Engineering Excellence: Behind the Scenes of Manufacturing at Elcam

Engineering Excellence: Behind the Scenes of Manufacturing at Elcam
A Conversation with Dany Eisenstadt, Production Engineering Manager

In the medical device industry, precision isn’t just a goal, it’s a requirement. Every day, approx. a million of medical components leave Elcam’s facilities, each one manufactured to the exacting specifications that Elcam’s OEM clients depend on. As a trusted manufacturing partner, Elcam’s commitment is clear: deliver products on time, at the right quality, and exactly to spec. Behind this reliable production capability is the Manufacturing Engineering department, a 41-person team led by Dany Eisenstadt that transforms designs into validated, repeatable production processes.

The Mission – Taking Products from Concept to Commercial Production
Manufacturing Engineering transforms products into validated, commercial-scale production. The department has four core teams: Configuration Management, Molds and Injection, Automation, and Measurements.

“Nowadays, as technical and customer-facing aspects are completely intertwined, the Configuration Management has become a critical part of Manufacturing Engineering”, Dany explains. The team manages all product data infrastructure and coordinates every engineering change across the organization.
Molds and Injection handles everything from procuring injection molds to supporting production. The Automation teams manage the vital assembly machines, research emerging technologies, and design custom equipment when off-the-shelf solutions won’t cut it. Measurements provide the precision backbone, operating sophisticated equipment that validates every component meets exact specifications.

Managing Across Multiple Sites
Manufacturing Engineering operates across two main facilities, Baram and Dalton. Managing teams in two locations means making sure everyone stays connected and aligned, so Dany splits his day between the sites.

Adding to this complexity is Elcam’s newest venture: a manufacturing facility in the Dominican Republic. Manufacturing Engineering supports this expansion, particularly in the transfer of assembly machines to the new site. This involves not just the physical relocation of equipment but also training new engineers and ensuring they can maintain Elcam’s exacting standards half a world away.

“The key will be bringing engineers from the Dominican Republic here for comprehensive training,” Dany notes. “The longer and more thorough their training period at our Israeli facilities, the better equipped they’ll be to handle the challenges they’ll face when those machines arrive.”

Embracing Smart Manufacturing
Like many organizations, Manufacturing Engineering is navigating the transition to Industry 4.0, integrating smart manufacturing, AI, and advanced automation into their operations.

One significant challenge in medical device manufacturing is documentation.” Dany notes. “We’re exploring AI-driven automation so our engineers can spend 70% of their time on the technical work and 30% on documentation.”

Pushing Boundaries: The DIPT assembly machine Project
One project particularly exemplifies Manufacturing Engineering’s approach to complex challenges: a new production line for Disposable Integrated Pressure Transducers (DIPT) – sophisticated sensors used in Intensive care units and operating rooms for continuous blood pressure monitoring.

The project began with a deliberate, methodical approach. The team conducted comprehensive research into state-of-the-art technologies and systematically examined many different potential suppliers – Israeli and international – bringing many to Elcam for detailed technical discussions.

“This is going to be the most complex and largest machine ever at Elcam,” Dany notes. ” That meant investing the time upfront to truly understand what the best available technologies are, not just using what we’ve used before.”

The DIPT production line integrates multiple advanced technologies into a single system. The process includes precision sensor bonding, laser welding of electrical connections, AI-powered vision systems that inspect weld quality, and functional testing that validates each sensor’s performance under simulated operating conditions. The line incorporates multiple robotic systems and smart cameras that perform 100% online inspection, identifying any defects and preventing non-conforming products from moving to the next stage.

The project is now approaching factory acceptance testing with the chosen supplier, with installation and qualification expected within the next six months. It represents not just a technical milestone but a demonstration of how thoughtful planning and thorough evaluation can lead to better outcomes.

AI-Powered Quality Control
Beyond individual production lines, Manufacturing Engineering is implementing AI-driven inspection system at the injection molding facility. One ongoing project focuses on visual inspection of molded plastic components – work traditionally performed manually by quality control personnel.

The system uses advanced camera technology combined with AI models trained to identify specific defect types such as short shots and structural flaws. The challenge is significant: Elcam produces components in both transparent opaque and colored materials, with complex geometries that require inspection from multiple angles.

“The system can identify which specific mold cavity produced a defective part,” Dany explains. “This allows us to address problems at the source rather than simply sorting out defects downstream.” The initial focus is on round, symmetrical components like nuts and plugs produced in multi-cavity molds, with plans to expand to other product families if the pilot proves successful.

The Reality: Medical Devices Require Complex Processes
One of the realities of Manufacturing Engineering work is the multi-phase process from acquiring new equipment to full commercial production. This isn’t just a matter of installing a machine and starting production,far from it. “As a German supplier once said to me, it isn’t a toaster!” says Dany.
Medical device manufacturing requires rigorous validation at every stage. A new injection mold goes through procurement and commissioning, followed by extensive validation testing, and then a comprehensive customer approval process, where each client reviews and approves the manufacturing change. Similarly, automated assembly machines undergo specification, construction, validation, and the customer approval cycle.

Looking Forward
As Manufacturing Engineering continues to evolve alongside Elcam’s growth, a few key themes stand out: maintaining technical excellence while managing increasing scale, developing expertise through long-term talent development, and preserving the collaborative culture that makes complex projects possible.

“There are days when everything clicks—when you solve a tough technical problem or see a struggling situation turn around,” Dany reflects. “As the saying goes, there are days of honey and days of onion—some days are sweet, and some make you cry. But that’s the nature of this work. The key is having the patience to work through the hard days, knowing that the breakthroughs will come.”