Medical Design Technology articles from December 2006

Medical Design Technology archives from December 2006

Power supply.(Innovations)
December 1, 2006... Two series of ultra-miniature, open-frame modular switching power supplies are available. In a small mechanical footprint measuring only 2 in. W x 4 in. L x 1.2 in. H, both the ASM40 and ASM60 series provide power densities >6 W/[in.sup.3]....

Panelmount socket.(Innovations)
December 1, 2006... The reduced footprint 713 series M12 male sockets allows fastening from the back side of a panel and reduces the required surface area for mounting. The design features an M12 rear thread allowing the connector to be mounted to a panel having a...

Noise filters.(MDT Exclusive)
December 1, 2006... The NAM series is a diversified line of noise filters. With 6 current options (4, 6, 10, 16, 20, and 30) and 5 Y-capacitor options (000, 101, 221, 331, and 471), these features offer the design engineer the flexibility to ensure that both...

Amorphous polymers.(Innovations)
December 1, 2006... Extem thermoplastic polyimide (TPI) resins are a family of amorphous polymers that provide exceptional performance while eliminating the drawbacks of semi-crystalline materials. The Extem resins deliver a powerful combination of melt...

Custom tubing assemblies.(Innovations)
December 1, 2006... Known for tubing and fitting capabilities, the company also customizes tubing assemblies for specific OEM instruments and applications. It offers a comprehensive selection of tubing in capillary through large-bore sizes, with ODs from less than...

ScopeMeter/Divider kit.(Innovations)
December 1, 2006... The 199XRAY Medical ScopeMeter and 35080M Non-Invasive kVp Divider kit combination significantly streamlines xray system calibration, QA, or corrective maintenance procedure setup and analysis. The 199XRAY is ideal for engineers who need the...

CDRH is testing new decision methods that could 'change everything'.(Regulatory Report)
December 1, 2006... FDA's device center is pursuing a pilot study of' quantitative methods for evaluating data that some say could be the beginning of a complete overhaul in the way regulatory decisions are made. A proposal for the still vaguely defined...

Zimmer CEO steps down.(Noted ...)
December 1, 2006... Orthopedic firm's veteran CEO Ray Elliott plans to retire in the first half of 2007. Elliott, credited with accomplishing Zimmer's 2001 spin-off from Bristol-Myers Squibb, as well as overseeing the firm's 2003 acquisition of Centerpulse, will...

Pushing von Eschenbach.(Noted ...)
December 1, 2006... Senate HELP Committee Chairman Michael Enzi (R-WY) calls Nov. 16 for a lame-duck session floor vote to nominate FDA Acting Commissioner Andrew von Eschenbach to the permanent post. Incoming committee chair Edward Kennedy (D-MA) also supports...

Rochester settles with GPO.(Noted ...)
December 1, 2006... Hospital group purchasing organization Premier will pay catheter manufacturer Rochester Medical $8.8 million in an antitrust settlement. A 2004 suit by Rochester claimed that Premier received kickbacks from certain manufacturers, leading it to...

Sales of silicone breast implants to easily offset post-approval study costs.(Regulatory Report)
December 1, 2006... Mentor expects to spend up to $45 million over the next 10 years on an extensive post-approval study of its Memory Gel silicone-gel breast implants. The postmarket study, which will follow more than 40,000 women who receive the implants...

An interview with Duane DeSisto President and CEO of Insulet Corp.: seeking outside partners with the expertise needed to design and manufacture a medical device successfully is a trend that is gaining momentum in this industry. This month's 'View From The Top' features a discussion that offers insights into this business practice, its benefits, and the resulting end product.(View From The Top)(Interview)(Company overview)
December 1, 2006... Diabetes is a growing problem within the healthcare industry with 7% of the U.S. population afflicted with the disease. Until a cure is found, daily management is the best treatment option. However, traditional diabetes treatment technologies...

CDRH to improve postmarket monitoring.(Industry Watch)
December 1, 2006... After a thorough review of its postmarket processes, CDRH recently published two documents--"Ensuring the Safety of Marketed Medical Devices: CDRH's Medical Device Postmarket Safety Framework" and "Ensuring the Safety of Marketed Medical...

Screentech Medical acquired.(Industry Watch)
December 1, 2006... Creganna Medical Devices has acquired Ireland-based Screentech Medical. Screentech provides advanced molded micro components and assemblies for medical devices and supplies leading medical device manufacturers. The acquisition brings a suite of...

