Case Study: Delta Development Team, Inc. achieves rapid, scalable production of life-saving APRU blood refrigeration units with Xometry

Delta Development Team is Helping Deliver Critical Medical Supplies With the World’s Most Compact and Affordable Blood Refrigeration Unit

Delta Development Team, Inc., a Tucson-based medical device startup, developed the APRU — an ultra-compact, rugged blood refrigeration unit designed to enable field transfusions in austere and combat environments. Faced with the challenge of moving from prototype to scalable production for large, complex parts, the team needed injection molding, rapid prototyping, and sheet‑metal capabilities plus tooling and design-for-manufacturability expertise, so they engaged Xometry for sourcing and manufacturing support (injection molding, 3D printing, and sheet metal cutting).

Xometry provided fast mold turnaround, DFM guidance, and multi-process fabrication that let Delta accelerate production while reducing cost and risk. The partnership helped deliver an APRU that keeps blood at 2–6°C for up to four days, uses standard batteries with roughly 15× longer life than competitors, and carries six blood bags — a design now deployed by military units; Xometry’s quick lead times, tooling ownership model, and medical-grade capabilities have supported Delta’s Phase 2/3 contracts and ongoing development of a larger TBS system.

Delta Development Team, Inc.

Robert Futch

Chief Technology Officer