Developing surgical power tools is a complex, multidisciplinary process that requires precision, collaboration, and regulatory rigor. At Elos Medtech, we support customers through every phase of this journey, whether they bring a fully developed design or just an initial concept. This blog outlines the key stages involved in manufacturing surgical power tools and highlights how our expertise contributes to more efficient, cost-effective outcomes. 

The Value of Experience

Power tool development within the medical field is fast-moving, with frequent innovation and high expectations for reliability and serviceability. Many customers seek to streamline their offerings, aiming to reduce inventory complexity and maintenance overhead. Elos Medtech’s extensive experience with power tool attachments and various surgical use cases provides critical insight during early-stage development and design refinement. 

Additionally, as some OEMs begin integrating their robotics and power tool divisions into unified platforms, there is a growing need for partners who understand both device mechanics and broader system integration. Our interdisciplinary knowledge positions us to support these evolving needs effectively. 

Supporting Projects at Any Stage

Elos Medtech has the capability to manufacture both complete power tools and individual components. We support two primary pathways: 

1. Full Development – Starting with a concept or early-stage idea, our R&D and engineering teams collaborate with the customer to develop the product through to regulatory-ready production. 

2. Design-to-Manufacture – When customers provide a finalized design, we evaluate it for manufacturing efficiency and may suggest design modifications to optimize performance or reduce production costs. 

This flexibility allows us to meet customers where they are in their development process while maintaining consistent quality and regulatory alignment. 

Additionally, the type of manufacturing partnership can vary: 

• Elos can produce parts and sub-assemblies and ship them to the customer for final assembly in their facilities. 

• Alternatively, Elos can handle everything, including final assembly, legal manufacturing responsibilities, and maintenance. After all, the best partner to maintain a surgical power tool is often the one who built it. 

We adapt to the customer’s needs, but this full-inclusive model can greatly simplify supply chain, inventory, and maintenance management—often resulting in reduced overall costs and lead times. 

A Structured, Collaborative Process

The development of a new power tool typically begins with joint planning sessions. Our R&D engineers work closely with the customer’s engineering team, coordinated by an Elos project design manager. During this stage, clear design inputs are defined—these serve as measurable targets for the subsequent phases of development and validation.

Following the initial design work, the process moves into design verification, where we assess whether the product meets all predefined inputs. Once verified, the design is frozen for the first phase of prototyping.

Prototyping is typically executed in two phases:

Functional Prototyping – Focused on testing specific features of the tool (often using synthetic bone models). This stage helps identify any necessary design changes before full validation.

Validation Prototyping – Involves rigorous clinical testing, including cadaver lab sessions with surgeons. This ensures the power tool performs as expected under real-world conditions.

In some cases, these prototyping stages can be conducted in parallel to reduce overall timelines. However, this approach introduces additional risk and is implemented only with customer agreement.

Timeframes and Efficiency

For full-cycle development projects, the typical timeline ranges from 2 to 3 years. If the customer brings a complete design, the process may be shortened to 12–18 months. Collaboration is key in either case; consistent communication and mutual understanding enable teams to troubleshoot efficiently and make timely decisions. 

A Partnership Approach

Rather than a transactional model, power tool manufacturing at Elos Medtech is built on partnership. Long-term collaboration allows for deeper alignment on goals, faster problem-solving, and improved continuity across projects. This partnership model is especially valuable for customers seeking to reduce development time while maintaining rigorous standards. 

Conclusion

The development of surgical power tools involves a careful balance of technical precision, collaborative planning, and iterative validation. With capabilities that span the entire product lifecycle and a strong emphasis on partnership, Elos Medtech provides a robust framework for bringing high-quality, clinically effective tools to market. Get in touch to find out more or how we can assist you with your project.

Orthopedic surgical power tools have come a long way. Battery packs have replaced cords and hoses. Regulatory requirements have become more demanding. Expectations around testing and documentation have grown. But despite all this, the core purpose of these tools has stayed the same.

As Reto Strickler, VP of Operations (Ortho, Europe) points out, “The tools we produce today still look very similar to the ones we made 20 or 30 years ago.” The fundamentals are steady. It’s the environment around them that has evolved.

The Job Is Still the Same – So What Has Changed?

Orthopedic drills, saws, and drivers are still built to cut, drill, and fix bone. The shapes and mechanics behind these tools haven’t changed much. Over the decades, these designs have been refined through daily use and close feedback from the surgeons who rely on them.

What has changed is how those tools are made, documented, and validated. Engineers and manufacturers now work within tighter tolerances, stricter testing standards, and more detailed risk assessments than ever before.

Quality and Compliance Are Central Now

Reto sees the biggest shift in the validation and regulatory requirements. “Twenty years ago, we could go straight into production. Now we have to go through full validation phases with risk assessments and traceability.”

Manufacturers today are expected to plan for compliance from the start. From selecting the material, to defining measurement systems, to supporting audits and quality checks—every part of the process needs to be documented and reliable.

Helping customers meet these standards has become just as important as building the tools themselves.

From Parts to Full Solutions

Reto’s team in Hölstein doesn’t just make components. They build fully assembled power tool sub-systems, including gearboxes, drives, and attachments. That means customers can place one order and receive a complete, tested solution.

This approach reduces complexity for the customer. Instead of managing multiple suppliers, validations, and assembly steps, they get a single, integrated service. The result is faster lead times and fewer surprises in production.

Technical Skill is a Requirement – But Experience Adds Value

With more than 35 years of experience in producing surgical power tools, the team in Hölstein brings more than technical skill. They offer early-stage design input that can help reduce cost and improve manufacturability.

“Sometimes we see features on a drawing that don’t add value or make the part harder to produce. We give feedback—can we remove this radius? Is this tolerance really needed?” says Reto.

These small changes can improve manufacturing and testing without affecting performance. By flagging issues early, the team helps customers avoid problems that could delay production later on.

Relationships Bring Compounding Effects

The tools themselves may not have changed much, but the partnerships behind them have grown stronger. Many of our power tool customers have been with Elos Medtech for decades.

That trust is built on transparency, consistent performance, and a willingness to help—even before a contract is signed. As Reto explains, “Our customers quickly realize: we don’t just deliver, we think ahead. Sometimes we simply share an idea, no invoice, just because we genuinely want to help.”

Being part of Elos Medtech has also expanded what Hölstein can offer. By working with other Elos sites in Sweden, the US, and elsewhere, the team can support larger programs with more advanced capabilities and built-in redundancy.