Medical Design articles from October 2006

Medical Design archives from October 2006

How CFD gives the heart a hand: fluid-flow software lets researchers see how blood flows inside heart pumps.
October 1, 2006... Researchers at the Cleveland Clinic use computational fluid dynamics (CFD) software to peek inside designs of their catheter and rotary pumps. The devices keep blood flowing through patients while they wait for procedures such as heart...

Building a better plastic part: gas-assist techniques fit the bill for certain plastic parts that require more than standard injection-molding techniques.
October 1, 2006... Tooling limitations and structural requirements rule out standard injection-molding methods when making certain plastic parts. These include rod-shaped items, large, cover-shaped components, and complex parts with localized heavy sections. Also...

Design team finds solution to latex problems.(NEWS FROM: Contract Manufacturers)
October 1, 2006... Swapping a polyisoprene seal for a potentially harmful and under-performing latex version in a laparoscopic instrument let engineers solve several problems with the device. The instrument's manufacturer worked with engineers at Jefferson Rubber...

Electronic manufacturing added to power-electric services.(NEWS FROM: Contract Manufacturers)
October 1, 2006... C&D Technologies Inc., Mansfield, Mass., (cd4power.com) now offers Contract Electronic Manufacturing (CEM) through its Power Electronics Division. The CEM unit provides supply chain management, in-house design, production, and test engineering...

Upchurch Medical receives ISO certification.(NEWS FROM: Contract Manufacturers)
October 1, 2006... Upchurch Medical, Oak Harbor, Wash.,(upchurchmedical.com) received ISO 13485:2003 certification for its manufacturing facility. The maker of medical-device components has capabilities for molding, extruding, machining, and assembly. The company...

Finding product flaws before customers do.(NEWS FROM: Contract Manufacturers)
October 1, 2006... Testing company QualMark recently acquired Massachusetts-based Ling Electronics, a manufacturer of electro-dynamic shakers and amplifiers. The units generate vibration loads from 100 to 40,000 lb. "Products should be simultaneously tested for...

Learn about electric drives.(DESIGN Solutions)
October 1, 2006... An electric drives and controls training schedule through December 2006 is available online. Topics cover digital servo drives, CNC programming, press fit and tightening, general automation, and a variety of maintenance and troubleshooting...

Linear motion guides.(DESIGN Solutions)
October 1, 2006... The Type SRS-N linear motion guide features a longer block and an increased load rating and moment capacity compared to the company's SRS guide. The block body is made of resin molding for reduced weight. Block lengths start from size 9 to 15....

Robotic systems get a grip on parts.(DESIGN Solutions)
October 1, 2006... Robohand Modular Automation Systems automate a variety of manufacturing tasks such as picking and placing parts. The systems allow mounting together components including base slides, block thrusters, thruster slides, grippers, and mounting...

Electronic position sensor for cylinders.(DESIGN Solutions)
October 1, 2006... A new electronic position sensor for cylinders targets gripping, clamping, and part-selecting applications. The unit continuously monitors the position of a cylinder piston within a range of 50 mm. Installation is straightforward: insert the...

Dispenser applies assembly fluids with precision.(DESIGN Solutions)
October 1, 2006... The Ultra 2400 Dispensing Workstation increases productivity, eliminates costly rework and repair, and improves product quality and reliability by applying uniform amounts of adhesives, epoxies, lubricants, and other assembly fluids. The...

Brochure for international socket strips.(DESIGN Solutions)
October 1, 2006... An eight-page brochure lists and shows North American socket strips along with international cords, connector locks, and jumper cords. Guidelines help specify power strips for medical applications. Power cordsets are available for Continental...

Wire EDM machine for ultra-fine finishing.(DESIGN Solutions)
October 1, 2006... The FA-PS Wire EDM machine for ultra-fine finishing features 4-axis linear scales and automatic threading of wire sizes ranging from 0.002 to 0.012-in. diameter, with start holes from 0.007-in. diameter. The machine provides advanced roundness...

How to measure small angular displacements.(DESIGN Solutions)
October 1, 2006... The AC421 2-axis Autocollimator System measures small angular displacements with high sensitivity over distances to 78.7 in. The unit is portable and measures only 12.3 3 2.5 3 3.2-in. It can work with either a PC or a handheld touchscreen...

Surface-mount RGB LEDs produce a range of colors.(DESIGN Solutions)
October 1, 2006... Discrete RGB LEDs come in a variety of sizes and viewing angles, and feature flat or domed lenses. They can produce all colors in the visible spectrum. Units feature AllnGaP/InGaN material with water-clear lenses. LC6 and FC6 LEDs have a pulsed...

