Medical Design articles from March 2007

Medical Design archives from March 2007

A physician's take on engineering.(MEDICALEdge)
March 1, 2007... Innovator and surgeon Thomas Fogarty recently offered his insights on the relationship between physicians and engineers in the medical-device community. You might not recognize his name; he invented the Fogarty embolectomy catheter in the 1960s...

Which materials are implantable? Database tells.(INDUSTRY News)
March 1, 2007... A recently introduced database holds searchable information on more than 500 specific grades of materials and coatings approved for use in cardiovascular devices along with thousands of supporting research papers and reports. The Materials for...

Learn to control noise and vibration.(INDUSTRY News)
March 1, 2007... The Milwaukee School of Engineering and Medical Design will conduct a four-day seminar (24 class hours total) on April 24 to 27 on the modeling and analysis of mechanical systems under free and forced vibration. The class looks at vibration and...

Compliance procedure checklists.(Regulations & FDA)
March 1, 2007... Certified Compliance Solutions has developed a series of checklists on code review, electronic signatures, human factors, 510(k) submissions, audits, and QSR. Download the documents at the following sites: Code review checklist ...

Learn how to halt counterfeiting.(Regulations & FDA)
March 1, 2007... The 2007 International Law Enforcement Intellectual Property Crime Conference will be held on June 19 to 21, 2007 in Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada. The conference is hosted by the Interpol Intellectual Property Crime Action Group and the Royal...

Team work and fast graphics: breathe new life into an old device.(INDUSTRY News)
March 1, 2007... The redesign of a surgical-assist device, the Embrace Heart Stabilizer, shows that even an inherited design can be improved with input from several disciplines. CardioVation Ethicon Inc, a division of Johnson & Johnson, wanted to improve the...

The faster the graphics, the faster the CAD work.(INDUSTRY News)
March 1, 2007... "A graphic card from Nvidia and CAD software from SolidWorks let us present 3D CAD work in a clear and visually compelling way. It lets viewers immediately understand what they are looking at," says Strategix Vision's Marty Albini. ...

Webinar helps design a longer-working machine.(INDUSTRY News)
March 1, 2007... OEM equipment designers and factory-automation engineers will learn to design pneumatically operated machines that perform better and work more reliability than previously possible from a Webinar sponsored by Norgren Inc, and Medical Design...

Eight temperature control devices: now in one.
March 1, 2007... A temperature controller combines components of a PID control into one unit so pharmaceutical equipment manufacturer Central Research Laboratories doesn't have to wire eight separate devices. Minnesota-based CRL (centres.com) designs and...

Help for micromachining now in Boston.(Contract Manufacturers)
March 1, 2007... A developer of manufacturing equipment that uses a water jet to guide a laser says it will open a second U.S.-based micromachining center (MMC) in Boston. (The first is in San Francisco). Laser MicroJet technology from Swiss-based Synova,...

Thermoformer to connect production and distribution.(Contract Manufacturers)
March 1, 2007... Allied Plastics Inc., Twin Lakes, Wisc, (alliedplastics.com) will expand to connect its production and distribution centers, an effort that will add more 24,000 [ft.sup.2]. The ISO-certified company is a custom thermoformer specializing in...

Take RoHS seriously, says electronics firm.(Contract Manufacturers)
March 1, 2007... Medical-device OEMs should remain wary even though they are exempt from the EU RoHS directive that went into effect July 2006, says Solectron. The Calif.-based electronic contract manufacturer (solectron.com) says it monitors EU RoHS directives...

IC maker emphasizes medical electronics.(Contract Manufacturers)
March 1, 2007... Microcontroller and analog semiconductor manufacturer Microchip Technology Inc., Chandler, Ariz., (microchip.com/medical) has formed a Medical Products Group (MPG) to address emerging challenges in medical electronics through close partnerships...

When to machine and when to mold.(MEDICAL MANUFACTURING UPDATE)
March 1, 2007... It's often a good idea to invest in prototype parts to confirm that a design meets its functional requirements before committing to steel molds for production plastics. That's because permanent tooling is expensive, can take several months to...

Selecting a motion controller.(MOTION CONTROL NEWS)
March 1, 2007... There is a variety of motion controllers on the market, but which is the right one for your machine? What should you look for? Should you use a stepper or servomotor? To answer these and other questions, let's walk through two applications and...

Multicolor ribbons print clear codes, text, and graphics.(PACKAGING WRAP-UP)
March 1, 2007... Several recent thermal transfer ribbons now come in a wide range of colors and work well for printing high-resolution bar codes, text, and graphics. Ultra-V, for example, is a resin-enhanced wax ribbon from Automated Packaging Systems,...