ISO 9001:2000 announcements.(Industry Watch)
December 1, 2006... Helical Products Co. Inc. has been certified to ISO 9001:2000. The company is the originator of the Heli-Cal Flexure, a coil pattern that can be designed to affect and improve performance features such as torque capacity, angular misalignment,...

Calendar of events.(Calendar)
December 1, 2006... Click on the "Calendar" icon at www.mdtmag.com for information about any of the following events. December 22-24 Medifest '06 Vantage Trade Fair, Pragati Maidan, New Delhi, India. January 20-25 Photonics West 2007, San Jose Convention...

Low cost motor resolves coating challenge: after an introduction of the basic technology of the Elliptecmotor, this article will present the physical analysis necessary for understanding the operation of the motor and will discuss its use in vacuum conditions. The technology can be utilized to address concerns with physical vapor deposition.(Emphasis On Motors)
December 1, 2006... The Elliptecmotor is a versatile, low cost, high precision piezomotor suited for vacuum applications, such as vacuum deposition processes used in the application of coatings. It can be used wherever motions with moderate forces have to be...

Lidding sealant.(Notables: Medical Packaging)
December 1, 2006... Pharmaceutical and medical device manufacturers looking to solve "clean peel" lidding issues can now benefit from the Allegro M sealant. The sealant can be extrusion coated onto various substrates including film, foil, or even paper to create a...

Label applicator.(Notables: Medical Packaging)
December 1, 2006... A robust, highly versatile label applicator can be optionally equipped to withstand direct water washdowns. The product, called the ALS 206, securely applies preprinted product ID labels in widths up to 6.4 in. to targeted items including...

Packaging adhesives.(Notables: Medical Packaging)
December 1, 2006... A variety of adhesive solutions and components are offered to meet the needs of manufacturers and converters of flexible packaging. The company's unique custom conversion services that are particularly well suited for this industry include:...

Vacuum chamber.(Notables: Medical Packaging)
December 1, 2006... This line of vacuum chamber systems is built with solid seal bars, enabling a constant and verifiable temperature over the entire sealing surface throughout the full sealing cycle. According to the company, for certain types of medical...

Medical tray material.(Notables: Medical Packaging)
December 1, 2006... Eastar copolyester 6763 is a resin choice for sheet among thermoformers of rigid medical trays. It maintains long-term clarity and does not yellow or stress-whiten. It is also puncture resistant, a characteristic that helps ensure the sterile...

Software solutions: building blocks for FDA compliance: without the proper tools and systems in place, ensuring a product is FDA compliant can be an obstacle to experiencing the successful launch of a medical device. It can cause a company to miss out on profits and lose a competitive edge. This article looks at software that will help preserve both a company's edge and profits.(Cover story)
December 1, 2006... Medical device manufacturers have long embraced ERP (enterprise resource planning) and CRM (customer relationship management) software systems; however, they have primarily employed them to achieve operational efficiencies as well as further...

Parallel buses give way to serial point-to-point interconnects: as medical equipment becomes more advanced, the demands on the electronic components are increasing exponentially. Large amounts of data are being collected during various tasks and systems need to be able to handle it. This article reviews one effort to alleviate these concerns with the introduction of PCI Express.(Emphasis On Electronics)
December 1, 2006... Shared multi-drop buses such as PCI (peripheral component interconnect) and CompactPCI are giving way to point-topoint interfaces such as PCI Express and CompactPCI Express as a way of handling more data traffic more quickly. This transition...

Medical Device Puerto Rico show preview.(Show Preview)
December 1, 2006... February 2007 sees the return of MEDICAL DEVICE Puerto Rico to the Puerto Rico Convention Center in San Juan. This annual event has emerged as an excellent exhibition and educational conference for medical device manufacturers who have already...

Custom assembly system solution.(Show Preview)
December 1, 2006... Sortimat, an assembly- and feeder-technology specialist, offers a linear transfer system known as Spaceline. Spaceline is a high-precision assembly system that is designed to a customer's specific requirements. Its modular design allows...

Sterile packaging sought as solution for infection prevention: trends being observed now in medical device manufacturing are expected to create an increase in the demand for sterile packaging through 2010, according to a report from The Freedonia Group. This article summarizes the findings of the group's study.(Emphasis On Sterile Packaging)
December 1, 2006... Sterile medical packaging demand will increase 6% annually to $4.4 billion in 2010. Consumption patterns and growth prospects will continue to vary widely among the various types and groups of sterile medical products. In most applications,...