Strain relief protects electrical cords.(DESIGN Solutions)
October 1, 2006... A line of strain-relief clamps for wire harness and cable manufacturers prevents high-voltage power cords from damage caused by pulling or stretching. The clamps are made from heavy galvanized steel and clamp onto a cable or cord inside...

Locking cylinder for drop prevention.(DESIGN Solutions)
October 1, 2006... The CNA series of locking cylinders come in five bore sizes (40 to 100 mm) with an integral, compact lock unit unaffected by supply-air quality. A manual override lock releases the cylinder. Typical applications include intermediate stops,...

Dust-free antistatic compounds ready for cleanrooms.(DESIGN Solutions)
October 1, 2006... All-polymeric PermaStat and PermaStat Plus compounds provide important anti-static properties for applications that must be dust-free and static-free such as in cleanrooms for medical products or electronic devices. The materials are...

RFID supply from online store.(DESIGN Solutions)
October 1, 2006... RFIDSupplyChain.com provides Omron RFID technology to manufacturers and other end-users that must comply with retail and U.S. Department of Defense mandates. Online shopping provides small quanitities of RFID labels and targets for companies...

Up to a million machined parts.(DESIGN Solutions)
October 1, 2006... Eagle Stainless offers precision-machined parts with diameters from 0.040 to 1.50-in. in quantities from one to one million. The company can provide intricate geometrics such as threads, slots and external and internal hexes made from stainless...

Rapid Prototypes for Baghdad, one year later.(MEDICAL Edge)
October 1, 2006... About a year ago, we reported on a humanitarian effort initiated by several rapid-prototyping companies. They were assisting Iraqi surgeons in helping patients wounded by bullets and car bombs. It's a great story. So why have you not heard it...

Adapting to the post-RoHS world: manufacturers have been slow in moving to lead-free methods because of some exemptions. But with more legislation slated for next year, the medical-device world may be in for a rude awakening.(ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS)
October 1, 2006... RoHS is just the beginning of environmental regulation. Future regulations are going be much more stringent than RoHS, so it's imperative medical-device manufacturers start thinking in environmental terms. While the United States has yet to...

Simulation takes risk out of new designs.(INDUSTRY Viewpoint)
October 1, 2006... Medical-equipment design is so conservative, most companies think that innovating is a gamble. 3D CAD and design-analysis technology, which some progressive medical companies are already using, take the risk out of innovation. Analysis tools...

Clean conveyor keeps product rolling.(INNOVATIONS)
October 1, 2006... Conveyor systems are often difficult to clean, plus they generate dirt and dust of their own. An alternative, the Quickdraw system from MagStar Technologies, Hopkins, Minn. (qdraw.com) solves these problems with an open, powered-roller design....

Accelerate projects with stand-up meetings: stand-up meetings tackle immediate problems, keep teams focused, and create a sense of urgency.(LEAN ENGINEERING SERIES)
October 1, 2006... One my most challenging projects involved leading a team of scientists whose ability to make progress seemed inversely proportional to their IQs. At the beginning of the project, I dutifully planned weekly coordination meetings but soon found...

A few basics of wire EDM.(MEDICAL MANUFACTURING: UPDATE)
October 1, 2006... Wire electrical discharge machining (EDM) is widely used in the medical manufacturing, aerospace, and injection-mold industries to make parts that conventional milling, turning, and grinding processes cannot. Wire EDM often involves unattended...

"Turn-and-burn" compared to "turn-while-burn".(MEDICAL MANUFACTURING: UPDATE)
October 1, 2006... In "turn-and-burn" operation, a part is rotated to a certain angle, burned or wire-EDMd, then rotated and burned again. This process continues until the part is complete. I recently created a complex 3D "sculpture" of a hand holding a cube to...

Tips for designing molded parts.(MEDICAL MANUFACTURING: UPDATE)
October 1, 2006... Sometimes even the best of engineers may need help when designing plastic parts. So The Protomold Co. Inc., Maple Plain, Minn., (protomold.com) provides the on-line Design Guidelines, which lists many design tips and gives information on topics...

Compact press for assembly tasks.(MEDICAL MANUFACTURING: UPDATE)
October 1, 2006... A new, compact press for a wide range of manual and semi-automatic bushing, post, insert, and fastener-assembly tasks features a straight pneumatic cylinder for applications requiring full force over the entire stroke. The Joraco Direct-Aire...