Picking the perfect suction cup.(PACKAGING WRAP-UP)
March 1, 2007... Not all suction cups are created equal according to Anver Corp., Hudson, Mass., (anver.com). Selecting the right material and size is key to finding a suction cup for a task. For example, silicone cups work well at high heat, nitrides are fine...

Conveyor with curves carries 150-lb cartons.(PACKAGING WRAP-UP)
March 1, 2007... A recent flat-belt conveyor can come with 45, 90, and 180[degrees] curves. The Sanitary 7600 from Dorner Manufacturing Corp., Hartland, Wisc., (dorner.com) moves loads to 150 lb at speeds to 173 ft/min (measured at the curve centerline). The...

Designing with advanced materials: joining nitinol to nitinol.(MEDICAL MATERIALS NEWS)
March 1, 2007... Nitinol's shape memory and superelastic properties make it ideal for medical devices such as stents, but only when the device is made from one piece of material. But what if you could get a better part by joining two nitinol components? How...

How to solder nitinol.(MEDICAL MATERIALS NEWS)
March 1, 2007... A flux for soldering nitinol to nitinol and to stainless steel comes from Johnson Matthey Co., San Jose, Calif. Applying Nitinol Flux 400 in a soldering job goes like this: "Remove the brown oxide with sandpaper immediately prior to soldering,"...

Colors for healthcare silicones.
March 1, 2007... Color masterbatches for liquid silicone and rubbers for the healthcare industry are available from NuSil Technology, Carpinteria, Calif., (nusil.com). Masterbatches are concentrations of color dispersed in a polymer carrier. They shorten...

Tube fitting takes the guesswork out of "finger tight" specs.(TODAY'S TUBING TECHNOLOGY)
March 1, 2007... Historically, tube fittings created confusion for users of medical or scientific-analysis equipment that require hand installation. Most manufacturers specify "finger tight," a subjective measurement that introduces inconsistency because it...

Transferring data in non-networked applications.(ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS)
March 1, 2007... Even though an increasing number of applications are networked by wired or wireless methods, many system designers are consciously deciding that in new applications, data transport will be done through non-networked means. When networking is...

Dynamic and static material tests without hydraulics.(INNOVATIONS)
March 1, 2007... The Electropuls line of dynamic and static test machines from Instron Corp., Norwood, Mass. (instron. com) uses digital controls to provide state-of-the-art materials testing. The machines handle a variety of tests, including fatigue,...

Here's an introduction to sizing bearings and bogies for axes that are not straight.(Not all motion is linear)
March 1, 2007... Not all motion happens in a straight line. Yet a quick review of a few design books shows mostly linear axes and guideways. But what if a sensor has to negotiate a corner or sweep through an angle? Do you not bid on those jobs? ...

Circular motion under control.
March 1, 2007... Characterizing the polarization properties of optical systems helps improve their production yields. These optical devices include liquidcrystal displays and projection systems, fluorescence microscopy, and biomedical testers. Polarization...

Turning thoughts into action: brain-computer interfaces take the thoughts of paralyzed people and turn them into commands by detecting electrical activity in the brain.(Cover story)
March 1, 2007... Imagine a machine that can sense what you think and act on your commands. Sound scary? Not so for people with paralyzed limbs or debilitating conditions such as Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (Lou Gehrig's disease). Machines like this could let...

How to minimize warm-up drift in pressure sensors: one way to nearly eliminate warm-up drift is modulating supply voltage and using sensor resistance as a system temperature-calibration reference.
March 1, 2007... Warm-up drift in pressure sensors makes their readings vary until systems reach operating temperature. It's usually of little concern. However, such drift is unacceptable in hospital respirators, spirometry equipment, neonatal monitors, and...

4 intellectual-property issues will affect your company: the rules for gaining and enforcing patents are bound to change, and here's how.
March 1, 2007... The old saw says you are what you eat. For high technology-companies that make up the medical-device industry, it appears that "you are what you create." Intellectual capital, especially patentable inventions, constitutes an increasingly...

A bagger for short-runs and frequent changes.(Spotlight Packaging)
March 1, 2007... The Autobag AB 180 OneStep runs at speeds to 30 bags/min, printing high-resolution text, graphics, and bar codes up to 12 ips. The system is ideal for packaging small to medium products in bags up to 11-in. wide and 25-in. long. It is suited to...

Vacuum chambers with solid-seal bars.(Spotlight Packaging)
March 1, 2007... The C400 TC (temperature control) and C500 TC vacuum chambers are medical grade for packaging machines with solid-seal bars. They generate a constant and verifiable temperature over the entire sealing surface and throughout the full sealing...

Automatic filler reduces operator strain.(Spotlight Packaging)
March 1, 2007... Flexicon model FF30 tabletop filling and capping machine automates filling for batch sizes of 100 to 2,000 units or more per day. The process eliminates fill inaccuracies and operator strain injuries from repetitive torquing. The easy-to-clean...

