthian province.