Medical Design Technology articles from December 2007

Medical Design Technology archives from December 2007

Caster.(Innovations)
December 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The design features of these wheels not only permit them to transition freely and effortlessly over uneven terrain surfaces without the pushback effect that standard casters encounter, but also cushion against the...

Battery-free infrared touch probe.(Innovations)
December 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] For users looking for an alternative to battery-operated touch probes for machining applications, the TS 444 infrared touch probe is offered. It can be powered by an alternative energy source in the form of...

Solenoid valves.(Innovations)
December 1, 2007... The set screw and pushrod assembly in the Model 310/410 direct-acting solenoid valves has been redesigned to improve performance over the life of the valve. These two pieces were redesigned into a single threaded pushrod which eliminates the...

Low-dose grids.(Innovations)
December 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Smit Rontgen, a leading manufacturer of fiber-interspaced grids, offers low-dose grids for DR and CR applications. The company's full line of grid products are offered through Dunlee. The sole purpose of a grid is to...

Medical-grade elastomers.(Innovations)
December 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] A full line of ISO 9001-2000 certified rubber parts and sealing solutions with USP Class 6 grades is available. In addition to silicone, the company offers medical-grade elastomers such as Viton fluoroelastomer and...

Non-destructive package testing.(Innovations)
December 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Company provides custom designed non-destructive test systems for nonporous packages or medical devices. The Solution-C test system produces quantitative test results from products that cannot be accessed to...

Radiometer.(Innovations)
December 1, 2007... Consistent UV curing requires periodic monitoring of UV intensity or dose. The ACCU-CAL 100 radiometer is simple to operate and offers repeatable measurement of UV light. The ACCU-CAL 100 can measure UV light up to 10 W/[cm.sup.2] emitted from...

With ICD leads under scrutiny, FDA expects to update guidance in 2008.(Regulatory Report)
December 1, 2007... FDA plans to release new PMA guidelines for pacemaker and implantable defibrillator leads in 2008 to give manufacturers more guidance on bench testing. "We're bringing the document up to what companies are doing already, which is a larger...

CT radiation risk: firms aim to achieve lower exposure, high performance.(Regulatory Report)
December 1, 2007... Imaging equipment firms are under increasing pressure to reduce the radiation exposure to patients receiving computed tomography scans while also responding to market pressure to improve CT image quality. "You can no longer separate...

FDA launches public website highlighting device safety problems.(Regulatory Report)(Website overview)
December 1, 2007... A new public FDA website offering information about device safety issues observed by hospitals in the MedSun adverse event reporting network went live Nov. 14. The website--found online at www.fda.gov/cdrh/medsun--"is the first online...

FDA reclassifies blood centrifuges.(Noted ...)
December 1, 2007... FDA reclassifies from Class III to Class II (special controls) automated blood cell separator devices operating by centrifugal separation principal when intended for routine collection of blood and blood components on Nov. 30. The...

Duke, FDA partner on clinical trial modernization.(Noted ...)
December 1, 2007... FDA and Duke University Medical Center are teaming up to modernize the way clinical trials are conducted, spearheading a public-private partnership of government, industry, healthcare, and academic stakeholders, the organizations say. An...

Ventana warming to Roche deal?(Noted ...)
December 1, 2007... Tissue-based cancer test firm Ventana Medical Systems enters into a confidentiality agreement with Roche, allowing the latter firm to begin a due diligence review with an eye toward potentially acquiring Ventana, the firms announced Nov. 13....

An interview with Jon Rich, president and CEO of Momentive.(View From The Top)(Interview)
December 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Silicone has been regaining its foothold as the preferred choice for a number of healthcare applications. The recent sale of GE Advanced Materials has enabled the company to focus strongly on this material and,...

Gantry robot.(Notables: Automation & Robotics)
December 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] These gantry robots are heavy duty machines ideal for integrating with two- part fluid metering and mixing systems. The I&J9000 series of machines are Cartesian gantry designs selected for a conveyor fed process or...

Vertical conveyor.(Notables: Automation & Robotics)
December 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] For vertical conveyor applications that call for an extremely high level of sanitation, the AquaPruf LPZ Series platform is offered. Unlike traditional vertical bucket and chain conveyors that typically offer very...