Laser marker works at 1,200 characters/sec.(DESIGNSolutions)
March 1, 2007... The Videojet 3120 10-watt laser marking system prints at up to 1,200 characters/sec and line speeds to 10 m/sec. Fast scanners and high-speed digital signal processing provide consistently high-quality, permanent marking with no degradation of...

Vision cameras scan fast.(DESIGNSolutions)
March 1, 2007... The FireDragon line of progressive scan cameras uses FireWire-B technology for transfer rates of 800 Mbps. The cameras come in eight models, in monochrome and color-vision versions. Many models produce full-frame images up to 90 frames/sec. and...

Linear encoder reaches to 3 m.(DESIGNSolutions)
March 1, 2007... The LS XX7 Series of linear encoders are available up to 3-m long, come in two different mechanical profiles, and resist contamination and vibration making them useful in dynamic machine-tool applications. This new single-field scanning...

Pressure sensor surface mounts.(DESIGNSolutions)
March 1, 2007... A surface mount pressure sensor comes in standard pressure ranges and an unprecedented 10-in. of water pressure. It also comes with almost zero-position sensitivity. The sensor comes as a gage or absolute-pressure sensor. Packages can be...

Large-dia. motors, low axial heights.(DESIGNSolutions)
March 1, 2007... Larc Series motors (linear arc) target precision positioning as well as continuous scanning tasks. The thin, brushless motors are available in diameters greater than 50-in., with axial heights as low as 0.4-in. Motors can link to mechanical...

Catalog from Bayside.(DESIGNSolutions)
March 1, 2007... A 240-page catalog for the Bayside brand of motion and control-system products covers linear and rotary positioning stages, frameless-kit motors, gearheads, and integral gearmotors. There's also a special section devoted to Parker Bayside's...

Bag separator dispenses air pillows fast.(DESIGNSolutions)
March 1, 2007... The Airplus bag machine separates of air cushions into single air pillows which are easily distributed. The machine separates 8 X 4-in. or 8 X 8-in. bags at 40 bags/min. for straight feed, or 140 bags/min. when feeding a reservoir. Individual...

Connector combines power, signal, and ground.(DESIGNSolutions)
March 1, 2007... The Multi Axial Rotational Connector (Marc) is ideal for medical and mobility applications. Marc is rated to 30 A while combining power, signal, and ground circuitry into one package. It features eight Powerpole circuits combined into a blind...

Was this package dropped? Sensor tells.(DESIGNSolutions)
March 1, 2007... ShockTimer-Plus 3D monitors shock during transportation. The device can be attached to a shipment and will record the exact time a package was abused in transport. Once installed and activated the device detects and logs dates and times...

Tiny stepper runs from 10 to 6,000 rpm.(DESIGNSolutions)
March 1, 2007... Series ADM1220 miniature stepper motor has a 12-mm dia. And 17.2-mm length. The motor has a holding torque without current of 2.4 mNm but can hit a 4.1 mNm high-boost torque. The 3 or 6-V motor has 20 full steps/rev in full step mode and can...

Small servo drives big loads.(DESIGNSolutions)
March 1, 2007... The 2-in. long M11-1 direct-drive servomotor has a 1.1-in. faceplate and weighs only 5 oz. The motor includes a NEMA 11 frame (QCI-M11-1) and generates 9 in.-oz of continuous torque and comes with a 4,000 count/rev encoder. When combined with...

Lightweight portable CMM.(DESIGNSolutions)
March 1, 2007... The Stinger IIi portable CMM features a patented rotation technology that lets users inspect hard-to-reach part areas. The device also has a new Zero-G Counterbalance System, said to significantly reduce operator fatigue, and intelligent...

Load cell rated to 1-million lb.(DESIGNSolutions)
March 1, 2007... The LCA700 Column or Canister series load cell works in applications requiring high capacity measurement and control in compression. The unit weighs 50 lb and is capable of measuring up to a 1-million lb load. A raised spherical surface reduces...

Driver gets the most from a stepper motor.(DESIGNSolutions)
March 1, 2007... The ST5-S Stepper drive has features to obtain maximum performance from a stepper motor. The drive can be controlled by a step and direction input, or by a host controller by serial communications. A 10-A version and programmable models...

Miniature dc motors.(DESIGNSolutions)
March 1, 2007... A new line of 16-mm miniature brush and brushless dc motors comes with three different types of gears for a wide range medical and laboratory instrumentation. HG16-XX-AA brush motors come with resin gears and target applications that require...