Quickly sharpen, deburr, and polish parts.(MEDICAL MANUFACTURING: UPDATE)
October 1, 2006... Custom engineered, automatic, wet-processing systems are for electrosharpening, deburring, and polishing metal parts where high precision, repeatability, and low unit costs are critical. Matfab Technologies Inc., Warwick, R.I., (metfabtech.com)...

Software fine tunes a nitinol stent: an optimization program finds geometry that reduces strain in a crimped stent.(MEDICAL MATERIALS NEWS)
October 1, 2006... The stent function is simple: Prop open clogged or collapsing arteries to keep blood flowing. Designing one, however, is an entirely different proposition. Their diameters range from about 5 to 10 mm and lengths from 20 to 40 mm....

Help for choosing from 563 global material suppliers: foams to replace fasteners, shape memory alloys, and low-outgassing-thermal conductors are a few recent material introductions.
October 1, 2006... An online material database says it added about 6,500 new materials during a recent quarter. Its total count is over 65,000. Can you name a new one? Probably not, unless you closely monitor IDES.com or are plugged in to new material...

Meetings & shows.(Calendar)
October 1, 2006... Electric Drives and Controls Training Ongoing classes cover digital servo drives, CNC programming, press fit and tightening, general automation, and a variety of maintenance and troubleshooting classes for various hardware configurations...

Sensor and recorder measures 3-axis movement.(MOTION CONTROL: NEWS)
October 1, 2006... Measuring and recording 3-axis linear acceleration and 3-axis roll, pitch, and yaw is easier with the MotionMaster EDR-6DOF self-contained sensor and recorder. The compact data unit from Instrumented Sensor Technology Inc., Okemos, Mich....

Digital servo drives for high-power applications.(MOTION CONTROL: NEWS)
October 1, 2006... Two higher-powered Compax3 all-digital servo drives from Parker Hannifin Corp., Electromechanical Automation Div., Rohnert Park, Calif., (parkermo tion.com), round out the lower-voltage input option (up to 230 Vac) by increasing the current...

Easily mountable encoders control low-end linear operations.(MOTION CONTROL: NEWS)
October 1, 2006... For straightforward motion applications that must mount small encoders quickly and easily, Heidenhain Corp., Schaumburg, Ill., (heidenhain.us), offers an exposed linear encoder package, the LIDA 200 series. These new exposed encoders mount...

MD&M Minneapolis: curtain ready to rise on.(INDUSTRY News)
October 1, 2006... MD&M Minneapolis will be held at the Minneapolis Convention Center October 25 and 26, 2006. The show includes the PrecisionTec pavilion and MidPak expo. Visitors will see advances in medical-grade materials, components, electronics,...

Custom rubber and silicone molded parts.(INDUSTRY News)
October 1, 2006... Hiawatha Rubber's expertise includes the manufacture of custom rollers for medical applications. These include rollers for CAT scanning systems, dry laser imagers, defibrillators, and a range of medical systems requiring rubber rollers and...

See micro-abrasive blasting in action.(INDUSTRY News)
October 1, 2006... Micro-abrasive blasting uniformly mixes micron-sized particles with dry air and propels them from a small nozzle at high velocity to clean, cut, deburr, and texture a variety of surfaces. The technique can clean unwanted materials or oxidation...

Have to submit a 510(k) or comply with GMPs? Find out for sure.(Regulations & FDA)
October 1, 2006... A chart in the Investigations Operations Manual (IOM) explains when manufacturers, contract manufacturers, and distributors have to register, list, submit a 510(k), or comply with GMPs. The IOM is the primary source regarding FDA policy and...

5 ways to ensure Part 11 compliance.(Regulations & FDA)
October 1, 2006... Validating electronic record-keeping systems is critical to overall FDA compliance. The principle behind 21 CFR Part 11's validation requirement is to ensure accuracy, reliability, and consistent intended performance of the system, and...

FDA seeks comments on identifier systems.(Regulations & FDA)
October 1, 2006... The FDA is seeking information on how unique identifier systems for medical devices may reduce medical errors, ease device recalls, and improve medical-device adverse-event reporting. The comments will be used to help the agency determine what...

BioWest show wraps up: BioWest 2006 closes with record attendance.(INDUSTRY News)
October 1, 2006... The trade show and conference sponsored by Colorado BioScience, BioWest 2006, (biowestconference.com) saw about 840 visitors through its doors to see presentations and booths from 200 companies. The show is intended to let executives get the...

