Many medical device original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) have a particular interest in the use of titanium, notoriously challenging to manufacture using traditional production technologies since its strength makes it time-consuming and costly to machine, punch, press, or stamp.

Precision Micro, a photochemical machining specialist has optimized its process for use on medical-grade metals such as titanium and its alloys.

Today it’s the only European chemical etching company that can mass manufacture titanium parts and components for an array of medical OEMs and applications.

© Precision Micro | https://www.precisionmicro.com

Applying chemical etching to titanium eliminates stress- and burr-related problems associated with alternative manufacturing technologies and opens up an array of possibilities in the areas of medical implants.

Key characteristics of etched titanium parts are the smoothness of surface and openings, and the elimination of burrs and surface irregularities. The process is highly repeatable and economical, with an image of the part effectively being printed onto the sheet metal before being selectively etched away in a single operation. The digital photo-tooling used to print the image does not wear, ensuring components produced day one are identical to components produced a decade later.

Stimulated by a significant investment in its titanium etching capability in 2015, the rapid uptake in demand from medical OEMs for titanium parts and components has enabled Precision Micro to hone its service in readiness.

This market focus has been stimulated with the company being recently awarded ISO 13485 accreditation, making Precision Micro one of only two etching companies globally that are accredited to supply the medical device market.

Precision Micro is experienced in manufacturing an array of etched titanium implants, as well as intricate meshes used in pacemaker batteries, orthopaedic implants, medical electronic components, and craniomaxillofacial (CMF) implants.

• Craniomaxillofacial implants
  Biocompatible cranial and dental implants can be extremely feature dense, and demand burr-free edges which traditional machining technologies find difficult to achieve. Etched implants benefit from zero thermal distortion and burr-free openings. Complex, accurate aperture arrays and countersinks can be included at no additional cost, removing the need for additional machining.
• Cardiac rhythm management
  Manufactures intricate, 0.075mm titanium anode and cathode battery current collector grids used in lithium batteries contained within implantable defibrillators, ensuring reliable energy supply from a smaller footprint. The company also manufacture micro pacemaker screening cans which feature an electrical insulator selectively applied to reduce arcing.
• Orthopaedic saw blades
  Typically, sharp-toothed blades are profiled using laser cutting before grinding to achieve the required tooth offset. By using the depth etching technique, one of the world-leading medical OEMs partnered with Precision Micro to develop a unique tooth profile which removed the need for the secondary grinding operation. Today, Precision Micro supplies 1,000s of sagittal and oscillating bone saws each month, machined to ±0.005mm – impossible with laser cutting and grinding.
• Medical electronics
  A wide range of 2D and 3D electronics components, including lead frames, EMI/RFI shielding, connectors, contacts, biosensor springs and meshes, can be etched burr- and stress-free, with clean profiles and no heat-affect.
  

Children’s National Hospital and the National Capital Consortium for Pediatric Device Innovation (NCC-PDI) announce the six winners of the $150,000 “Make Your Medical Device Pitch for Kids!” competition, each receiving a $25,000 award and the opportunity to participate in NCC-PDI’s recently launched “Pediatric Device Innovator Accelerator Program” led by MedTech Innovator. The six winners, who presented medical devices designed to improve Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) care, emerged from a field of 11 finalists. Each participant delivered their five-minute live pitch presentation to a panel of 25 esteemed judges during the 7^th Annual Pediatric Device Innovation Symposium hosted by Children’s National.

The award-winning pediatric devices and companies are:

AlgometRx Inc., Washington, D.C. – The AlgometRx Rapid Drug Test is used to detect and monitor neonatal abstinence syndrome, allowing for earlier assessment and intervention of opioid withdrawal to reduce physiological stress.

Epitel, Salt Lake City, Utah – Epilog is an inexpensive, discrete and disposable EEG machine that provides real-time monitoring to revolutionize the way neonates suspected of hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy are managed at community hospitals.

Novonate, South San Francisco, Calif. – LifeBubble secures and protects the umbilical catheter insertion site for neonates in intensive care, preventing infection from caregivers and parents.

PyrAmes Inc., Cupertino, Calif. – Noninvasive and wireless, the Boppli Band allows for risk- and pain-free continuous blood pressure monitoring for neonates.

Raydiant Oximetry, Mountain View, Calif. – Raydiant Oximetry Sensing Systems is a novel, non-invasive technology that more accurately detects fetal distress during labor and delivery, reducing medically unnecessary cesarean deliveries and the occurrence of newborns suffering the consequences of metabolic acidosis.

