Medical Design Technology articles from October 2007

Medical Design Technology archives from October 2007

PTFE terminals.(Innovations)
October 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Engineered for high density packaging on 0.062 and 0.093(TH) PC boards, these PTFE terminals provide outstanding electrical, mechanical, thermal, and chemical characteristics. Rugged and resistant to mechanical shock...

Pin connectors.(Innovations)
October 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Compliant pin technology has stood the test of time by providing press-fit connections that withstands thermal shock, vibration, and humidity. The company has improved this 20-year old technology so that its...

Dispensing industrial robots.(Innovations)
October 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The I&J4000-LF maintains the compact style and functionality expected of this company's robot designs and continues to build upon the range of precision multiple axis products that are ideal for many automatic bench...

Stereomicroscope.(MDT Exclusive)
October 1, 2007... The Leica M205 C stercomicroscope features FusionOptics, which overcomes the previous limits of optical technology. It offers fully apochromatically-corrected 20.5:1 zoom. Within the zoom range from 0.78x to 16x. the resolution increases...

Foot switch.(Innovations)
October 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The design of the IR Wireless Executive foot switch allows for side to side or heal--toe actuation for accurate table positioning. This completely waterproof foot switch can be fully submerged in water for ease of...

Pneumatic valves.(Innovations)
October 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Available in 2-way or 3-way, normally-closed or fully ported, these electronic valves are designed for use with oxygen applications and will work with air and inert gas. The "O-E" Series pneumatic valves utilize a...

Congress approves FDA reform/user fee bill in the nick of time.(Regulatory Report)
October 1, 2007... Congress gave final approval to a massive FDA bill that renews device and drug user fees for five years and strengthens product safety programs. The FDA Amendments Act of 2007 was sent to President Bush after passing the House on a 405-7...

Another Class I AED recall.(Noted ...)
October 1, 2007... Welch Allyn's Aug. 24 recall of AED 20 automatic external defibrillators is Class I, the most serious designation, FDA says. Some 1,722 devices manufactured between October 2003 and January 2005 at a facility in Buffalo Grove, IL, display an...

Dermal fillers on FDA's radar.(Noted ...)
October 1, 2007... Agency is putting together a "Post Market Issue Action Team" to address complaints about the long-term effects of dermal fillers, Peter Rumm, deputy director of general, restorative and neurological devices at the Office of Device Evaluation,...

Angiotech and Conor settle.(Noted ...)
October 1, 2007... Angiotech reaches "favorable" agreement with Johnson & Johnson/Conor Medsystems Sept. 17 to settle all patent litigation ongoing since 2005 related to its paclitaxel-eluting stent technology. Angiotech licenses the patents in question...

An interview with Bill Sherman and Trey Atkins of Hi-Tech Group.(View From The Top)(Interview)(Company overview)
October 1, 2007... Molded components represent a significant percentage of manufactured parts used in finished medical devices, and with new materials and unique capabilities continuously being introduced, the number will certainly grow. Looking for comments on...

Medical devices developer emerges.(Industry Watch)
October 1, 2007... The Polymer Technology Group (PTG), a leading biomaterials company serving the medical device industry, has spun-off a life sciences incubator, Emergence LLC. Emergence will have access to PTG's staff and state-of-the-art facilities for...

New motion solutions provider.(Industry Watch)
October 1, 2007... Confero Solutions is a recently established start up company which is aggressively developing advanced precision sensing and motion solutions to serve the increased demands of the growing integrated motion control marketplace. The company is...

MDI regulation change.(Industry Watch)
October 1, 2007... The U.S. FDA has proposed a change to its regulation on the use of chlorofluorocarbons or CFCs in metered dose inhalers (MDIs) for epinephrine. The rule would remove the "essential-use" designation that allows the use of CFCs in these medical...

TI funding research.(Industry Watch)
October 1, 2007... Texas Instruments Inc. (TI) is allocating a total of $15 million to fund medical technology research at selected universities worldwide. The funding will support research and development of key emerging medical technologies, over a period of...

Calendar of events.(Industry Watch)(Conference news)(Calendar)
October 1, 2007... Click on the "Calendar; icon at www..mdtmagcom for information about any of the following events. October 25-26/29-30 EMC By Your Design: An EMC Practical Applications Seminar/Workshop, Hilton Hotel, Northbrook, IL. October 30-31 OEM...

