Facilitating Innovation for Medical Device Manufacturing

August 3, 2011 8:10 am | by Josh Brown | Articles | Comments

Laser plastic welding is helping to pave the way for a new era of medical devices. As a technique for bonding two or more thermoplastic components together, it has advantages to other methods, including cleanliness, precision, hermetic sealing, and quality controls. Moreover, laser plastic welding brings economic efficiencies, design flexibility, aesthetic welding, and new material options to the medical manufacturing industry.

LISTED UNDER: Prototyping | Laser Welding | Medical Device Testing

Direct-Drive Rotary Stages Ideal for Rotary Testing

August 1, 2011 5:42 am | Product Releases | Comments

Aerotech’s APR series rotary stages employ precision-machined and ground stage parts coupled with high-precision angular contact bearings and an Aerotech direct-drive motor to produce exceptionally low error motions...

LISTED UNDER: Laser Machining | Component Testing

Versatile Biomaterial Brings Exceptional Performance in Spinal Devices

July 25, 2011 10:08 am | by Joseph Grande | Articles | Comments

DiFUSION Technologies’ new interbody implants are made of Solvay’s Zeniva PEEK, which has a modulus very similar to that of bone, along with toughness and fatigue resistance. The implants are for intervertebral body fusion of the thoracolumbar spine, and to be used with supplemental internal fixation. These implants are hollow, meaning the bone can grow through the device, and fuse the nearby bony surfaces of the vertebrae.

LISTED UNDER: Injection Molding | Micro Molding | Biocompatibility Testing

Needle Sharpener Keeps Phoenix on Point

July 25, 2011 8:25 am | by Kris Drennen | Articles | Comments

Thanks to a special needle design from Advanced Machine & Engineering (AME), Phoenix Medical Products has seen a 40% improvement in production and a 10% decrease in scrap. Phoenix can now safely rely on the AME needle sharpener for its needle design, production, sterilization, and packaging needs.

LISTED UNDER: Injection Molding | CNC Machining | Cleanroom Assembly

Concept to Production at the Speed of Light: Metal Springs and Stamping Business Responds to Quickening Pace

July 18, 2011 6:31 am | by Pete Marut & Dale Pereira | Connecticut Spring & Stamping | Articles | Comments

The pace of product launch continues to pick up throughout every industry, responding to the speed at which information is exchanged and the perceived need to introduce the latest product revision to beat competitors. Such rapidity is especially seen in medical instruments, firearm components, and parts produced for the consumer, automotive, and electronic industries.

LISTED UNDER: Stamping | Prototyping | Rapid Prototyping

Brass Prototype Parts for Medical Designers

July 15, 2011 6:31 am | Proto Labs, Inc. | Product Releases | Comments

Europe’s medical designers can order short-run prototype parts in brass from Firstcut, a ground-breaking service provided by Proto Labs, the world’s fastest source for rapid injection molded and CNC custom machined parts.

LISTED UNDER: CNC Machining | Component Testing | CAD

Medical Grade Epoxy Adhesive Withstands High Temperatures and Repeated Sterilization

July 14, 2011 7:30 am | Master Bond, Inc. | Product Releases | Comments

Capable of tolerating the harsh environments of the medical industry, Master Bond EP42HT-2ND2MED (Black) fully complies with the testing requirements of USP Class VI plastics.

LISTED UNDER: Epoxy | Microbiology/Chemical Testing | Component Testing

Migrating Medical Devices to Multicore

July 13, 2011 7:04 am | by Justin Moon | Articles | Comments

As medical devices become more complex and offer increasingly sophisticated user interfaces and capabilities, these devices are inevitably moving to multicore processing. Today, ultrasound, MRI, CT, PET, and digital X-ray systems all imply multicore processing. It is not a question of if, but of when. In addition to all the other challenges they must face, medical device manufacturers must ensure that their multicore systems obtain FDA and other relevant certifications. This requirement has made many wary of multicore systems, concerned that their complexity might jeopardize certification. OS characteristics and features that can facilitate migration to multicore systems, as well as the question of validating multicore systems for certification are discussed.

LISTED UNDER: Medical Device Testing | Component Testing

Minimizing Medical Device Technology Drift via Strategic Outsourcing

July 7, 2011 10:15 am | by Mark Benson | Articles | Comments

Why do medical device companies choose to pursue vertical integration? How does vertical integration cause technology drift over time? How can outsourcing be used strategically in key circumstances to gain valuable access to otherwise unavailable and diverse solutions from non-medical industries? This article addresses all of these questions for medical device manufacturers.

LISTED UNDER: Medical Device Testing | Component Testing | Product Design

Innovative Microelectronics Packaging for In-Vitro Implantable Devices

July 7, 2011 8:19 am | by Faina Zaslavsky | Crane Aerospace & Electronics | Articles | Comments

Implantables are already well established as a medical device solution, but this sector is achieving explosive growth with the development of new technologies. This article provides an overview of microelectronics packaging technology evolution, following how designs have been made to accommodate ever increasing demands for lightweight and smaller size modules.

LISTED UNDER: Wire and Cable | Medical Device Testing | Component Testing

Industry Leaders Weigh In on Medical Electronics

July 6, 2011 5:26 am | by Ken Nesteroff, Nick Lukianov, Paul Errico, Steven Dean, Chris Griffith | Freescale Semiconductor, Inc. | Articles | Comments

Industry leaders Ken Nesteroff, Medical and Industrial Imaging Business Development Manager at Texas Instruments, Nick Lukianov, Technical Director, Business Development, Vertical Segments at Avnet Electronics Marketing, Americas, Paul Errico Strategic Marketing Manager at Analog Devices Healthcare Group, Steven Dean, Medical Segment Manager at Freescale Semiconductor, and Chris Griffith, Medical Business Development Manager at Texas Instruments focused on medical electronics share their thoughts and comments on topics including the emergence of medical electronics in non-traditional areas, the impact of miniaturization, and power concerns.

LISTED UNDER: Electronic Components | Medical Device Testing | Component Testing

Perspectives On Validation Audit

June 29, 2011 11:14 am | Pilgrim Software, Inc. | Articles | Comments

For your area of the industry, what is your best suggestion for aiding a medical device manufacturing company with a validation audit?

LISTED UNDER: Medical Device Testing | Component Testing

Combination Products 2.0: Applying the New FDA Regulations

June 29, 2011 10:11 am | by Steven G Richter, Ph.D, RAC, SM(NRM) | Articles | Comments

Combination products, those that contain medical devices embedded with pharmaceutical or biologic components, have become a large and growing segment of the medical device market. Some analysts estimate they represent over 30% of all new product submissions to the FDA. This article reviews testing and FDA compliance concerns with them.

LISTED UNDER: Control | Full Service Contract Manufacturing | Medical Device Testing

Next Generation Human Interface Adhesives Selection

June 29, 2011 6:59 am | by Peter C. Johnson, MD | Articles | Comments

Human interface adhesives address all areas of the body, but cannot serve those areas with equal efficacy due to a variety of differing factors. A new testing system addresses this by more accurately evaluating adhesives for the specific part of the body upon which they are to be used. This article provides the benefits of this system while also looking at applications where it can best be implemented.

LISTED UNDER: Medical Device Testing | Component Testing | Silicone