TPU suction cups.(Notables: Automation & Robotics)
December 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] TPU non-marking suction cups leave no trace on the objects being handled and are available in 20-, 30-, 40, and 50-mm sizes in flat and single bellows designs that are suitable for level adjustment. Designed for...

Linear actuators.(Notables: Automation & Robotics)
December 1, 2007... LoPro linear actuator is available in four sizes and in belt, lead screw, ball screw, and chain driven configurations, as well as un-driven. This latest version features design enhancements for increased performance and even higher load...

Robotic palletizer cell.(Notables: Automation & Robotics)
December 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The M-16iC robotic mini palletizer cell incorporates a Fanuc M-16iC robot to create single pallet, dual pallet, and multiple pallet cell configurations. The M-16iC robot can be specified for payloads of 10 kg (22...

Cleanroom linear robots.(Notables: Automation & Robotics)
December 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The Adept Python Cleanroom Class 1 ESD modular Cartesian robots are the latest addition to the industry's broadest cleanroom and ESD product line that includes SCARA, Six-axis, and Cartesian robots. The new robots...

Image-based ID reader.(Notables: Automation & Robotics)
December 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The power and capability of the high-performance DataMan 100 family of image-based ID readers has been expanded. New lens accessories provide magnification flexibility to optimize reading performance. A super high...

Vibration isolation solutions at the FDA's new lab: when it was decided that the FDA's OSEL would be moving, officials sought to address vibration isolation in the new building upfront so they wouldn't bring this issue with them from the previous facility. This article reviews the steps they took in order to ease concerns over this significant problem while also examining the solutions selected.(Case in Point)
December 1, 2007... When the Office of Science and Engineering Laboratories (OSEL), part of the U.S. FDA, recently moved to new quarters in suburban Washington, its ability to perform precision research dramatically improved, thanks to advanced planning. Officials...

Five technologies that can make life easier: some are new, some old, but five technologies are making strides and aiding medical device manufacturers produce a quality product. This article looks back on these technologies that had been previously covered earlier in the year to get a "technology update" and see what news there has been since they were featured.(Cover story)
December 1, 2007... [FIGURE 1 OMITTED] [FIGURE 2 OMITTED] [FIGURE 3 OMITTED] Over the past year, MDT has covered many technologies, some new and others experiencing significant evolution. For this article, five innovations are examined: inspection...

CompactFlash cards.(Notables: Medical Electronics)
December 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] A line of CompactFlash (CF) cards has been tailored specifically to the medical community. The company had been manufacturing CF cards for industrial applications for many years when they began getting inquiries from...

Digital-to-analog converter.(Notables: Medical Electronics)
December 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The MCP4725 digital-to-analog converter (DAC) is said to be the industry's first DAC to combine integrated EEPROM and 12-bit resolution in a miniature, six-pin SOT-23 package. The low-power, single-channel DAC has a...

Medical desktop switcher.(Notables: Medical Electronics)
December 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Responding to the demand for higher power portable medical devices, the PMP150 Series of medically approved desktop AC/DC power supplies is offered. These units provide 150 Watts of power in an ultra-compact 3.0" x...

Headers.(Notables: Medical Electronics)
December 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The Mini-Fit RTC (RollS temperature capable) headers provide a cost-effective solution for mid-range power applications that require high-density and current-carrying capability. Designed with a high-temperature LCP...

USB hardware modems.(Notables: Medical Electronics)
December 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] This line of USB hardware modems is available in modular and standalone configurations. These modems process data using their own hardware and do not utilize any processing power of the host computer. They are...

LED pushbutton switch.(Notables: Medical Electronics)
December 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The CL1200 series of momentary lighted SPST pushbutton switches is offered. This right angle version provides design engineers a versatile LED illuminated switch for use in a variety Of applications. Offering three...

Cover kits for power supplies.(Notables: Medical Electronics)
December 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Cover kits are offered for the Artesyn NLP250, Artesyn TLP 150, and Astec LPS 120 series of AC-DC power supplies. Until now, the power supplies have only been available in open-frame, or non-enclosed, versions. The...

PEEK-OPTIMA enables enhanced safety in fracture treatment applications.(Device Sector Spotlight)
December 1, 2007... Orthopedic technologies are dominated by metal materials in the fabrication of implants and other devices used in this sector. However, increasingly, advanced, high-performance plastics are enabling enhancements with regard to safety and...

