Articles
Perspectives on Prototyping, Part I
June 5, 2012 8:23 am | CommentsHas design software reached the point where it can serve as an acceptable replacement for physical prototypes in medical device manufacturing?
Brushless Motors with Integral Motion Controls Benefit Medical Product Development
June 5, 2012 7:25 am | by John Morehead | CommentsProduct development in medical devices is rapidly embracing the distributed motion benefits of brushless servo motors with integral motion controls for many reasons. The most important is that smart servo motors allow medical device developers to concentrate on and grow their core competencies without having to get into the minutiae of motion control, a specialized field of engineering unto itself.
Living in the Material World
June 5, 2012 7:00 am | by Gus Breiland | CommentsMolding prototype components enables the medical device designer to get a “preview” of a finished part before going into full production. However, to get the full benefit of this, material selection should be just about completed, including any additives that are to be used. This article looks at the considerations for medical device developers when planning molded prototype components.
Conformal Cooling Using DMLS
June 5, 2012 6:44 am | by Tim Ruffner | CommentsConformal cooling in tool design is a concept that’s fundamentally sound. The trouble lies in the mechanics. Design obstacles imposed by performance boundaries in available machining processes often put its merits out of practical reach. The emergence and attainability of DMLS technology gives toolmakers the design latitude to make conformal cooling a profitable reality.
How Low Can You Go?
June 5, 2012 5:58 am | by Donnie Garcia | Comments"Low power” is almost always used to describe MCUs, and it’s usually accompanied by power mode specifications and battery life calculations based on milliamp hours. While those aspects of low power design are important, there are other embedded design techniques that can lead to a significant extension of the usable lifetime of a product, which is the focus of this article.
Injection Molding Small Complex Bioabsorbable Implants
June 5, 2012 5:25 am | by Tanner Hargens | CommentsInjection molding intricate components for medical device implantables is a difficult task on its own. Add absorbable polymer to the equation and it becomes many times more challenging. This article reviews several of the barriers to success in this area of component fabrication for implantable medical devices.
Designing for the User
June 5, 2012 5:04 am | by Shigeru Tanaka | CommentsThere are a number of successful approaches designers can take when developing a new medical device. However, as the market transforms with outpatients being the primary users of many devices over health care professionals, the critical design issues transform as well. This article looks at designing medical devices that are to be used by the outpatients themselves.
Cardiac Catheter Leak Detection
May 30, 2012 12:58 pm | by Joe Pustka | CommentsWith the variety of tasks a cardiac catheter must accomplish, testing them to ensure safety and reliability is of critical importance. However, due to the range of tests that must be completed on them, this process can be lengthy and challenging. This article highlights the difficulties that can be encountered and offers a solution in the form of a new testing system.
Balloon Tubing – The Key to Good Balloons
May 30, 2012 12:43 pm | by Apur Lathiya | CommentsAs more medical device OEMs invent new ways to navigate the tortuous anatomy and open up clogged arteries, one constant remains—without high quality balloon tubing, producing high quality balloons consistently can be a real challenge. This article will highlight some of the considerations in manufacturing balloon tubing from Polyamide or Polyamide co-polymer materials.
Pinch It: Contamination-Free Fluid Management Using Pinch Valves
May 30, 2012 12:09 pm | by Don Harris | Bimba Manufacturing Company | CommentsTransferring fluids in healthcare applications can be a complicated procedure when trying to ensure there is no contamination from outside surfaces. Pinch valves offer a solution via a pinching mechanism that “pumps” the fluid through the tubing. This article examines the technology, offers considerations for selection, and highlights the types of tubing that are best suited for use.
Self-Lubricated Polyisoprene for Medical Septum Applications
May 30, 2012 10:46 am | by Saman Nanayakkara and Shu Peng | CommentsThe Project: Develop a system that reduces the needle drag and piercing resistance of the septum and injection site materials to increase product performance. The Solution: Chemists developed a family of self-lubricated polyisoprene materials that have been manufactured with a proprietary lubricant system and show a minimal reduction of physical and mechanical properties.
Practical Challenges for Medical Device Coatings
May 30, 2012 10:25 am | by Josh Simon, Ph.D. | CommentsBefore selecting a device coating, physical properties and provided benefits are not the only consideration for device designers. There are other critical factors that can significantly impact efficacy. This article reviews variables such as sterilization methods, shelf-life, and aging which can all have an adverse impact on the coating.
Outsourced Molding Success Springs Up
May 30, 2012 10:02 am | by Tim Nakari | Lee Spring Co | CommentsThe Challenge: Identify a partner who is able to aid in the development of an injection molded plastic spring.The Solution: Spectrum was able to deliver the resulting product to Lee Spring for market in eight weeks, from first concept discussions through to final production.
Hydrophilic Enviornments May Promote Easier Device Delivery
May 30, 2012 9:40 am | by John Marugg, Ph. D. | CommentsAs minimally invasive technologies continue to permeate the healthcare industry, device makers need to ensure that their products make the process as smooth as possible. To this end, one solution offered to the OEMs focusing on device delivery is a hydrophilic coating that helps minimize resistance the catheter could face when traveling through the body.
UV LED Curing for Medical Devices
May 30, 2012 9:17 am | by Richa Anand, Ph.D. | CommentsUV LED curing refers to a technique that utilizes “energy” output from the LEDs in the UV spectrum to treat inks, coatings, adhesives, and other UV curable materials. The energy generated by the ultraviolet light triggers a chain reaction, resulting in polymerization of the wet raw material, thus hardening (or curing) the material. This article looks at the technology.
