MARKET FOCUS
Precision woven fabrics
Sefar offers woven fabrics in many different weave types, finishes, coatings and fabrications for medical and diagnostic devices, including filters for infusion sets, blood filters, and fabrics for diagnostic test strips. According to the company, high-quality raw materials, precision weaving and advanced fabrication capabilities in clean room environment, ensure lot-to-lot consistency and superior filter and diagnostic performance.
Sefar AG, Heiden, Switzerland. Tel +41 71 898 57 00, www.sefar.com
Clean room injection moulding
GEMÜ Switzerland has more than 20 years’ experience in plastic production and specialises in plastics injection moulding. Its services extend from engineering, injection mould tooling, clean-room injection moulding (up to Class 5) through to completely assembled, tested and packaged system solutions in plastic.
Gemü GmbH, Rotkreuz, Switzerland. Tel. +41 41 799 0505, www.gemue.ch
Anticounterfeiting technology
AlpVision has developed a technology to help manufacturers fight counterfeiting and market diversion. Cryptoglyph protects primary and secondary packaging using invisible marking. The mark comprises a multitude of 10–50 µm dots that appear random and are camouflaged within the imperfection of the printing support, for example the carton box, and are therefore not replicable.
AlpVision SA, Vevey, Switzerland. Tel. +41 21 948 6464, www.alpvision.com
Automatic assembly systems
Komax specialises in the manufacture of automatic assembly systems. Its experience in medical device assembly includes systems for specialty and safety syringes, insulin delivery systems, catheter and needle assembly, inhalers, valves and regulators, medical connectors, tube sets, and test and diagnostic kits.
Komax Systems LCF SA, La Chaux de Fonds, Switzerland. Tel. +41 32 925 7222, www.komaxgroup.com
Nd:YAG lasers
LASAG manufactures industrial Nd:YAG lasers used for cutting, welding, drilling, marking and ablating of metals and other materials. Its SLS series laser uses fibreoptic beam delivery to process materials. Their modular design means that more than 30 different laser models are available. Typical applications include precision seam and spot welding of challenging materials and material combinations; smooth weld surfaces, especially for biocompatible materials; and micromachining processes, including precision cutting and drilling.
Lasag AG, Thun, Switzerland. Tel. +41 33 227 4545, www.lasag.com
Implant materials
Quadrant manufactures materials for use in orthopaedic implants such as knees and hips. The UHMW-PE are better known as Chirulen and Extrulen. Chirulen products are based on compression moulding technology and Extrulen are ram-extruded. The company also offers a portfolio of engineering plastics for life science applications, which are prequalified biocompatible materials.
Quadrant Engineering Plastic Products, Lenzburg, Switzerland. Tel. +41 62 885 8150, www.quadrantepp.com
Speciality tube components
Siewal MicroMedical offers specialist expertise in advanced tube components, complex designs, laser processing and thin wall applications for the medical component industry. Processes available include laser cutting, welding and marking; microdrilling and slotting; burr-free cutting; micromachining; and slitting.
Siewal MicroMedical SA, Lamone-Lugano, Switzerland. Tel. +41 91 935 2210, www.siewalmicromedical.ch
Microfluidic systems
Weidmann develops and industrialises disposable microfluidic systems. The company uses joining technologies to cover the tiny, injection-moulded microfluidic channels with other plastic parts, foils, silicone or glass parts. Techniques include ultrasonic welding, laser welding, laminating, hybrid bonding and thermal bonding.
Weidmann Plastics Technology AG, Rapperswil-Jona, Switzerland. Tel. +41 552 214 106, www.weidmann-plastics.com
Intelligent servo drives
Technosoft provides intelligent servo drive solutions (25 W to 3 kW) for universal control of DC brush, brushless and stepper motors. Based on the company’s MotionChip technology, the devices embed motion controller, drive and PLC functionality in the same compact unit. The fully programmable products offer distributed control via CAN networks. Motion libraries and starter kits are available to simplify the system integration and evaluation. Products can be designed to customer specifications.
Technosoft, Bevaix, Switzerland. Tel. +41 32 732 5500, www.technosoftmotion.com
IEC inlet filters
Schaffner offers IEC inlet filters, power entry modules and single and three-phase EMC/EMI filters. The company has announced that its FN 9222 with standard, FN 9233 with high, FN 9244 with high attenuation performance, and FN 9260 with dual fuse holder have been certified according to IEC/EN 60601-1. The filter families are also UL, CSA and ENEC approved and RoHS compliant. Different mechanical options allow for space saving integration.
Schaffner EMV AG, Luterbach, Switzerland. Tel. +41 32 681 6626, www.schaffner.com
Miniature motors
Portescap’s range of miniature motors encompasses brush DC, brushless DC, stepper, can stack, linear actuator, disc magnet and hybrid technology. New products include Athlonix high power density brush DC motors, which reportedly provide sustained performance in an ultracompact package. The nuvoDisc flat brushless DC motors, which are suitable for space constrained, battery powered applications. The company also offers stepper motors that provide precise motion for applications such as analysers, analysis and dialysis equipment, and equipment with x-y-z motion ranges.