New technology partnership.(Industry Watch)
December 1, 2007... InTouch Health, a leader in remote presence healthcare solutions, has announced a development and licensing agreement with Intuitive Surgical Inc., a technology leader in robotic-assisted minimally invasive surgery. Under the agreement, InTouch...

Senator concers over imaging cuts.(Industry Watch)
December 1, 2007... Senator Herb Kohl (D-WI) was joined by senior senators Edward Kennedy (D-MA); Diane Feinstein (D-CA), Norm Coleman (R-MN), and Christopher Dodd (DCT), and more than 20 of their colleagues in urging senators Max Baucus (D-MT) and Charles...

Governor's medal received.(Industry Watch)
December 1, 2007... Dr. Jerry R. Nelson, of Nelson Laboratories Inc., has received the 2007 Governor's Medal for Science and Technology in the Industry Category. Dr. Nelson has continuously provided renowned service to the medical device industry since 1970....

RevZero launches operations.(Industry Watch)
December 1, 2007... With construction of a new 15,000 square foot facility in Chanhassen nearly complete, RevZero Inc. has officially opened for business. The operation was designed from the ground up to support rapid prototype machining and automated production...

FBA clears silver-coated breathing tube.(Industry Watch)
December 1, 2007... The U.S. FDA has cleared for marketing a breathing tube coated with a thin layer of silver. The coating, a material known to have antimicrobial properties, reduces the risk that patients on ventilators will acquire pneumonia while in the...

Operational excellence institute formed.(Industry Watch)
December 1, 2007... Kevin Duggan has announced the formation of the Institute for Operational Excellence. "The mission of the Institute for Operational Excellence is to define Operational Excellence and teach organizations the step-by-step methodology to obtain...

IS0 certifications.(Industry Watch)
December 1, 2007... Foster-Miller has received international certification for quality management systems through 13485:2003 for both its Commercial Equipment and its Electronic and Electrical Systems Groups. By meeting ISO 13485 guidelines, Foster-Miller...

Calendar of events.(Industry Watch)(Conference news)(Calendar)
December 1, 2007... Click on the "Calendar; icon at www.mdtmao.com for information about any of the followino events. January 7-10 The 26th Annual JP Morgan Healthcare Conference, Westin St. Francis, San Francisco, CA. January 17-18 Manufacturers Seminar,...

Light sensitive extension line.(New Products)
December 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Light sensitive extension lines have been added to the company's expanding inventory of sub-assembled components. These extension lines with amber tubing effectively protect light sensitive solutions or compounds....

Injection press.(New Products)
December 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The G9 Series of injection presses for rubber, TPE, and LSR products has been expanded. The showcase machine in this new generation is the V79, a 550-ton press with advanced design features in the mechanical,...

Piezo force microscopy module.(New Products)
December 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] In response to the growing applications of electromechanical imaging and spectroscopy, this piezo force module enables very high sensitivity, high bias, and crosstalk-free measurements of piezoelectrics,...

Drills.(New Products)
December 1, 2007... The CrazyDrill is a small drill for the most demanding requirements. It is available in four versions, each with a geometry optimally suited to the customers' requirements. Whether pilot to deep hole drills, from steel, aluminum, or stainless...

Wireless data logger.(New Products)
December 1, 2007... The RTR-52Pt wireless data logger uses industry standard three wire Pt-100 RTD sensors available from many sources. With a temperature measurement range from -200[degrees]C to 600[degrees]C, the RTR-52Pt is ideal for cryogenic applications...

Lubricant dispensing.(New Products)
December 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Machine parts that require constant lubricating of their surface areas, such as gears and rollers, can be serviced by the use of a precision spray valve and sequence controller. The model SV1217SS spray valve and...

Ball bushings.(New Products)
December 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Round, square, and compact flange style single or double linear ball bushings are offered for a variety of industrial applications. These products are available standard in 52100 bearing steel (with or without...

3-meter chamber.(New Products)
December 1, 2007... The company has added a fully-automated, state-of-the-art, semi anechoic 3-meter chamber to its Wheeling, IL testing facility. This chamber, listed with the FCC, allows for a streamlined measurement process, at frequencies that exceed 1.0 GHz....

Conformal coating platform.(New Products)
December 1, 2007... With up to 30% faster throughput, a vision system, closed-loop process controls, traceability, and advanced integrated software, the Select Coat SL-940E provides high quality and increased productivity in a high-speed, high-accuracy coating...

