COVER PRODUCTS
Stents
A company shares its resources with OEMs to develop stents that offer flexibility, biocompatibility, and defined radiopaque properties at an economical cost. The vertically integrated firm can manage all aspects of a project, from the design phase to surface treatment of the final product. Electropolishing processes have been developed for a variety of materials including tantalum. Ductile gold coatings can be applied to various substrates; other biocompatible and opaque coatings are available to suit customer requirements. The company also has expertise in micromachining and microsintering processes and offers an array of analytical services. W.C. Heraeus GmbH, Product Line Medical Technology, Hanau, Germany.
Gearmotor
Packaged with an integrated reduction gearbox and magnetic encoder, a 16-mm-diam ironless-rotor dc motor is reportedly the smallest of its kind on the market. The motor delivers 8-mN.m peak torque and 1.7-W continuous power. The modular spur gearbox is available with an optional output stage; sleeve or ball bearings can be requested to support the output shaft. The magnetic encoder offers either 15 or 16 lines and two output signals in quadrature, resulting in 64 signals per revolution or a resolution of 5.63° at the motor shaft. Suited for speed and position control applications in medical equipment, the component operates on 3.5–15 V and 6 mA of current. API Portescap, La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland.
Dispensing pins
Dispensing pins are designed for single- and multidose vials and bottles with rubber stoppers and for bags or semirigid plastic containers. The pins offer the option of needlefree valve access, which allows the container to be turned upside down without risking leakage. The components are available in micro, miniature, and standard pin sizes, and they can be fitted with a security clip and filter and/or flanges and shrouds. In addition to an extensive line of standard products, the company also supplies custom pins to suit specific applications. B. Braun Medical, Bethlehem, PA, USA.
