Articles
5 Factors to Identifying the Best Leak Tester for You
July 10, 2012 2:46 pm | by Joe Pustka | Uson, L.P. | CommentsThe laws of physics that determine the best match leak test methods have not changed. What has changed is the technology available—both the leak testers and the automation for full or semi-automated test and assembly machinery—that make one or another leak tester the best match technology. This article reviews five factors that need to be considered to ensure the best choice is made.
60601 3rd Edition Transition Solution
July 10, 2012 2:26 pm | by UL Staff | Underwriters Laboratories Inc. | CommentsWhile many companies are concerned with the impact the 3rd edition of IEC 60601-1 will have on their medical device products, what they first need to determine is which products will actually be impacted. Preparing products for the new standard does not need to rely heavily on valuable resources. This article looks at the considerations prior to transitioning a product for the new standard.
Roundtable Q&A: Materials
July 10, 2012 2:09 pm | Materion Corporation, Momentive Performance Materials Inc., Polyzen, Inc. | CommentsThis month, insights on materials topics—desirable benefits, development focus, and influence on design—are shared. Question 1: Beyond the physical characteristics, what benefits are medical device manufacturers most interested in when selecting a material?
Roundtable Q&A: Testing & Inspection
July 10, 2012 2:01 pm | National Instruments Corporation, Intertech Development Company | CommentsQuestion 1: What are the common missteps OEMs make when planning a testing solution for their medical devices?
Roundtable Q&A: Medical Electronics
July 10, 2012 1:43 pm | Logic Pd, Freescale Semiconductor, Inc., Microchip Technology Inc., Minnetronix, Inc. | CommentsQuestion 1: What is the most significant challenge in the miniaturization of medical electronic devices?
Machining Critical Features into Stamped Parts can be a Cost-Effective Option
July 10, 2012 1:27 pm | by Mike Vanadestine and Robert Allen | Connecticut Spring & Stamping | CommentsFor one Connecticut manufacturer of close tolerance precision stamped and coiled metal parts, an 8-year journey to provide its customers with higher precision parts from progressive tools has reached a happy ending, with the incorporation of in-house CNC machining that allows them to stamp parts at a very low cost, and then machine crucial features into them.
A Guide to Forming Strategic Partnerships to Gain a Competitive Edge
July 3, 2012 1:42 pm | by James Field | Celestica, Inc. | CommentsFierce competition, economic pressures and increasingly stringent regulatory requirements are motivating medical device manufacturers to uncover new ways to introduce products efficiently while remaining tightly focused on the innovations that drive success. At the same time, manufacturers want to cost-effectively extend the lifecycle of product lines to maximize return on investment.
Low-mass solution to 'tombstone' dilemma is identified
July 3, 2012 1:29 pm | by Eric Reno | Suntron Corporation | CommentsElectronics manufacturers share a common goal: to produce the highest-quality product possible. What they don't always share are the processes required to achieve that goal. To ensure that quality is maintained from start to finish, the cost of marginal quality is constantly monitored and evaluated, especially with regard to internal process controls. Recently, component "tombstone," a recorded internal process control defect, has emerged as a matter of growing interest.
Manufacturing Source Provides Product Enhancements And Precision Machining Of 22 Different Components
July 2, 2012 4:36 pm | by Liam Quirke | Marshall Manufacturing | CommentsMarshall Manufacturing Company was chosen by Dr. Emil Verban to manufacture the patented Drillstops®, which increase the safety and precision of dental implant procedures. In use, a tiny set-screw locks the stop to the drill bit, the stop rotates with the drill bit while avoiding tissue damage as the drill penetrates the bone.
Reduced Cabling Means No Signal Error for Ultrasonic Equipment Testing
July 2, 2012 4:05 pm | by Hack Summer | CommentsFrom prenatal exams to torn ACLs, ultrasound imaging for medical purposes is used to visualize muscles, tendons, fetuses and internal organs. The technology for imaging has been around more than fifty years and has become one of the most common, non-invasive diagnostic tools in the medical industry. Testing the ultrasound machinery is an intricate process with a high need for accuracy. For this reason, one of the largest international medical diagnostic equipment manufacturers for ultrasound imaging machinery trusts the Moog Animatics SmartMotor on their testing equipment. The SmartMotor was able to supply the precision motion control with the least amount of electrical noise (electrical noise interferes with ultrasound beam alignment).
Laser Seam Sealing of Electronic and Opto-electronic Packages: A welder’s tips for getting beyond 99 percent yield
July 2, 2012 9:39 am | by Dr. Geoff Shannon | Miyachi Unitek Corp. | CommentsSeam sealing is the process that permanently bonds the package and lid of a device, providing a barrier for the internal components for the device’s operational lifetime. This is typically the last critical step in the package manufacturing process, so it is among the most important. The completed product performs a vital function and has a high dollar value, so creating a barrier to contamination ingress is essential. The stakes are high – optoelectronic packages for fiber optic cables transmitting signals sometimes in the middle of the ocean must last for a very long time since replacement is difficult and costly. Similarly, aerospace RF/microwave packages perform essential functions, making it imperative to prevent external environmental conditions from penetrating the package, even in extremely aggressive environments.
Applying Tech: Cardiovascular
June 27, 2012 5:38 pm | CommentsHow are you influencing cardiovascular devices?
RTP Company's Glow-in-the-Dark Masterbatch Helps Medics Save Lives
June 27, 2012 8:46 am | by Tim Duncan | Rtp Company | CommentsWhen the inventors of the Rip Shears Ripper received feedback from medics in the field that their life-saving product would be even more effective if it glowed in the dark, they and co-developer ICON Injection Molding, sought assistance from custom...
Buy it or Build it? The Great Start-up Dilemma
June 20, 2012 11:23 am | by Pat Pickerell | Peridot Corp. Precision Manufacturing | CommentsWhether venture capital or angel-funded, medical device start-up companies are often brought to life by doctors with big ideas who have found a quicker or more effective way to treat a particular pathology. Many of these doctors are entrepreneurs at heart and are most happy when immersed in the adrenaline rush of a new start-up. But no matter how novel the device, the passion and zeal behind that drives these new medical innovations must be channeled into a process that will make the idea a commercial success.
Use of Project Status Reports for Patent Application Deadlines
June 20, 2012 5:01 am | by Keith Haddaway | CommentsClients new to intellectual property management and patenting frequently comment that the patent application process is “puzzling” especially with respect to timing and the amount and type of information that should be included. Particularly in smaller or newly formed organizations, patent professionals are often asked to address issues...
