How Synoste Accelerated Medical Device R&D by Bringing Testing In-House
Finnish medtech start-up Synoste needed full ownership and control over their testing to accelerate R&D on their implantable limb-lengthening device. By bringing testing in-house with the Instron ElectroPuls E3000 Linear-Torsion system, Synoste eliminated outsourcing, gained faster access to data, and added torsional testing capability — moving them closer than ever to clinical trials.
About
Synoste is a Finnish medical technology startup founded in 2012 that develops smart, implantable medical devices for minimally invasive limb lengthening and the correction of skeletal deformities. The company was acquired by Globus Medical in 2020
Location
Espoo, Finland
Pioneering Patient-Friendly Skeletal Solutions
As a Finnish start-up, Synoste is making a name for itself in the industry through the development of next-generation, patient-friendly medical solutions for the treatment and correction of skeletal deformities. Their first product: a fully implantable device for lower limb lengthening that uses smart materials and novel technologies.
The Challenge: Full Ownership and Control for Faster, More Reliable R&D
As a spin-off from Aalto University, the Synoste team was permitted to continue using the university's traditional servohydraulic testing machine for their R&D. Although the system was located outside the Synoste lab and shared with other departments — limiting its availability — it was a workable arrangement at the time, since founder Harri Hallila and Principal Mechanical Engineer Ryan Livingston were already familiar with it.
As product development progressed, it became clear that most of the issues Synoste faced centered on not having the system in-house.
Key challenges included:
- Limited availability and control over a shared, off-site servohydraulic test system
- Uncertainty around equipment condition and load cell calibration due to lack of ownership
- Delayed feedback loops that slowed iterative R&D, since new questions arose with each set of results
- Growing complexity and volume of test requirements that outpaced what the shared system could support
- The need for a single system flexible enough to meet both immediate needs and long-term R&D plans
"With Synoste not owning the system we relied on, it became a huge risk," said Hallila. "What if something broke during another department's use? How could we be sure the load cell was always calibrated? We didn't have the control we needed, and these were questions we needed to avoid."
As their research continued and test requirements grew in both quantity and complexity, it became clear to Synoste that the only path forward was to own their test resources by bringing testing in-house with their own equipment. As a start-up, it was essential that this capital investment be a single system that met their immediate needs while scaling to support long-term plans.
"It became obvious to our team that we needed to look for a new supplier," said Hallila. "We realized the potential of the systems from our current supplier was lacking for our needs. We needed a system, in-house, that was truly flexible and could cater to the range of tests required in an R&D environment."
With time as a critical factor, Hallila needed a solution that was reliable, easy to use, and well supported.
"This new partnership is crucial to the success of our research and product development," said Hallila. "It comes down to our need to partner with a company we can trust."
The Solution: ElectroPuls E3000 Linear-Torsion for Flexible, In-House Testing
Working within a new facility with clean, quiet, dedicated lab space, Synoste immediately looked at options for electrodynamic testing machines. They found that the design of Instron® ElectroPuls™ machines and control systems, together with Instron's training and support packages, would let their small team start working effectively and safely in minimal time.
The ElectroPuls E3000 Linear-Torsion stood out for its ability to:
- Perform both axial and torsional testing in a single instrument
- Support hands-on evaluation and training directly with Instron engineers before purchase
- Integrate with WaveMatrix™ software for flexible test method development
- Scale to meet both Synoste's immediate testing needs and long-term R&D plans
"We didn't have experience using Instron systems or their software," said Livingston. "Harri and I found it to be a positive experience that we were able to visit the Instron headquarters in High Wycombe and get hands-on experience with the system and its software, WaveMatrix™. This all happened before purchasing the ElectroPuls E3000 Linear-Torsion instrument, and it was crucial to our purchasing decision."
"We purchased the linear-torsion variant because we knew it would not only be useful immediately, but would allow for a much wider range of tests in the future."
Ryan Livingston
Principal Mechanical Engineer
The Results: Faster Data, Full Ownership, and Expanded Testing Capability
After purchasing their new instrument, the Synoste team worked with their local Instron service contact for a few post-installation visits and training sessions.
Key outcomes include:
✅ Eliminated outsourcing | Since starting to use the system in August, Synoste has stopped outsourcing to contract testing labs entirely.
✅ Faster access to data | Full accessibility to their own system allows the team to generate more data, more quickly — exactly what's needed to bring their product to market.
✅ Added torsional testing capability | The biggest surprise of the new system was the value of torsion testing. "We purchased the linear-torsion variant because we knew it would not only be useful immediately, but would allow for a much wider range of tests in the future," said Livingston. "If we had not had this capability, our thinking about the product would be different. Looking back, it would have been a mistake to have ordered a machine without torsional capabilities."
✅ Positioned for the next phase | With this new data, Synoste is closer than ever to finishing their R&D phase — their next step is clinical trials.
Delivering Value Where It Matters Most
By bringing testing fully in-house with the ElectroPuls E3000 Linear-Torsion system, Synoste gained the control, speed, and flexibility needed to move their implantable limb-lengthening device closer to patients — without depending on shared equipment or outside labs to get there.
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