Portescap, La Chaux de Fonds, Switzerland. Tel. +41 32 935 6111, www.portescap.com
Drive systems
Maxon motor supplies high-precision drive systems. The product range includes DC motors with ironless winding and flat motors with iron core (up to 500 W output power, mechanical and electronic commutation); planetary gears, spur gears and special gears; sensors, including encoders, DC tachos and resolvers; servo amplifiers and position controllers; and customer specific drive solutions
Maxon motor ag, Sachseln, Switzerland. Tel. +41 41 666 1500, www.maxonmotor.ch
Precision tubing and wire
Unimed offers precision drawn tubing and wire products with dimensional accuracy, clean and smooth surface quality, high corrosion and heat resistance, excellent tensile properties and good machinability. Unless otherwise specified, tubings are welded and cold drawn. Configurations include straight random lengths, precision cut lengths with deburred ends, and precision parts and components. Tubing is available precision drawn to tight tolerances in metric dimensions ranging from 0.10 mm to 10 mm o.d.. Wall thickness ranges from 0.03 to 1 mm.
Unimed SA, Lausanne, Switzerland. Tel. +41 21 624 2151, www.unimed.ch
Precision connectors
LEMO has been designing precision connectors for over 60 years and offers more than 50000 combinations of standard product plus custom specific designs. The company ’s REDEL P connector catalogue, includes information on elbow socket models for printed circuits, disposable connectors that are easy to assemble and adapt to catheter applications, and hybrid contact connectors (coaxial, high voltage or fluidic).
LEMO, Ecublens, Switzerland. Tel. +41 21 695 1600, www.lemo.com
Clean-room injection moulding
Treff develops and produces customised precision plastic parts from 0.2 to 1200 g for large and small production runs as well as complete assemblies. Products are manufactured in clean rooms according to EN ISO 14644-1:ISO Class 8. The company processes more than 50 different thermoplastics and is a recognised specialist in high-temperature and chemical-resistant plastics. Capabilities include injection moulding, printing, ultrasonic welding and assembly
Treff AG, Dagersheim, Switzerland. Tel. +41 71 372 55 55, www.treff-ag.ch
Distribution agreement
Electronic component manufacturer Schurter has signed a panEuropean distribution agreement for Avnet Time to distribute its fuses, nonresettable fuses, fuseholders and IEC connectors throughout Europe. Schurter also manufactures circuit breakers for equipment, including thermal and thermal magnetic circuit breakers, and input systems, including keyboard systems, membrane keypads, switches and pushbuttons.
Schurter AG Electronic Components, Lucerne, Switzerland. Tel. +41 41 369 3111, www.schurter.ch
Micromechanical components
Cendres + Metaux has more than 100 years of experience in turning precious metals into high quality products. It produces high accuracy micromechanical components out of biocompatible materials down to the smallest dimensions, and offers its engineering know how to manufacture precious metals and Titanium parts. The company has acquired Metalor Dental (Oensingen, Switzerland), reinforcing its market position in the area of dental medicine.
Cendres + Metaux SA, Biel/Bienne, Switzerland. Tel. +41 32 344 2211, www.cmsa.ch/medical
Connector manufacture
Fischer Connectors, a designer, manufacturer and distributor of high-performance connectors, has moved its headquarters and primary production centre to new facilities in Saint-Prex. Occupying 15500 m2, the three-storey building has been designed to optimise production and logistic flows and is equipped with the latest production and communication technologies.
Fischer Connectors SA, Saint-Prex, Switzerland. Tel. +41 21 800 9595, www.fischerconnectors.com
Welding and annealing system
Spirig offers a system for soldering, brazing or welding delicate parts that emits minimal side heat radiation. Spirflame has a temperature range of between 550–1250 °C. Applications include welding the platinum lead wires of a resistance temperature detector to copper based extension wires, and localised annealing and hardening of complex surgical steel. The company also manufactures Celsi temperature recording labels.
Spirig Ernest, Rapperswil, Switzerland. Tel. +41 55 222 6900, www.spirig.com
Hard material components
Ceramaret has several decades of experience in the design, manufacture and processing of advanced ceramics and other hard materials such as synthetic sapphire and ruby. Products include insulators for endoscopes, electrosurgery and implantable devices; blades; and components for dental applications. The company also offers custom designed products and subcontracting services, including polishing of small components with the “Maret polishing method” and thermal treatment of small parts in ferrous and nonferrous alloys.
Ceramaret SA, Bôle, Switzerland. Tel. +41 32 843 83 83, www.ceramaret.ch
Humidity and temperature sensor
Sensor manufacturer Sensirion has designed a new generation humidity and temperature sensor. The SHT21 features long term stability, full calibration, a digital interface and supports additional communication modes, including analogue modes. The sensor has a 3 x 3 mm footprint and a height of 1.1 mm.
Sensirion AG, Staefa, Switzerland. Tel. +41 44 306 40 00, www.sensirion.com