Compact motion controller.(New Products)
December 1, 2006... The MCDC 3006 compact motion controller is for use with DC micromotors. The MCBL 3006 compact motion controller is for use with brushless DC motors. A printed circuit board version of the controller is available for superordinate systems for...

Sealing tapes.(New Products)
December 1, 2006... The Series 9795 3M advanced polyolefin medical microplate sealing tapes are indicated for a variety of adhesive applications in the healthcare industry. Featuring low tack to touch adhesive, low auto-fluorescence, and superior optical...

Cable connector.(New Products)
December 1, 2006... Designed to connect 0.3 mm pitch FPC cable to the board, the FF02S Series connector has a height of only 0.9 mm and a 3.8-mm depth. It has undergone drop impact and vibration resistance testing and provides improved cable retention. Available...

Surface mount resistors.(New Products)
December 1, 2006... Providing design engineers with rugged surface mount devices specifically designed for surge/pulse applications and for circuits subject to extreme thermal cycling, this company offers two versions of its popular cylindrical surface mount...

Linear actuator.(New Products)
December 1, 2006... This linear actuator is designed for positioning requirements in a variety of applications, including medical. It is lead screw driven and provides an electromechanical alternative to a pneumatic actuator, improving accuracy and motion control....

Gas plasma system.(New Products)
December 1, 2006... This low pressure gas plasma system is for thin film coating and surface modification of medical components. The cleanroom-compatible AL 140 plasma system has a 850 x 450 x 350 mm aluminum chamber. The system has a unique drawer style door with...

Fastener coating.(New Products)
December 1, 2006... There is no need for gasket seals or sealant compounds or any other time-consuming in-house assembly sealants. Nyplas is a plastisol (PVC) material coating pre-applied under the heads of fasteners, rivetnuts, pop-style rivets, and double-ended...

Double torque motor.(New Products)
December 1, 2006... The SM2315DT SmartMotor features an 8-pole compact rotor design with higher copper filling factor compared to conventional techniques and the design achieves a higher energy density as well as better efficiency that results in more torque...

NIH grant could help patients breathe easier.(Design Notes)
December 1, 2006... Quest Product Development, with partner University of Colorado, has completed Phase I research funded by a National Institutes of Health (NIH) Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) grant to develop a "proof of concept" MicroFlex scope--an...

NKK Switches, an industry leader in the design and manufacturing of electromechanical switches, offers online 3D CAD file downloads for its SmartSwitch.(Design Notes)
December 1, 2006... NKK Switches, an industry leader in the design and manufacturing of electromechanical switches, offers online 3D CAD file downloads for its SmartSwitch. The 3D CAD downloads aid design engineers in all aspects of design related to PCB and panel...

Two white papers are available from Applied Manufacturing Technologies--a leading supplier of complete consulting and engineering services.(Design Notes)
December 1, 2006... Two white papers are available from Applied Manufacturing Technologies--a leading supplier of complete consulting and engineering services. The first white paper, "Leveraging Third Party Technical Resources," examines the hiring of temporary...

Whatman, a global leader in separations technology, has created a new OEM capabilities brochure detailing its line of filters and accessories available to OEM manufacturers.(Design Notes)
December 1, 2006... Whatman, a global leader in separations technology, has created a new OEM capabilities brochure detailing its line of filters and accessories available to OEM manufacturers. The brochure, which features technical data and design options for a...

An updated 14-page "Self-Clinching Fastener Handbook" is available free from PennEngineering.(Design Notes)
December 1, 2006... An updated 14-page "Self-Clinching Fastener Handbook" is available free from PennEngineering. The publication serves as a useful educational resource and general reference guide about self-clinching fastener technology. Information:...

Danaher Motion has introduced the 2006/2007 Guide to Thomson-Deltran brakes and clutches.(Design Notes)
December 1, 2006... Danaher Motion has introduced the 2006/2007 Guide to Thomson-Deltran brakes and clutches. This brake and clutch solutions catalog details the complete line of electromagnetic friction brakes and clutches, and The Genuine Wrap Spring family of...

Knee implants smarten up.(Design Notes)
December 1, 2006... Orthopedic implants keep getting smarter. For the first time, a patient has received an investigational, full artificial knee replacement that can wirelessly report digital, 3D torque and force data back to computers. These advances greatly...