Upgrading Biopharmaceutical Iris Valves
In biopharmaceutical cleanrooms, nothing is allowed to leak, wobble or misbehave, especially not the equipment designed to keep things airtight. The traditional iris valves used for hose passthroughs had earned a reputation for… let’s say “being complex.” Rubber sleeves wore out quickly under the high forces needed for sealing, replacements were expensive and the valves were so heavy that many operators (often women in cleanroom teams) struggled to close them fully, leading to (exactly) more leaks. Add the enormous handles that took up half the wall space, and the message was clear: it was time for an upgrade. Romynox asked ManGo to develop the best iris valve on the market: lighter, cleaner, safer, easier and ideally without requiring bodybuilder forearms to operate.
Smart Materials for Serious Cleanrooms
The redesign focused on balancing medical reliability with an approachable aesthetic, steering deliberately away from both clinical devices and sexual wellness products. ManGo refined the product architecture and design language, selecting a calm marine blue aligned with Adam’s brand identity while avoiding the sterility of traditional white healthcare products. Key visual elements, such as a distinctive surface cut and subtle ribbed textures, were developed to establish a recognizable identity for future Adam Health products. At the same time, the team reengineered the internal layout for manufacturability, ensuring the device could be produced at scale with consistent quality and minimal material waste.
Ergonomics That Actually Care
Cleanrooms are tight on space, so we designed a compact valve that can be installed side-by-side without handle collisions or elbow acrobatics. Instead of a giant single lever, the new mechanism uses two smaller handles that divide the effort between both hands. Opening and closing provide clear feedback through a gentle, reassuring rattle and a top-mounted metal bracket serves as a precise braking and locking mechanism. The redesigned sleeve is easier to mount, easier to clean and far harder to wear out. And yes, the whole thing is dramatically lighter which makes cleaning procedures and swapping of valves also a lot less of an effort.
Clean, Compact, Cost-Cutting Winner
The new iris valve doesn’t just solve the old problems, it outperforms traditional stainless-steel valves on almost every metric: hygiene, ergonomics, durability, weight, sustainability and price. Injection moulding [PH1] eliminates nearly all material waste, the replaceable sleeve significantly reduces lifetime cost, and the lighter construction cuts carbon emissions during transport. Introduced with a cost price 30% lower than traditional valves, it still allows Romynox to achieve higher margins while offering customers better performance. Its success led to immediate expansion of the product range, with additional valve sizes now part of the line. A cleaner cleanroom, fewer headaches, and a valve that finally lives up to the high expectations of the biopharma industry
[PH1]LINK: https://www.mangoproductdesign.com/blog/moulding-a-better-product-everything-about-mold-design
