Articles
The Lead
Replacing the Cadaver for Surgical Students
May 22, 2013 | by Kasey Panetta, Managing Editor, ECN | Comments
Surgical simulators are an ideal solution for training surgeons with minimal risk to patient health and safety. This is particularly important when surgeons train for procedures utilizing arthroscopy because it requires the surgeon to perform the surgery while looking at a camera screen instead of the patient. This necessitates extensive training to ensure the doctor is an expert in the method.
Single Mode Fiber Laser Markers Offer Processing Advantages
May 20, 2013 4:12 pm | by Dr. Geoff Shannon, Laser Technology Manager, Miyachi Unitek | Comments
The fiber laser marker has become commonplace for mainstream marking applications, providing...
Alumina Substrate and Medical Equipment Resistors
May 17, 2013 4:13 pm | by Michael West, Director of Engineering, Ohmite Manufacturing | Comments
This article will walk through the various characteristics of these resistors...
Achieving Effective Process Monitoring Through Detailed Process Development
May 14, 2013 11:57 am | by Robert P. Gattshall, Technical Shared Services Manager, The Tech Group | Comments
When it comes to molding for medical devices, effective process monitoring isn’t just about...
E-Beam vs. Gamma Sterilization
May 23, 2013 2:39 pm | by Larry Nichols, COO, and Bob Starrett, CTO, NUTEK Corporation | Nutek Corp. | CommentsMany of the sterilization issues concerning gamma and electron beam radiation are the same. This point is supported by the fact that both technologies are governed by the same ISO standards when applied to medical device sterilization—ISO 11137 and ISO 13409. Both technologies have been proven effective at sterilization and are accepted worldwide.
3D Digital Process Aids in Skull Prosthetic Success
May 21, 2013 4:04 pm | by Bob Cramblitt | CommentsWhen Chinese exchange student Jiahone Guo suffered a cranial injury during a club soccer match, he thought "maybe I will go to see God," according to a report on WFAA-TV in Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas. Fortunately, due to timely surgery and a custom-made prosthetic skull plate designed by MedCAD, Guo is able to do almost everything he could do before the fateful match.
Indego Exoskeleton: The Advancement of Human Motion Control
May 16, 2013 3:59 pm | by Melissa Barnes, Associate Editor, MDT | CommentsWhen it comes to wearable robotics and exoskeletons, the engineers behind the Indego Exoskeleton are striving to be at the forefront of this emerging technology. Parker Hannifin, with the cooperation of Vanderbilt University, created an exoskeleton with one primary goal in mind—to create a useful, well designed, user friendly, empathetic product that would improve the lives of its users.
MicroPort Gets Knee Simulations Up and Running
May 15, 2013 4:20 pm | by Nick O’Donohoe, Senior Account Executive, Parker Group | Dassault Systemes | CommentsKnees can perform extraordinary tasks, but when all the activity they encounter takes too great a toll over time, total knee replacement surgery may be advisable. Product developers and manufacturers have to create total knee replacement implants that will perform as long as possible. Realistic simulation with finite element analysis software has now become vital to that process.
A Material Argument: Ceramic Injection Molding
May 13, 2013 3:17 pm | by Dr. Rachael Ambury, Sales and Applications Engineer, Morgan Technical Ceramics. | Morgan Technical Ceramics | CommentsCeramic injection molded products are increasingly being used in the manufacture of innovative medical components and devices, thanks to the unique range of material and performance attributes. In this article, the material, its key features, and the growing range of applications for which it is suited are highlighted.
External Gas: The ‘Next Generation’ Gas–Assist Technique
May 10, 2013 4:17 pm | by Michael Hansen, Ph.D., Senior Technical Development Engineer, MackMedical/Mack Molding Co. | Mackmedical/Mack Molding | CommentsThe advantages and benefits of external gas-assisted injection molding, how it compares to internal gas-assisted injection molding, and in-roads the process is making into medical device applications will be examined in this article. In addition, critical steps that form the basis of successful external gas application will be highlighted and real-life examples provided.