The next evolution of parylene coating: parylene is an excellent option for medical device manufacturers seeking a device coating for their product. Unfortunately, specific factors limit its use in certain applications. A new variation offers benefits that address these concerns. This article examines Parylene HT and the advantages it offers to device makers while addressing these previously limiting factors.(Emphasis On Parylene)
October 1, 2007... Medical trends show a rapid expansion in the areas of minimally invasive diagnostic and surgical methods, many of which require various levels of instrument-embedded electronics to carry out procedures. Examples of such devices include capsule...

Plastic extruded tubes.(Notables: Tubing)
October 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The company is an ISO certified manufacturer of custom plastic extruded tubes. It ships to 15 countries on five continents, is GMP compliant, has complete two-way product traceability, and can provide product...

FDA compliant tubing.(Notables: Tubing)
October 1, 2007... Medical tubing is available in Texflour PTFE, FEE PFA, ETFE, and PEEK and is offered in a variety of products and sizes. Compounds of filled barium sulfate, bismuth trioxide, and other additives are available to allow X-Ray viewing of medical...

Tube coating system.(Notables: Tubing)
October 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The Relius tube coating system is a fast, foolproof way to apply accurate, repeatable amounts of solvents or UV-cure adhesives on tubing, fittings, and other cylindrical components. The compact, pneumatically...

Elastomer enhances Clearweld laser technology.(Notables: Tubing)
October 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Creating successful medical applications that deliver effective, safe, and accurate patient solutions often requires forging partnerships with the right mix of technological know-how. Natvar, a manufacturer of...

Complex plastic cutting.(Notables: Tubing)
October 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Complex cutting, shaping, and contouring of plastic materials in rounds, tubing, flat material, fabric, laminates, and extrusions is offered. Materials include silicone, PTFE, ETFE, polyurethane, Pebax, Pevax, Mylar,...

Smaller may be better, but it's not always easy: medical OEMs face a number of challenges in miniaturizing device designs. Fortunately, new electronic capabilities and technologies are enabling this process to be performed more efficiently. This article will explore issues medical device manufacturers face when they attempt to reduce the sizes of their products and the innovations available to help them.(Cover story)
October 1, 2007... The benefits of reducing the size of medical equipment are plain. In the field, smaller devices allow heavily-burdened EMTs to do a better job. In the operating room, smaller equipment gives more elbow room. Equipment carts rolled from room to...

Determining if a material makes the grade for combination products: this presentation-the follow-up to an article that appeared in the May issue--reviews the physical characteristics of the materials used when designing and manufacturing a combination product. Characteristics including impact resistance, lubricity and wear resistance, and properties to withstand load are examined.(Combination Products)
October 1, 2007... In MDT's May issue, a discussion introduced the challenges of working with more than one FDA agency during the review process. Learning the requirements of an additional agency may prompt manufacturers to become familiar with further aspects of...

Automating manual drug delivery testing processes: automating a traditionally manual process can introduce a variety of advantages to the procedure. In an application that is benefited from repeatable performance and a 24-hour schedule, automating the processes associated with a device can significantly enhance the quality of the product as well as the product's bottom line.(Combination Products)
October 1, 2007... In recent years, there has been increasing pressure within pharma to streamline the drug discovery and development process and reduce time-to-market. Pulmonary drug development, manufacturing, and testing is just one area of focus. However,...

Processes for rapidly ensuring a quality product.(Device Sector Spotlight)
October 1, 2007... Device companies are always seeking new methods with which to save time and money in the design and manufacturing processes. Two methods associated with prototyping provide a production quality product that can then be tested and appropriate...

Pressure transducer.(New Products)
October 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The 3100/3200 Series offer an all stainless-steel design, less than 1.0 in. in diameter, and 32 grams. They deliver pressure sensing ranges from 0 to 30,000 psi (2,200 bar), various outputs and pressure ports, and...

Guide wheel.(New Products)
October 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Custom stud lengths are available for the patent-pending integral studded wheels--DualVee. Available in carbon steel or polymer versions, integral wheels feature a one piece design. Lower profile and larger diameter...

Lithium cells.(New Products)
October 1, 2007... The BR 1/2AA provides reliable power at extreme operating temperatures from -40[degrees]C to 100[degrees]C. They offer extreme temperature tolerance, low self-discharge rate, and compact design. Other features of the lithium cell include high...

Custom electrical terminals.(New Products)
October 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Custom electrical terminals for overmolded medical devices are manufactured to specification for integration with discrete component overmolding and are supplied on reels or loose for use with various automation...