Compact optical encoder runs on 3.3 V.(DESIGNSolutions)
March 1, 2007... The RCML15, a compact optical encoder, provides signals for brushless motor commutation as well as incremental position feedback in a low profile, 0.350-in. height. A custom LED and CMOS sensor arrangement reduces cost while improving...

Pressure gages have 1-in. dia face.(DESIGNSolutions)
March 1, 2007... Miniature (0 to 15 psi) pressure gauges and miniature dual scale (0 to -30 in Hg or 0 to -75 cm Hg) vacuum gauges have an accuracy down to 2%. These gauges are in addition to 0 to 30 psi, 0 to 60 psi, 0 to 100 psi, 0 to 160 psi, and 0 to 200...

Dispensing robot works to 20 microns.(DESIGNSolutions)
March 1, 2007... The I&J7900-LF, a RoHS compliant and 3-axis dispensing robot, has a 8 X 8-in. work area and a Z-axis of 2 in. (50mm). The simple-to-program robot uses Dispensing Software and step-by-step point-and-click instructions entered with an LCD Teach...

Motor and servo control 30% smaller.(DESIGNSolutions)
March 1, 2007... IndraDrive Mi uses the motor casing as a heat sink for the servo/control system. Doing so adds only a small amount to the cross sectional profile and results in 30% less required area compared to other integrated systems where the electronics...

Maintenance free actuator weights little.(DESIGNSolutions)
March 1, 2007... DryLin ZLW is a lightweight, toothed-belt linear drive with a hard-anodized aluminum profile. The actuator is also maintenance-free, self-lubricating, and lightweight. DryLin ZLW is ideal for quickly positioning small loads and available in two...

Strategies for creating combination products.(IndustryViewpoint)
March 1, 2007... The emergence of combination products is changing the medical-device landscape. Defined as two or more regulated components--drugs, medical devices, or biologics--combined through physical or chemical means, combination products inherently...

Flowexpo.(MEETINGS&Shows)(Calendar)
March 1, 2007... Mar. 28 to 30 -- The 10th International Trade Fair for Valves, Pipelines, Fluid Engineering, and Process Industries, known as Flowexpo runs in Guangzhou, China. Visitors from many countries and many industries are invited. www.flowexpo.com...

Medical-device congress.(MEETINGS&Shows)(Calendar)
March 1, 2007... Mar 28 to 30 -- The Medical Device Congress at Harvard discusses reimbursement trends and challenges faced by medical-device companies. Topics covered include quality, reimbursement, off-label promotion, fraud and abuse, and international...

Fundamentals of titanium.(MEETINGS&Shows)(Calendar)
March 1, 2007... Apr. 11 -- This workshop, sponsored by The International Titanium Association, will provide attendees with detailed information on the types, uses, and properties of common titanium alloys. Attendees will leave with an understanding of titanium...

Cofes 2007.(MEETINGS&Shows)(Calendar)
March 1, 2007... Apr. 12 to 15 -- Cofes 2007: The Congress on the Future of Engineering Software brings together executives from technology, engineering, design, development, and architectural companies to explore new engineering technology and discuss its...

Discuss adhesives standards.(MEETINGS&Shows)(Calendar)
March 1, 2007... Apr. 15 to 17 -- ASTM Committee D14 meets twice a year, in April and October, for three days of technical meetings. The committee has jurisdiction over 132 standards, published annually in the book of ASTM Standards, Volume 15.06. ...

Mold Making Expo.(MEETINGS&Shows)(Calendar)
March 1, 2007... Apr. 18 and 19 -- The Mold Making Expo (MME) in Chicago includes a two-day technical conference and 25,000 square feet of product and technology exhibits and, for the first time, a North American Moldmakers' Pavilion. MME is considered the...

PharmaMedDevice.(MEETINGS&Shows)(Calendar)
March 1, 2007... Apr. 24 to 26 -- PharmaMedDevice, co-located with Interphex, bring together medical device, biologic, and pharmaceutical manufacturers. Attendees will find answers to regulatory challenges, create new partners, and source solutions for new...

Breathing out lung cancer.(RECOVERYRoom)
March 1, 2007... The Cleveland Clinic reports that a breath test detects lung cancer, even in its early stages, and does so with moderate accuracy yet. It could revolutionize cancer detection and potentially save lives. Lung cancer is often diagnosed at an...

Be glad your doc is a gamer.(RECOVERYRoom)
March 1, 2007... It's long been said that playing video games helps hand-eye coordination and precision skills. The February issue of Archives of Surgery will contain a study that confirms this as well as revealing that surgeons who play video games are more...

History of the ambulance.(RECOVERYRoom)
March 1, 2007... During the 11th Century, the concept of ambulance service began with the Knights of St. John, who acted as emergency workers by bringing wounded soldiers from both sides of the battlefield to nearby tents for treatment. [ILLUSTRATION...