Weaving Flexibility and Strength into Stent Design
May 9, 2013 3:05 pm | by Kasey Panetta, Managing Editor, ECN | CommentsThough traditional laser-cut stents made from nitinol are effective, the design trades flexibility for strength, which means the stents are at risk for fracture, crushing, and kinking. This is a particular issue when the stents are used with patients suffering from femoropopliteal or proximal popliteal artery disease.
mHealth Technology: Design and Development of Mobile Integrated Therapies
May 8, 2013 3:00 pm | by Paul Upham, Director of Product Marketing, WellDoc, Inc. | CommentsThe primary care practitioner is well poised to be the central point-of-care, aiding a more holistic approach to the patient. However, the patient demand curve will quickly outstrip the supply of practitioners in even the best treatment models. An enhanced approach is necessary, one that enables patient self-management combined with efficiency tools for HCPs.
Large Aperture Rotary Tables in Medical Research Tomography Applications
May 7, 2013 2:33 pm | by Greg Kane, Manager, IntelLiDrives | Intellidrives, Inc. | CommentsIn the study of human diseases and potential treatments, small animal models play a crucial role in bridging the gap between in vitro and in vivo studies. When considering imaging techniques for small animal studies, positron emission tomography (PET) is well suited to the measurement of highly specific molecular interactions (e.g., glucose uptake and target-receptor binding).
Molding Animal Free: A Case Study
May 6, 2013 3:46 pm | by Ryan Fuhr, Senior Manufacturing Engineer, and John Haley, VP of Operations, Advanced Molding Technologies | Advanced Molding Technology | CommentsA company required molded components that would come in contact with pharmaceutical processes and needed to minimize the risk of contamination, so it selected animal derived component free resins that were molded in a newly created cleanroom.
If the Climbing Shoe Doesn’t Fit, Design a New Foot
May 3, 2013 2:32 pm | by Chris Hardee, a Science and Technology Writer | CommentsExposed on a vertical face, rock climbers rely on their instincts, experience, and equipment. For C.J. Howard, a climbing enthusiast, as with all climbers, the shoes are important. But as a lower-leg amputee, even more important is the customized prosthetic foot that he designed with climbing partner and environmental/aerospace engineer Mandy Ott.
Make Two Models and Call Me in the Morning
May 2, 2013 2:47 pm | by Joe Hiemenz, Technical Communications Manager, Stratasys Inc. | Stratasys Inc. | CommentsA prototype lab is tasked with inventing solutions to design challenges presented to them by surgeons with medical device ideas. Utilizing a fused-deposition modeling machine and design software, engineers are able to create physical prototypes of medical devices that are able to be put through functional testing.
Prototyping Personalized Medical Solutions
May 1, 2013 2:36 pm | by Scott Summit, Founder, Bespoke Innovations | Quickparts | CommentsThis article offers the personal perspective of an industrial designer in his quest to utilize advanced prototyping technology to enable the fabrication of custom orthopedic prosthetics that not only offered the standard function required of such a device, but also one that reflected the personality and style of its owner.
Cut to the Bone
April 30, 2013 2:54 pm | by Gus Breiland, Customer Service Engineer Manager, Proto Labs Inc. | Proto Labs, Inc. | CommentsAs material costs rise, designers are attempting to use as little as possible for their components without sacrificing the functionality or durability of a part. While this is the goal for virtually every designer across every industry, accomplishing it can be a challenging task. Using rapid injection molding for prototype parts, designers can get a much better handle on achieving this task.
Bigger, Faster, Stronger—The New Fully Integrated CMO
April 29, 2013 2:40 pm | by Jon Spaeth, Director of Product Development, and Bill Welch, Chief Technology Officer, Phillips-Medisize | Phillips-Medisize | CommentsIn today’s medical device manufacturing space, OEMs are seeing partners who can handle not only the product development and prototyping of their idea, but those who have the ability to take that idea into production and manufacturing. This article looks at the value of working with a fully integrated development and manufacturing partner.