SMT connectors.(New Products)
October 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] To meet the growing market demand of smaller electronic devices, the SlimStack product line now includes J-Lead SMT connectors. These board-to-board connectors feature a "J"-shaped SMT tail that provides 35% PCB...

Spell checking software.(New Products)
October 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The Spellex Biotech spelling dictionary allows users to save time and increase their accuracy. By adding Spellex Biotech to a Microsoft or WordPerfect program, the spell checker will provide correct spelling choices...

Conveyor and idler assembly.(New Products)
October 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The intermediate drive conveyor and low profile idler assembly are offered as versatile new options in the company's Designer System conveyor line. The intermediate drive conveyor requires only a 26 in. straight...

Mounting adhesive.(New Products)
October 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The 8311 M-76G permanent/removable mounting adhesive is available on double-coated polyester film. It brings a clean, permanent/removable bond to medical devices for temporarily mounting foams, polycarbonates,...

Rotary fixture.(New Products)
October 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The KwikTurn rotary fixture is for marking around cylindrical or multi sided parts. It can accommodate both large and miniature products. The system requires no PC for operation and can mark serial numbers; date...

Couplings.(New Products)
October 1, 2007... Three sizes in both single and double flex models have been added to the Zero-Max ServoClass coupling line. Providing even higher torsional stiffness than previous models, these couplings are designed to handle high speed reversing loads and...

Electric actuators.(New Products)
October 1, 2007... Developed with the company's exclusive Endurance Technology features, the MXE electric actuator is designed for maximum durability. MXE offers two different bearing options in a family of modular actuator bodies for lean manufacturing...

Powervar Inc. has developed a virtual demo room on its website.(Design Notes)(Website overview)
October 1, 2007... Powervar Inc. has developed a virtual demo room on its website. The demo room is the latest addition to the educational section of the company's website called The ABC's of Power Conditioning. The demo room has two separate sections--one for...

A micro website from Thomson promises to help users go from making functional selections in linear guides to specifying the optimal guide for their particular application.(Design Notes)(Website overview)
October 1, 2007... A micro website from Thomson promises to help users go from making functional selections in linear guides to specifying the optimal guide for their particular application. Visitors can take a linear aptitude test, review round vs. square...

Fabrico, a leading provider of design and manufacturing services for flexible materials, offers a new web site that highlights the company's broad applications knowledge and details the materials and equipment available to its customers.(Design Notes)(Website overview)
October 1, 2007... Fabrico, a leading provider of design and manufacturing services for flexible materials, offers a new web site that highlights the company's broad applications knowledge and details the materials and equipment available to its customers....

A free white paper detailing strategies to help biotechnology companies improve compliance with federal, state, and local environmental health and safety regulations is available for download.(Design Notes)
October 1, 2007... A free white paper detailing strategies to help biotechnology companies improve compliance with federal, state, and local environmental health and safety regulations is available for download. The white paper, titled "Environmental Health and...

Another white paper, this one detailing sterility testing essentials for medical device manufacturers, is available for free download.(Design Notes)
October 1, 2007... Another white paper, this one detailing sterility testing essentials for medical device manufacturers, is available for free download. In the white paper, titled "Sterility Testing: Essential Things You Must Know," author Steven Richter, Ph.D.,...

Advanced Motion Controls has launched an educationally focused contest called "Servo Drives 101.".(Design Notes)
October 1, 2007... Advanced Motion Controls has launched an educationally focused contest called "Servo Drives 101." This contest is an extension of the company's incredibly popular "University Outreach" program. In this contest, selected serve drives are being...

The multi-color, eight-page, New Product Supplement from Keystone Electronics Corp. features an expanded selection of micro-pins and micro-jacks.(Design Notes)
October 1, 2007... The multi-color, eight-page, New Product Supplement from Keystone Electronics Corp. features an expanded selection of micro-pins and micro-jacks along with a wide assortment of new insulated terminals designed with PTFE (Teflon) and molded...

Edmund Optics announces the release of its new Fall 2007 catalog, which features over 1,500 new products.(Design Notes)
October 1, 2007... Edmund Optics announces the release of its new Fall 2007 catalog, which features over 1,500 new products. Key highlights include additional off-the-shelf edge-blackened optics, Techspec NIR linear polarizers, low cost fixed focal length lenses,...

Customizable sheet products offer benefits to manufacturers.(Design Notes)
October 1, 2007... Royalite sheet products for medical applications, produced by Spartech Corp., are available in four standard blends and custom formulations, offer lightweight, high heat distortion, and antimicrobial characteristics. Most notably, Royalite's...