Our work / MultiNix
Licensed to Medline
Making Nursing Easier with the MultiNix Multitool
- Product Design and Development
- Prototyping
- 3D Printing
Written by Onega Ulanova, IRCA Lead Auditor, MS Eng. & Tech. Management, Executive MBA
Co-Founder, Quality Management Executive & Lead Auditor
Published August 10, 2026
RNvention brought us an initial prototype of the MultiNix — a nursing multi-tool with over 15 tools and 25 applications — that needed to become practical for demanding healthcare environments. We rebuilt it through CAD modeling and iterative prototypes tested in real clinical settings, and the result earned a licensing agreement with Medline plus coverage from Action News 5, Business Report, KSLA, and Johnson & Johnson Nursing.
Project at a glance
- Client
- Wayne and Dawn Nix, founders of RNvention
- Industry
- Medical devices
- Starting point
- An early MultiNix prototype that needed to be practical in a working hospital
- What we delivered
- 3D CAD models, multiple prototype rounds, nurse testing, manufacturing-ready design
- Product
- A nursing multitool with over 15 tools and 25 applications
- Outcome
- A device refined with nurse feedback for functionality, durability and safety
The client
The challenge
Our solution
The result
Media coverage
Medical Device Design: Comprehensive design services to ensure functionality, usability, and compliance with industry standards.
Design for Manufacturing (DFM): Ensuring the product design is optimized for efficient and cost-effective manufacturing processes.
Medical Device Engineering: Technical expertise to solve complex design challenges and ensure the product meets all necessary safety and performance requirements.
I really love those guys; you need to check them out”
Founder and CEO
RNVention
Medical device design at a glance
| Industry | Healthcare / medical devices |
|---|---|
| Scope | Concept design, mechanical engineering, prototyping, DFM |
| Product | MultiNix - over 15 tools and 25 uses in one nursing multitool |
| Outcome | Working prototypes and a licensing agreement with Medline |
| Typical timeline | 4-8 months from concept to manufacturing-ready device |
The problem: nurses carrying six tools to do one job
Wayne and Dawn Nix, both medical professionals, watched nurses juggle scissors, clamps, a light, a marker and a measuring tool through every shift. The idea was one device that replaced the pocketful - but a device used at a bedside has to be cleanable, safe, easy to operate in one hand, and cheap enough to be issued in volume.
What a medical device design company actually does here
We worked the concepts against real use cases, engineered the mechanism so each tool deploys without exposing the others, selected materials that tolerate hospital cleaning protocols, and printed and machined successive prototypes that clinicians could hold and reject. Design for manufacturing came before tooling, not after it.
Outcome
The MultiNix reached a functional, manufacturable state and was licensed to Medline, one of the largest medical supply companies in the United States - the outcome most independent inventors are aiming for.
Frequently asked questions
What does medical device design cost?
A Class I handheld device like this typically runs $25,000-$80,000 through concept, engineering and prototyping, before tooling.
Do you handle regulatory work?
We build the design history and documentation an FDA submission draws on and work alongside your regulatory consultant; we are not a regulatory agency.
Can you help license the product instead of manufacturing it?
Yes. Prototypes, renderings and manufacturing cost data are exactly what a licensee asks for, and that package is what closed the Medline agreement.
Capabilities used on this project
Rapid prototyping services
3D printing, CNC machining, urethane casting and functional prototype builds with published materials, tolerances and lead times.
Concept design
Sketch exploration, form studies and CAD concepts that turn an idea into a buildable direction.
Design for manufacturing
Molding-ready geometry, tolerances, production drawings, assembly documentation and DFM review with the tooling vendor.
How the MultiNix went from rough prototype to a Medline license
Reimagining the tool for real nursing work
RNvention's initial prototype packed over 15 tools and 25 applications, but wasn't practical or user-friendly where it mattered. Our task was to add capability while keeping every tool easily accessible and functional in a demanding healthcare environment.
CAD models and iterative prototypes
We transformed the initial sketches into detailed 3D CAD models — the blueprint for building multiple prototypes — then ran several stages of prototyping and testing, each evaluated rigorously in real-world healthcare settings.
A licensing deal and national press
The final device exceeded expectations and secured a licensing agreement with Medline, bringing the MultiNix to a broader market. Coverage on Action News 5, Business Report, KSLA, and Johnson & Johnson Nursing credited our development role in turning the idea into an impactful product.
| Constraint | What it demands | How the design responded |
|---|---|---|
| 15+ tools, 25 uses | Density without clutter | Layout engineered for one-at-a-time access |
| Clinical environment | Gloved, hurried, one-handed use | Ergonomics tested in real healthcare settings |
| Hygiene | Cleanable surfaces | Forms and materials suited to clinical cleaning |
| Market path | Credibility with a distributor | Prototype quality that won a Medline license |
Questions about this project
Straight answers from the engineers who ran the build. Have a different question? Ask us directly.
Talk to an engineerHow is a medical device prototype developed?
From sketches to detailed 3D CAD, then multiple prototype iterations tested in the real environment. The MultiNix went through several stages, each rigorously evaluated in actual healthcare settings before the design was finalized.
Can a medical device get licensed instead of self-manufactured?
Yes — the MultiNix secured a licensing agreement with Medline. A strong, well-tested prototype is what makes that kind of deal possible.
What makes medical device design different?
The use environment: gloved hands, time pressure, hygiene requirements, and zero tolerance for fumbling. Every one of the MultiNix's 15-plus tools had to stay accessible and functional under those conditions.
How long does medical device development take?
A non-implantable device of this class typically runs four to eight months from concept to a manufacturing-ready design, depending on the number of clinical testing iterations.
Industries this project belongs to
See how we approach development in each of these categories, and the other products we have taken from sketch to production there.
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