The LAP subsidiary managed to stand out in a competition and be awarded a grant from the Bavarian Ministry of Economic Affairs. The cooperative project with the Institute for Medical Engineering of the Ostbayerische Technische Hochschule Amberg-Weiden concerns the further development of the so-called MLC, which is a core component of linear accelerators used in radiotherapy.
The project combines the LAP group’s core technologies of highly precise laser and control engineering with modern drive technologies such as piezo motors, which together form a very high dynamic and minimal design. LAP Sued specialises in the development and production of Multi-Leaf-Collimators. Multi-Leaf-Collimators consist of individual, separately controllable „Leaves“ the movement of which forms the radiation beam used in cancer therapy for the treatment of tumours.
„ The current trend in radiotherapy towards hypofractionation leads to new requirements especially concerning the speed and accuracy of MLCs. It’s exactly these requirements that we are going to address with this project. Although currently still at an early research stage, the approaches have the potential to revolutionise the market “, says the Medical Physics Expert Prof. Dr. Ralf Ringler, OTH Amberg-Weiden.
By the term “hypofractionation” we understand a substantially higher radiation dose per single treatment, which in total results in less treatment appointments for the patients. At the same time, mechanical components such as MLC need an even higher grade of precision.
„ In the long run, patients could be treated in a more comfortable and secure way and have higher cure chances - which would eventually be the main success of this project “, states the CEO of LAP Sued, Stefan Ueltzhöffer.
The project titled „MLC SPEED“ is planned for a two-and-a-half year period with a financial volume of more than 800,000 euros.
About OTH Amberg-Weiden, Institute for Medical Engineering
The Ostbayerische Technische Hochschule (OTH) Amberg-Weiden is a young and innovative university that provides its students with a highly qualified and future-oriented education. The university has four departments - Mechanical Engineering and Environmental Engineering, Electrical and Information Engineering, Industrial Engineering and Health (with Medical Engineering), and Business Studies – together offering a portfolio of 36 study programmes, which all reflect the current developments in engineering and economics. The campus in Weiden makes a mark among others with its Medical Engineering programmes including a master programme successfully introduced in the winter semester of 2014/2015 that builds on the Medical Engineering bachelor programme. The OTH Amberg-Weiden is engaged in a permanent exchange of knowledge and experience with numerous Medical Engineering corporations, hospitals (Nordoberpfalz, St. Marien Hospital in Amberg, Würzburg, Erlangen, Regensburg) and doctor’s practices. The subject area „Medical Engineering, Radiology and therapeutic Systems” of Prof. Dr. Ralf Ringler is reflected in the joint projects of the working group.
About LAP Sued
LAP Sued GmbH. (LAP Sued) is a manufacturer of medical devices mainly used in radiation oncology and diagnostic radiology. The company was established in 2000 as Euromechanics Medical GmbH in Schwarzenbruck near Nürnberg. The company's location for both development and production is exclusively Schwarzenbruck. Since 2017 the company is part of LAP GmbH Laser Applikationen, the global market leader for laser patient-positioning systems in radiotherapy. It has been trading under the name LAP Sued GmbH since 28/11/2019 (the project application was submitted while the company's name was still Euromechanics Medical GmbH).
The project combines the LAP group’s core technologies of highly precise laser and control engineering with modern drive technologies such as piezo motors, which together form a very high dynamic and minimal design. LAP Sued specialises in the development and production of Multi-Leaf-Collimators. Multi-Leaf-Collimators consist of individual, separately controllable „Leaves“ the movement of which forms the radiation beam used in cancer therapy for the treatment of tumours.
„ The current trend in radiotherapy towards hypofractionation leads to new requirements especially concerning the speed and accuracy of MLCs. It’s exactly these requirements that we are going to address with this project. Although currently still at an early research stage, the approaches have the potential to revolutionise the market “, says the Medical Physics Expert Prof. Dr. Ralf Ringler, OTH Amberg-Weiden.
By the term “hypofractionation” we understand a substantially higher radiation dose per single treatment, which in total results in less treatment appointments for the patients. At the same time, mechanical components such as MLC need an even higher grade of precision.
„ In the long run, patients could be treated in a more comfortable and secure way and have higher cure chances - which would eventually be the main success of this project “, states the CEO of LAP Sued, Stefan Ueltzhöffer.
The project titled „MLC SPEED“ is planned for a two-and-a-half year period with a financial volume of more than 800,000 euros.
About OTH Amberg-Weiden, Institute for Medical Engineering
The Ostbayerische Technische Hochschule (OTH) Amberg-Weiden is a young and innovative university that provides its students with a highly qualified and future-oriented education. The university has four departments - Mechanical Engineering and Environmental Engineering, Electrical and Information Engineering, Industrial Engineering and Health (with Medical Engineering), and Business Studies – together offering a portfolio of 36 study programmes, which all reflect the current developments in engineering and economics. The campus in Weiden makes a mark among others with its Medical Engineering programmes including a master programme successfully introduced in the winter semester of 2014/2015 that builds on the Medical Engineering bachelor programme. The OTH Amberg-Weiden is engaged in a permanent exchange of knowledge and experience with numerous Medical Engineering corporations, hospitals (Nordoberpfalz, St. Marien Hospital in Amberg, Würzburg, Erlangen, Regensburg) and doctor’s practices. The subject area „Medical Engineering, Radiology and therapeutic Systems” of Prof. Dr. Ralf Ringler is reflected in the joint projects of the working group.
About LAP Sued
LAP Sued GmbH. (LAP Sued) is a manufacturer of medical devices mainly used in radiation oncology and diagnostic radiology. The company was established in 2000 as Euromechanics Medical GmbH in Schwarzenbruck near Nürnberg. The company's location for both development and production is exclusively Schwarzenbruck. Since 2017 the company is part of LAP GmbH Laser Applikationen, the global market leader for laser patient-positioning systems in radiotherapy. It has been trading under the name LAP Sued GmbH since 28/11/2019 (the project application was submitted while the company's name was still Euromechanics Medical GmbH).
