2026 Experimental Medicine and In Vitro Diagnostics Conference (Xiamen)

The 2026 Experimental Medicine and In Vitro Diagnostics Conference in Xiamen brought together important discussions around laboratory medicine, IVD innovation, POCT development, supply chain integration, and intelligent healthcare.

As one of the major IVD industry events in China, the Xiamen conference highlighted how the diagnostic industry is moving toward more integrated solutions. From upstream raw materials and core components to testing instruments, reagents, automation equipment, and digital healthcare, the event reflected the growing importance of full-chain collaboration.

For rapid test and POCT manufacturers, this trend is especially relevant. A reliable diagnostic product no longer depends only on assay design. It also depends on stable materials, repeatable equipment, controlled workflows, scalable production, and strong quality management.

1. A Full-Chain View of the IVD Industry

One important feature of the Xiamen IVD conference was its full-chain coverage. Instead of focusing only on finished diagnostic instruments or reagent products, the event also paid attention to upstream raw materials, key components, consumables, laboratory equipment, automation systems, and supply chain solutions.

This is a practical direction for the IVD industry. In real manufacturing, product performance is influenced by many connected factors, including membrane consistency, pad absorption, reagent stability, dispensing accuracy, lamination quality, strip cutting precision, packaging protection, and batch traceability.

2. POCT Remains a Key Direction in IVD Development

Point-of-care testing continues to be an important part of IVD development because it supports faster testing, easier access, and wider application scenarios. Whether used in hospitals, clinics, pharmacies, community healthcare, home testing, or field testing, POCT products require reliable performance and manufacturable designs.

For POCT manufacturers, product development is not only about choosing the right biomarkers or assay format. It also requires suitable raw materials, stable production equipment, process validation, and packaging systems that protect the final product during storage and transportation.

3. Automation Is Becoming More Important in Rapid Test Manufacturing

Rapid test manufacturing includes many process steps. Reagent dispensing, conjugate spraying, membrane lamination, strip cutting, cassette assembly, pouching, sealing, labeling, and coding all affect production consistency. As demand increases, more manufacturers are moving from manual or semi-manual workflows to more automated systems.

Automation does not only improve speed. It also helps reduce operator variation, maintain process repeatability, improve batch consistency, and support future production expansion. This is especially important for manufacturers moving from R&D or pilot production to medium-scale and large-scale manufacturing.

• Dispensing equipment helps control reagent volume, line quality, and spraying consistency.
• Lamination systems help maintain material alignment and stable strip structure.
• Cutters and slitters help ensure consistent strip width and clean cutting edges.
• Assembly and packaging equipment helps improve downstream production efficiency.

4. Upstream Raw Materials Are Gaining More Attention

Another clear trend from the IVD industry is the rising importance of upstream materials. In lateral flow test production, materials such as nitrocellulose membrane, backing card, glass fiber, absorbent paper, polyester fiber, and sample collection consumables can directly influence assay performance and production compatibility.

Manufacturers need to evaluate not only the biological performance of raw materials, but also their suitability for automated production. Material thickness, cutting behavior, absorption speed, flow rate, adhesive stability, and batch-to-batch consistency can all affect final product quality.

5. AI and Smart Healthcare Are Reshaping Laboratory Medicine

The conference also emphasized AI Smart Healthcare, smart laboratories, digital medicine, and intelligent diagnostic workflows. These topics show that IVD is becoming more connected with data systems, automation platforms, and digital decision support.

For manufacturers, this does not mean every production line must immediately become fully intelligent. However, it does suggest that future IVD production will pay more attention to traceability, quality data, equipment stability, process monitoring, and standardized workflow design.

6. What This Means for Rapid Test Manufacturers

For companies developing or manufacturing rapid tests, the main lesson is clear: future competitiveness will depend on both product innovation and manufacturing capability. Stable production is especially important when manufacturers need to move from laboratory development to pilot production and then to mass manufacturing.

Before expanding production, manufacturers should review whether their current workflow can support stable dispensing, accurate lamination, consistent strip cutting, reliable assembly, protective packaging, and repeatable quality control.

7. How Veldi Supports IVD Production Workflows

Veldi provides rapid test manufacturing equipment, selected POCT raw materials, and customized production support for IVD manufacturers.

Our solutions cover key production steps such as dispensing, spraying, lamination, cutting, cassette assembly, pouching, sealing, labeling, and coding. Whether a customer is building an R&D workflow, pilot line, or larger production system, Veldi can help evaluate suitable equipment and material options based on product structure, process requirements, and capacity targets.

FAQ

1. What was the focus of the 2026 Xiamen IVD Conference?

The conference focused on experimental medicine, in vitro diagnostics, laboratory medicine, POCT, upstream materials, automation, AI healthcare, and full-chain IVD industry development.

2. Why is the event relevant to rapid test manufacturers?

It highlights the importance of stable raw materials, automated production equipment, scalable workflows, and better quality control in rapid test and POCT manufacturing.

3. What production equipment is important for rapid test manufacturing?

Common equipment includes dispenser and spraying machines, lamination systems, cutters, slitters, cassette assembly machines, pouching machines, labeling machines, and coding systems.

4. What raw materials are commonly used in lateral flow test production?

Common raw materials include nitrocellulose membrane, backing card, glass fiber, sample pad materials, absorbent paper, polyester fiber, and other IVD consumables.

Conclusion