Coated non-woven fabric.(New Products)
December 1, 2007... Polymer coated non-woven fabrics provide barrier reinforcement for medical products such as surgical and isolation gowns, drapes, blankets, cold packs, and disposables. Impermeable to blood, fluids, and most chemicals, they can be made to...

Microstepping motor and driver.(New Products)
December 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The CMK Series 2-phase step motor and microstepping driver package combines a compact light weight microstep driver (0.11 lbs) with either a 0.9 degree-per-step or a 1.8 degree-per-step 2-phase hybrid step motor. The...

Cut and strip machine.(New Products)
December 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The OmniStrip 9450 is a compact, flexible cut and strip machine which can process a wide range of wire and cable applications. With the benefit of the indexing cutter head and flexible programming, all types of...

Miniature stepping motor.(New Products)
December 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The LPD6G series is a miniature stepping motor with parallel planetary gearhead. The miniature 2-phase stepping motor-geartrain develops 1.2 oz-in (9.0 Nm) at 1358 pulses-per-second or 30 RPM in its tiny package size...

Direct drive frameless motors.(New Products)
December 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] ULT Series direct drive frameless low profile motors are available for a variety of applications. New sizes are released weekly. The latest versions contain special magnet configurations for high speed applications....

Stepper drives.(New Products)
December 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The ST10-Q delivers eight digital inputs, four digital outputs, and two analog inputs, with 2480 VDC input and output current to 10.0 A peak. They are specifically engineered to deliver maximum performance benefits...

Oliver Medical has introduced Oliver OnSite package engineering services, offering technical and engineering support to medical device manufacturers.(Design Notes)
December 1, 2007... Oliver Medical has introduced Oliver OnSite package engineering services, offering technical and engineering support to medical device manufacturers. The OnSite services are provided by the Oliver Answer Team, whose members include engineers...

Polygon Company has launched its redesigned website.(Design Notes)(Website overview)
December 1, 2007... Polygon Company has launched its redesigned website. The site contains an overview of the company and the variety of products offered within the company's five strategic market groups. Printable in .PDF files are the company's FAQ sheets and...

The Medical Imaging & Technology Alliance (MITA), a division of the National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA), has launched a new website redesigned to be a top resource on medical imaging and radiation therapy for MITA members, the medical community, policy-making groups, and the public.(Design Notes)(Website overview)
December 1, 2007... The Medical Imaging & Technology Alliance (MITA), a division of the National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA), has launched a new website redesigned to be a top resource on medical imaging and radiation therapy for MITA members, the...

Omnetics, a leading manufacturer of miniature high rel connectors, offers configurable models as down-loadable files for its range of nano (0.025" pitch) and micro (0.050" pitch) miniature connectors.(Design Notes)
December 1, 2007... Omnetics, a leading manufacturer of miniature high rel connectors, offers configurable models as down-loadable files for its range of nano (0.025" pitch) and micro (0.050" pitch) miniature connectors. These models enable the user to quickly and...

Flomerics has announced that its FloXpress flow simulation software is fully embedded within SolidWorks 2008 3D CAD software and is available free of charge to all SolidWorks 2008 users.(Design Notes)
December 1, 2007... Flomerics has announced that its FloXpress flow simulation software is fully embedded within SolidWorks 2008 3D CAD software and is available free of charge to all SolidWorks 2008 users. FloXpress is a cut-down version of the popular ...

Clippard Instrument Laboratory Inc., manufacturer of a complete line of miniature fluid power products, offers a new catalog for scientific applications.(Design Notes)
December 1, 2007... Clippard Instrument Laboratory Inc., manufacturer of a complete line of miniature fluid power products, offers a new catalog for scientific applications. Introduced in this literature is the all new series of electronic valves developed for use...

PEEK enables vital access.(Design Notes)
December 1, 2007... Implantable port access systems consist of an access (port) that is placed directly under the skin in the chest or upper arm, and a thin, soft plastic tube (catheter) made from polyurethane or silicone connecting the port directly with the...

New face for cosmetic system.(Design Notes)
December 1, 2007... The ThermaCool NXT is Thermage's next-generation system for non-invasive skin tightening and contouring. The system has a flat-panel LCD screen, which is attached to a moveable cart. The NXT screen has a large viewing area with an enhanced...