Rhaeos Inc., Evanston, Ill. – FlowSense is a wearable device that enables noninvasive monitoring of ventricular shunt function in patients who have hydrocephalus, obviating the need for imaging and unnecessary hospital visits and admissions.

“Congratulations to these outstanding innovators and startup companies for developing pioneering medical devices that can advance NICU care,” says Kurt Newman, M.D., president and CEO of Children’s National Hospital. “Our Children’s National clinical team, which is ranked #1 nationally in NICU care, understands deeply the vital role of innovation and technology in providing the tiniest infants with the healthiest start possible. Three of our NICU clinicians participated in the judging and were inspired by the quality of the participants and the potential patient benefits of the innovations presented.”

The competition was sponsored by the NCC-PDI, one of five FDA-funded grant programs focused on addressing unmet needs for pediatric medical devices. The consortium is led by the Sheikh Zayed Institute for Pediatric Surgical Innovation at Children’s National Hospital and the A. James Clark School of Engineering at the University of Maryland. NCC-PDI recently added new accelerators BioHealth Innovation and MedTech Innovator, and design firm partner, Archimedic.

“The judges were impressed by the winning device developers’ ability to identify and respond to clinical challenges in the NICU with innovative solutions that will improve outcomes and give hope to families whose babies require critical care,” says Eskandanian. “We welcome these companies into the NCC-PDI network of device startups and entrepreneurs and look forward to helping them accelerate commercialization so that these innovations can benefit children everywhere as soon as possible.”

The winners were announced and celebrated during the closing reception of the pediatric device symposium, which co-located with The MedTech Conference for the third consecutive year. Widely recognized as the premiere annual gathering for pediatric device innovation, program highlights included an opening keynote address by Melinda Richter, Global Head at Johnson & Johnson Innovation - JLABS, and a closing address by Vasum Peiris, M.D., chief medical officer, Pediatrics and Special Populations, Center for Devices and Radiological Health, FDA. 

In an on-stage discussion, Richter and Dr. Newman shared details of the recently announced collaboration to launch JLABS @ Washington, DC, a 32,000ft² facility to be located at the new Children’s National Research and Innovation Campus on the former Walter Reed Army Medical Center campus in the nation’s capital. The JLABS @ Washington, DC site will be open in 2020 to pharmaceutical, medical device, consumer and health technology companies that are aiming to advance the development of new drugs, medical devices, precision diagnostics and health technologies, including applications in pediatrics. AlgometRx, one of the day’s pitch competition winners, was selected earlier this year to join the JLABS location in Philadelphia.

For more information about innovation at Children’s National visit childrensnational.org/research-and-education/sheikh-zayed. To learn more about the winners of the “Make Your Medical Device Pitch for Kids!” competition, visit innovate4kids.org.

I’m not a runner; I’m a very fast walker. Ask my husband, coworkers, etc…it’s tough to walk with me but running hurts my knees and I don’t want to write about my own knee replacement anytime soon! But I will be, along with 47 GIE Media coworkers and 10,952 other Akron Marathon, Half Marathon, and Marathon Relay participants – I’m participating the 5-person marathon relay under team name: Hope we Survive. It’s a wonderful, healthy way to start a beautiful weekend morning in Akron, Ohio, and great that half of our company is participating. Thank you GIE Media!

© Elizabeth Modic 

As I was headed off to pick up my race bib and swag, I learned a medical education event Tornos is offering in early October, CNC Machines is once again offering its Annual Skills-Gap Scholarship for students enrolled in manufacturing-related programs, and BionicOpter – Festo’s bionic dragonfly – as the world’s largest robotic flying insect – is listed in the 2020 Guinness Book of World Records.

Wait, my bib features our relay team number but also identifies us and appropriately so I'm EMO - right after EMO Hannover 2019 wrapped up on Sat. Sept. 21, EMO will continue in Akron, Ohio.

What are you doing for MFG DAY Oct. 4, 2019? Let us know how you are engaging the future generation to join the always expanding medical device and equipment manufacturing.

Tornos’ MedTech Demo Day is fast-approaching

Taking place Oct. 10, 2019 from 9am – 4pm, Tornos’ MedTech Demo Day will offer a full-day of education, live demos, application analysis, with a free catered lunch included.

