Silicone Components Withstand Severe Temperatures
A company designs and manufactures silicone parts and seals for a variety of custom applications. With fast prototyping service available, the firm can produce custom silicone parts with a durometer range of 10 to 80 Shore A that can withstand temperatures from –94 to 400°F. In addition, parts can be engineered to meet requirements of US FDA, ISO 10993, and USP Class 6. The firm also offers a line of stock O-rings and seals. Apple Rubber Products, Lancaster, NY, USA.
Miniature Couplings Offer Safety Features
Designed to meet the requirements of medical applications, miniature couplings feature high mechanical strength and withstand exposure to liquids and extreme temperatures. The Series 21 – ND 5 RectuPom couplings are made from POM and exhibit good flow properties for liquid and gas media up to 10 bar. They are fitted with double shutoff valves to ensure safety. When connected, the couplings automatically lock into place. To disconnect them, the user simply pushes back on the sleeve. Four-colour markings on the couplings and corresponding plugs prevent incorrect hookups. Dialysis, wound drain, endoscopy, compression therapy, and suction devices are among the applications. Rectus AG, Eberdingen-Nussdorf, Germany.
Slide Retainers Use Roller Mechanism to Reduce Friction
Slide retainers for moulds eliminate tooling resistance and abrasion. Based on proprietary Friction Free technology, the units are engineered with a roller mechanism that engages a groove within the side action assembly. Product features include maintenance-free operation and reliable slide retention. According to the company, the components are more compact and easier to machine than competing products, yet hold more weight. Five models in standard metric and imperial sizes are available. Medical and cleanroom moulding are key applications.
Progressive Components Europe, Middleton, Lancs, UK.
Firm Provides Custom Plastics Machining
A company that specializes in plastics machining supports customers from initial product design and proof of concept to the volume production of critical medical device components. The firm reportedly was the first to develop a diffusion-bonded acrylic manifold for use in a medical application. Part of a blood analyzer, the manifold replaced systems that relied on tubes and valves, which were prone to malfunction and required excessive servicing. Because diffusion bonding does not call for the use of solvents or adhesives, the risk of contamination is greatly reduced. Manifolds can be enhanced with features such as mixing cells and reservoirs, allowing increased functionality in a minimal footprint. Carville Ltd., Dorking, Surrey, UK.
System Provides Comprehensive Testing of Interventional Devices
A PC-controlled system performs quantitative and comparative testing of interventional devices and stores the products’ performance features. The Interventional Device Testing Equipment (IDTE) is suited for analyzing catheters, guidewires, stent-delivery systems, colonoscopes, endoscopes, and scope tools.
Adjustable track configurations allow 2-D and 3-D tests to simulate the aortic arch for coronary procedures or the SFA and iliac branches for peripheral applications. Up to 100 data test points per centimetre of tubing can be sampled and saved in a spreadsheet. Several international standards were consulted in designing the device, including ASTM F2394-04, ISO 25539-1:2003(E), and ISO/TS 15539:2000(E).
Standard testing protocols include track force, which measures the force needed to guide an interventional device through a tortuous path, and push efficiency, which measures the amount of force transferred to the distal tip of a product when a known force is applied to the proximal end. Optional testing protocols include a load cell assembly for measuring simulated lesion crossability and vessel-straightening force, and catheter advancement. Two live proximal roller assemblies that allow force to be measured on two products simultaneously, a software upgrade to perform torque tests, and electronics and testing hardware options are also available. Machine Solutions Inc., Flagstaff, AZ, USA.
New ABS Material Comes with Med-Tech Service Package
Suited for the manufacture of inhaler housings, an ABS-based material surpasses conventional ABS in chemical resistance while exhibiting toughness and rigidity. In addition, Terluran HD-15 has a flow index of 15 ml/10 min, making it easy to process by means of injection moulding. To make the material even more attractive to med-tech customers, it will be bundled with an industry-specific service package.
The service package includes assurances of long-term formulation constancy and product purity, and the performance of an array of basic experiments related to chemical compatibility. The material complies with the European Pharmacopoeia and it has a Drug Master File in the United States to facilitate US FDA approval for devices using the material. In addition, the company guarantees customers that they will be informed at least 24 months in advance if any changes to the formulation might become necessary, and it conducts biocompatibility testing of the raw material in accordance with international standards. BASF AG, Ludwigshafen, Germany.
DVRs for X-ray Inspection Systems Enable Visualization of Internal Moving Parts
Digital video recorders (DVRs) have been introduced as an add-on for a company’s line of x-ray inspection systems. The DVRs will allow stent developers to record and review deployment of their devices. They can also be used to inspect devices with internal moving parts.
The DVR software streams full-sized greyscale images to disk in real time. Up to 30 frames per second can be streamed on an appropriately configured PC. Real-time video can be recorded for playback and analysis at a later time; full-screen colour graphics can be captured and single frames can be annotated and created for slide-show presentations.
The DVR unit can be added to the company’s MedaScope and Jewel Box x-ray inspection systems for production and laboratory applications. Glenbrook Technologies, Randolph, NJ, USA.
Lead-Free Solder Paste Segregated by Colour
To minimize the chance of cross-contamination of lead-bearing and lead-free materials, a supplier of solder pastes and fluxes has introduced a colour code to distinguish between the materials. Its lead-free solder pastes will now be packaged in green containers, while its pastes containing lead will be shipped in white containers.
Solder pastes tend to look very much alike, says the company. Differentiating the products by using differently coloured packaging will help firms to prevent cross-contamination during the changeover to lead-free materials, adds company president Eli Westerlaken.
The firm is a global supplier of solder pastes, fluxes, and other soldering materials for use in electronic products. Cobar B.V., Breda, Netherlands.
Low-Profile Power Supply Features Modular Construction
A low-profile rack-mount ac/dc power supply provides up to 3600-W output power and multiple output options without extended lead times or recurring engineering costs. The 1-U-high 19-in. unit features a modular construction and high-efficiency standard components.
The A3600 offers combinations of single or multiple outputs of regulated dc power from a 85–264-V-ac universal input mains supply. Front or rear input and output connections can be specified for cable entry, connector, or safety-stud designs.
Up to 18 isolated and adjustable outputs can be individually configured to accommodate numerous power variants. Features include zero-load operation, fully floating outputs with standard 1.5–58-V output voltage ranges, local and remote adjustment, and user-adjustable current limit and inhibit/enable functions.
CE-marked customer-configured units can be supplied in a matter of weeks. Powerstax plc, Farnborough, Hants, UK.
Ultrasmall M3 Threaded Quick-Disconnect Assembly Introduced
An ultraminiature M3 threaded quick-disconnect assembly weighs only 3.4 g. The brass 16.7-mm-long internal end has a 6-mm hexagonal body and is designed with an automatic shut-off valve and M3 internal thread. The external end, which is made of stainless steel, has an external M3 thread and a captured O-ring seal to prevent leaks. It measures about 11 mm long and has a 5-mm hexagonal body. The assembly is designed for medical device and other applications where compactness, a leaktight seal, durability, and light weight are desirable.
The firm offers a number of other miniature quick-disconnect components with snap- or screw-type, single-line, single- or double-shutoff, barbed and threaded connections. Multiple line configurations, which provide quick connections while ensuring proper orientation, are also available. Beswick Engineering Company, Inc., Greenland, NH, USA.