Articles
Concurrent Engineering & Outsourcing: Ingredients for Success
November 10, 2008 6:52 am | by Stephen C. Cooper | CommentsOutsourcing using concurrent engineering practices provides the hands-on approach for a company that enables it to gain the most in efficiencies from manufacturing. It can be used by virtually any company of any size and applied to any medical device, product, or component.
Design Talk: Roadblocks to Managing Supplier Quality
November 10, 2008 6:52 am | by Matthew Kopecky, Product Manager, Sparta Systems | Sparta Systems, Inc. | CommentsIn the medical device industry, designers continue to face unique challenges that stem from the broader manufacturing process. These can include anything from shorter product lifecycles and increased regulatory scrutiny to the need to source materials from a myriad of suppliers across the value chain.
Design Talk: Software Solutions Address Changing Industry Needs
November 10, 2008 6:52 am | by Randy Flamm | CommentsBy Randy Flamm Medical device manufacturers operate in one of the world’s most competitive and highly regulated industries where success hinges on time-to-market and traceability.
Design Talk: Where Will Lean Take Us?
November 10, 2008 6:52 am | CommentsBy Kevin Duggan Medical device companies have achieved significant improvement using lean techniques. Improvements in quality, productivity, lead time, inventory, on-time delivery, and cost have been obtained and further improvement continues each day.
Handling the Pressure
November 10, 2008 6:52 am | by Michael Hansen, Ph.D. | CommentsThe Project: Create a handle for a defibrillator durable enough to withstand exceptional performance requirements. The Solution: Use computer-aided engineering and various flow simulation software to ensure that the final product met the specific characteristics necessary for success.
Medical Device Molding: A Commitment, Not a Choice
November 10, 2008 6:52 am | by Brian Wright | CommentsBy Brian Wright With more and more jobs heading overseas, a growing number of molding companies have been changing their focus to medical device manufacturing. This can make sense; however, it is usually easier said than done.
Design Talk: Ceramic Injection Molding
November 10, 2008 6:52 am | CommentsBy Andrew Nield For the medical device industry ceramic injection molding (CIM) can be an alternative to metals or plastics, especially when conditions demand a more advanced type of material.
Design Talk: Micro-Molding Devices and Components
November 10, 2008 6:51 am | by Jeff Randall, PE is vice president of engineering for MRPC. Visit MRPC at <a href="http://www.mrpcorp.com" target="_blank">www.mrpcorp.com</a>. | CommentsBy Jeff Randall, PE As medical technology advances and the demands on surgical parts increase, the need for high-quality, tight-tolerance components continues to rise.
Patent Protection 101
October 13, 2008 12:07 pm | CommentsPatent protection is an aspect of business that concerns many, but truly understood by few. It is a critical piece of any new technology development venture and as such, engineers must be aware of the steps they need to take to safeguard an invention against competitors or counterfeiters.
Protecting Your Portable Products
October 13, 2008 12:06 pm | CommentsPortable, hand-held medical devices are improving patient care, both at home and in medical facilities. However, reliability and safety demand proper use of electronic circuit protective devices.
Consumer Product Design
October 9, 2008 6:06 am | Texas Instruments Inc. | CommentsTechnologies from one industry often drive innovation and design evolution in another. Medical device design is influenced by products that are being used in aerospace and military. The consumer market is also an industry that can impact device design.
The ‘Ins’ and ‘Outs’ of Parylene Coating
October 9, 2008 6:06 am | CommentsThis article reviews the two process alternatives available to users of protective Parylene conformal coating: relying on an external custom coating provider, or establishing in-house coating capabilities.
The 'Ins' and 'Outs' of Parylene Coating
October 9, 2008 6:06 am | CommentsThis article reviews the two process alternatives available to users of protective Parylene conformal coating: relying on an external custom coating provider, or establishing in-house coating capabilities.
Medical Imaging: Decreasing Footprint, Increasing Performance
October 9, 2008 6:05 am | Analog Devices, Texas Instruments Inc. | CommentsThe latest signal chain components available for medical imaging systems enable designers to improve signal chain density and power consumption without compromising dynamic performance. Additionally, these technologies allow systems to improve their image quality, power consumption, and size.
Advanced Servo Control Helps Pump Accurately Perform Under Pressure
October 9, 2008 6:05 am | CommentsThe Project: Resolve the start/stop action of a hybrid piston syringe pump to achieve a steady and regular flow stream. The Solution: Use a servo controller and calibration table to dynamically vary the pump velocity as a function of requested flow rate and pump dynamics.