Taking place at company’s new facility, which opened earlier this year alongside celebrations of its 60th year in the U.S., Daniel Maerklin, Tornos’ U.S. president, welcomes those currently involved in medtech or those interested in learning how to move into medtech manufacturing – from application to quality certifications.

© Tornos | https://www.tornos.com/en/content/medtech-demo-day-chicago

Bring prints and parts for evaluation, view live demos of orthopedic parts, and gain in-depth tools and application knowledge.

During the day-long event, view live manufacturing demos of medical parts:

• SwissNano (4mm) – Dental screw
• Swiss GT 32 – Bone screw
• MultiSwiss 6x16 – Orthopedic locknut

Registration is open and more details can be found here.

Festo’s BionicOpter - Biggest flying robotic insect

The BionicOpter, an ultra-light flying object based on the dragonfly, is named in the “Robots” chapter of the most amazing records from the world of super robots and artificial intelligence as the world record winner for biggest flying robotic insect.

“It is fascinating what we can learn from nature. Curiosity and joy in innovation drive us to keep trying new things. We are very pleased to be included in Guinness World Records – it’s a great validation,” says Karoline von Häfen, Head of Festo Corporate Bionic Projects.

© Festo | https://www.festo.com/us/en/e/journal/bionics-id_9229-19/

The BionicOpter is an ultralight flying object. Just like its model in nature, the BionicOpter can fly in all directions and execute the most complicated flight maneuvers. The BionicOpter’s ability to move each of its wings independently enables it to slow down and turn abruptly, to accelerate swiftly and even to fly backwards. This means that for the first time there is a model that can master all the flight conditions of a helicopter, plane and even a glider. Despite its complexity, the highly integrated system can be operated easily and intuitively via a smartphone.

The principles of ultra-lightweight construction are applied throughout the flying object. With a wingspan of 24.8" (63cm) and a body length of 17.3" (44cm), the model dragonfly weighs just 6.2oz (175g). The wings consist of a carbon-fiber frame and a thin foil covering. The intelligent kinematics correct any vibrations during flight and ensure flight stability. In order to stabilize the flying object, data on the position and the twisting of the wings is continuously recorded and evaluated in real time during the flight of the dragonfly.

CNC Machines Skills-Gap Scholarship accepting applications

Recently named to Inc. 5000’s list of 2019’s fastest growing American companies, CNC Machines introduced the CNC Machines Manufacturing Scholarship program in 2018 and it’s open for 2019.

© CNC Machines | https://cncmachines.com/scholarship

After awarding its first round of scholarships this year’s scholarship has increased $2,500.

“As American manufacturing continues its resurgence, the focus now needs to turn to aggressively addressing the looming and potentially devastating skills gap. CNC Machines is committed to doing its part and this scholarship, along with other programs we offer, is our way of stepping up to the plate to help the industry grow,” says Curt Doherty, CEO.

Application details and submission requirements – for the Jan. 17, 2020 deadline – are available here. The winner will be announced on Feb. 3, 2020.

Until next time... and here starts my 5k journey (or marathon relay team journey).

KULR Technology Group Inc., a developer of battery safety and thermal management technologies, conducted testing and provided battery safety solutions for a global Tier-1 manufacturer of medical equipment and devices.

The testing included use of ISC technology for battery packs used in medical and monitoring devices. The ISC creates lithium-ion battery cell failures that mimic or recreate the most common types of failures such as latent defect or over-cycling. KULR also tested its NASA-utilized TRS technology in design solutions for use in the manufacturer’s battery packs. The TRS has repeatedly shown in independent laboratory testing to be the most effective heat sink that also prevents the impact of dangerous chain-reaction battery cell failures known as thermal runaway propagation.

KULR’s testing and safety products will enable this global medical device maker to adopt new battery cells into current battery packs with increased energy capacity while simultaneously maintaining high safety levels and backward compatibility within the same form factor.

“We are always proud to help our partners make their products better and safer,” says Michael Mo, CEO of KULR. “The technology is out there, well tested and accepted, to protect consumers by making battery packs safer and more reliable. KULR is helping pioneer ISC testing and next-gen battery enclosures for battery safety within the mission critical medical device sector. We look forward to helping customers with their battery testing methodology as well as developing future battery configurations while ensuring backward compatibility.”

Although KULR has provided battery and other related thermal solutions for partners including NASA, research institutions and defense partners, the work included in this announcement represents a significant advancement into testing and solution design for commercial, public customers – work KULR expects will result in successful commercialization across multiple vertical market.