Originally Published October 2000
Spotlight on Microcomponents
Laser cutting and drilling
Laser
cutting as well as hole and slot drilling down to 30 µm
are among the services available to manufacturers of complex
medical device components and assemblies. Critical components
are machined in a single operation to ensure accuracy and repeatability.
Prototyping from solid models enables the creation of statistically
defined production processes, and parts and features are verified
by means of advanced vision system technology. Remmele Engineering
Inc., Micro Machining Div., Big Lake, MN, USA.
Machining services
Synthetic
sapphire, ruby, ceramic, and metal-carbide materials are machined
to tolerances of less than 1 µm. Products manufactured
include precision pins and bearings for flowmeters; end stones
and bearings for devices and measuring instruments; blades for
surgical instruments; and wire guides, guide bushings, rollers,
and cutting systems for fine-wire processing. The company has
gained expertise in a variety of areas including material selection;
physical and chemical stability; electrical resistance; fibre
optics; and wear, corrosion, and heat resistance. Reymond &
Co. S.A., Lucens, Switzerland.
Shape-memory alloy components
Stents,
filters, baskets, couplers, and related parts are manufactured
from shape-memory alloys by a company with extensive experience
processing nickel titanium. Manufacturing processes that were
developed in-house ensure that the material's functional properties
are fully exploited in devices as small as 0.4 mm diam. Complex
shapes and patterns are routinely manufactured from tubing
and sheet with typical slot widths of 0.02 mm and strut widths
of 0.1 mm. The company's capabilities include laser cutting
and welding, thermal expansion treatment, design and material
optimization, electropolishing, and radiopacity. Stainless
steel, titanium, and tantalum are also processed. EUROflex
Schüssler GmbH, Pforzheim, Germany.
Cleanroom manufacturing
After
machining, miniature parts for demanding medical applications
can be assembled and packaged in a Class 100,000 cleanroom. The
modular hard-wall installation permits the creation of microenvironments
for projects that require strict environmental controls; the work
area can also be expanded. The company has expertise in the precision
machining of standard, miniature, and subminiature parts; turnkey
projects, from concept to production of the finished packaged
parts, are a specialty at the EN 46002–certified facility.
Norman Noble Inc., Met-net GmbH, Münster, Germany.
MIS instruments
Laser
cutting, welding, and engraving processes are used in the fabrication
of minimally invasive surgical instruments. Laser marking, because
it is nontoxic and permanent, is suited for use on instruments
that enter the body. The cylindrical tubes are joined by means
of laser welding and are laser cut under high-pressure nitrogen
to produce an oxide-free finish. Both plastic and metal components
are processed using this technology. Micrometric Techniques
Ltd., Lincoln, UK.
Injection moulding services
A
company has developed injection moulding techniques that permit
the production of microstructured plastic parts with feature
sizes ranging from 5 nm to several hundred micrometres. Products
manufactured by the company include well plates and lids, pipette
tips, blood gas cassettes, electrode housings, glucose sensors,
and biosensors. The firm provides engineering support, part-appropriate
material selection, and secondary services such as surface treatment
and microbonding. The ISO 9001– and EN 46001–certified
facility houses its own tooling shop and cleanroom. Weidmann
Plastics Technology, Rapperswill, Switzerland.
One-part assemblies
Near-CNC
precision is achieved by means of a casting process that results
in a one-part assembly operation for the production of complex
components. Assembly, processing, joining, and handling times
are minimized. Internal details and special features can be designed
into each component, which can then be produced by the hundreds.
The process is suited for the manufacture of small thin-walled
high-precision alloy components that require a superior finish
and minimal porosity. Micro Metalsmiths, Pickering, N Yorks, UK.
Miniature electronic modules
Specializing
in miniature electronic modules for medical applications, a supplier
has developed a component that provides greater functionality
and reduced power consumption in a smaller package size than was
previously available. The 3D-CSP module incorporates the company's
flip-chip and flexible-circuit assembly technologies. The surface
area of the two- or three-die component is approximately 1 mm
more than a single traditional integrated circuit. The module
was recently used in a hearing aid and is suited for medical applications
where high density is desirable. Valtronic S.A., Les Charbonnières,
Switzerland.