Ion trap finds leaks in MRI equipment.(INDUSTRY News)
October 1, 2006... MRIs must keep their helium and vacuum leaks to a minimum for patient safety and system availability. Annual maintenance costs for these systems can range from $100,000 to $150,000, and the yearly liquid helium costs between $8,000 and $12,000....

CFD to assist diagnosing, treating brain aneurysms.(INDUSTRY News)
October 1, 2006... Researchers at UCLA are generating flow models of blood through brain aneurysms with the goal of better predicting how the aneurysm will grow and then to more accurately formulate a treatment. CFD results produce revealing flow patterns and...

More on stem cells.(Letters to the Editor)(Letter to the editor)
October 1, 2006... Your editorial on stem cells (Medical Design, June 2006) was interesting and informative in places, but a bit confusing in others. As you know, ESC (embryonic stem cells) have so much potential that they often turn into tumors. Once we...

NDAs.(Letters to the Editor)(Letter to the editor)
October 1, 2006... A timely article editorial on NDAs (Medical Design, July/August 2006). We average about two NDA's a week and just about every one calls for a return of ALL information and material upon completion or dissolution. We require adding a clause that...

Best practices for using automatic dispensers.(PACKAGING: WRAP-UP)
October 1, 2006... Automatic dispensers are at work on thousands of assembly lines placing lubricants and adhesives. Some units are run by robots and some by line workers. Robots only do what they are told, but people have variability to their performance. To...

Surface treater improves surface adhesion.(Product Spotlight: Printing & Surface Treatments)
October 1, 2006... The Dyne-A-Mite IT is a surface treater that cleans surfaces and raises surface energy to help it adhere and bond to a wide variety of materials. It removes grease, oil, oxides, and silicone as a pre-treatment and preparation for bonding,...

Cable-marking machines use UV lasers.(Product Spotlight: Printing & Surface Treatments)
October 1, 2006... The ULYS line-marking machines are now equipped with multi-spool cabinets with automatic feeding as well as automatic re-reelers. The multi-spool cabinets hold 4 to 24 spools. Cable feed can be manual or automatic, and spools are automatically...

Padless digital printers.(Product Spotlight: Printing & Surface Treatments)
October 1, 2006... The XD-400-1, an industrial printer uses no pads or screens, thus reducing down time. In analog set-ups, changing from one job to the next can take up to six hours. The XD-400-1 will do it on the fly. The machine uses a process that...

Deep-engraving laser system.(Product Spotlight: Printing & Surface Treatments)
October 1, 2006... The FOBA G5 is an entry level system that introduces laser technology to the deep-engraving market. It offers users a flexible deep-engraving platform with a full range of laser and motion options. It can 3D deep engrave molds, mold inserts,...

Battery-operated thermal printers.(Product Spotlight: Printing & Surface Treatments)
October 1, 2006... The S1500T Series battery-operated thermal printer is lightweight, compact, and durable, making it ideal for desktop and in-vehicle use. It provides wireless connectivity with a specially designed IrDA interface. DC and battery-power options...

Engineering for fun and profit: the 2006 Medical Design salary survey reveals not only the numbers, but also tells what readers think about engineering as a career.
October 1, 2006... Engineers get the opportunity to create something from nothing--the ultimate magic trick." That's what one MEDICAL DESIGN reader says when asked if engineering was fun. In fact, 80% of respondents said they would recommend engineering to...

Fittings ensure tight connections without leaks.(TODAY'S TUBING: TECHNOLOGY)
October 1, 2006... Preassembled Torque Right fittings have tabs on either side which fold in when the fitting is seated with the correct torque. This visual indicator lets installers hand tighten fittings without tools, torque specification, or guesswork. The...

Multilayer tubing.(TODAY'S TUBING: TECHNOLOGY)
October 1, 2006... 78A durometer hybrid tubing, part T4200-4208, combines the attributes of nonreactive polyethylene with clear, flexible medical grade PVC. The pure LDPE inner layer is compatible for contact with many reagents. The exterior non-DEHP PVC layer...

PEEK beading offers high strength-to-weight ratio.(TODAY'S TUBING: TECHNOLOGY)
October 1, 2006... TexFluor PEEK beading is USP Class VI compliant and can repeatedly withstand sterilization with E-beam/ gamma, ETO or steam autoclave. These features, coupled with high tensile strength and abrasion resistance, make it a widely used alternative...