Materials
Practical Use of FEA for Medical Rubber Components
With advances in both computing speed and simulation software capabilities, finite element analysis (FEA) has been increasingly adopted and integrated into the design process of complex medical devices. It has been shown that the proper use of FEA can greatly improve both the speed...
So Many Polymers, So Little Time
Selecting the right polymer, or blend of polymers, is essential for catheter design. Today’s minimally invasive surgical techniques involve incisions that are small enough for a surgeon to insert a catheter into a blood vessel. These small incisions are a conduit...
Juggling Act: How to Design with Multiple Materials
  Above are silicone extrusion, silicone-molded, micromolded, and two-material molded parts. Just a few decades ago, choosing the material for a new medical product was a relatively simple process limited to a few commodity materials. Today, that’s no longer the...
Designer Molecules Could Lead to Fast Medical Images
Georgia Tech professor Seth Marder, center, is part of the team that developed a new photonic material that could facilitate all-optical signal processing Optimizing molecules for photonic use could provide a foundation for low-power, high-speed, all-optical signal...
Protecting Devices with Silver-Based Antimicrobials
The current economic climate has forced hospitals to scrutinize their spending in an effort to reduce costs and increase revenue. As a result, many hospitals are focusing their supply spending in areas that will help them save money. With Medicare no longer reimbursing healthcare...
Thin-Film Nitinol Could Hold Key to Reducing Thrombus
To produce thrombus-resistant vascular grafts, a multidiscipline team from the University of California, Los Angeles has created a thin-film nitinol. During the last two years the team has studied the use of thin-film nitinol in several devices, including heart valves and covered...
Memry: The Virtues of Vertical Integration
Memry produces nitinol using a vertical integration approach. You don’t hear many companies bragging about their vertically integrated operations. In fact, the concept has fallen out of favor, as evidenced by firms rushing to outsource all but their core business...
Silver Antimicrobials: Vygon Case Study
Vygon is an international medical device manufacturer that employs more than 1400 workers in its 15 worldwide subsidiaries. For nearly 10 years, Vygon has developed and manufactured central venous catheters (CVCs) and peripherally inserted central catheters (PICCs) that feature...
Where Color Meets Clarity
Color-coded cannula systems must be made of material that offers clarity and remains color-stable after sterilization. Image courtesy of EASTMAN CHEMICAL CO. Clear medical devices are often essential to effective patient care. The transparency of plastic...
‘Superelastic’ Properties Shape Nitinol’s Reputation as an Alternative Material for Medical Devices
  Nearly four decades after its serendipitous launch at the Naval Ordnance Laboratory, nitinol has become a worthy alternative to stainless steel as a medical device material. Interest in the nickel-titanium alloy began picking up steam in the 1990s, as device manufacturers...