Medical Device Link.

Toying with Microfluidics
-Shana Leonard

Biomedical engineering isn't exactly child's play—unless you're Michelle Khine. The 32-year-old engineer drew inspiration from a popular low-tech children's toy to fabricate a sophisticated yet inexpensive microfluidic device that demonstrates the power of creative thinking.

Upcoming Webcast

EFD Inc., in partnership with Medical Product Manufacturing News and Medical Electronics Manufacturing magazines, is proud to present a free Webcast event on November 10 at 2 pm EST/ 11 am PST:

How to Deal with Changing Fluid Viscosities

Changing fluid viscosity can have a significant effect on the accuracy of fluid-dispensing applications, resulting in poor process control and nonconformance to GMP regulations. Medical device manufacturers of such products as catheters, arthroscopic instruments, point-of-care diagnostics, and other devices are challenged to control fluid-dispensing processes involving fluids that change viscosity. Traditional options for dispensing fluids that change viscosity include two-part metering systems with static mixing nozzles, "positive-displacement" dispensers, and time-pressure dispensers. Respective issues with these methods include waste/lack of precision, maintenance and variations as material hardens, and manual adjustment to compensate for viscosity changes.
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Access the archives of recent MPMN Webcasts

• Biocompatible Polymers for Implantable Medical Device Applications
• Emerging Technologies Showcase
• Improving Process Control in Medical Device Assembly
• Is It Time to Start Thinking About Automation?
• Tubing: Doing More with Less

We've Got Our Fingers on the Pulse of the Industry

Medtech Pulse will deliver the latest headlines, emerging tech breakthroughs, regional medtech information, supplier and industry news, and everything else you need to know to assist you in medical device design and development.

Read the latest posts from Medtech Pulse:

• Polymer-Based Nanoparticles Are Shown to Shrink Tumors
• Xenon-Based Technique Could Give Great Boost to MRI Sensitivity
• Nanowires Get Bent Out of Shape, Demonstrate Potential for Biosensors
• Heat-Shrinkable Polymer Leads to One-Size-Fits-All Microfluidic Chip
• Catheter-Cutting Machine Promises No Chads, No Burrs

In the October Product Update, MPMN explores the unique motor and motion control requirements associated with medical imaging equipment. Exciting emerging technologies in the form of a Breakthrough piece on an electrically conductive thin-film diamond for MEMS-based in vivo devices and a Need to Know article highlighting how membrane-encased nanowires may advance how prosthetics work with the body are featured as well. Also included in this issue are a Spotlight on tubing and tube processing, an Outsourcing Outlook on electronics manufacturing, profiles of select first-time exhibitors at MD&M Minneapolis, and more!

MPMN is your premier source for coverage of MD&M Minneapolis. Check in with our online-exclusive MD&M coverage for features and information on the show. Plus, don't miss our coverage live from the show floor on our Medtech Pulse blog.

• Goodfellow Corp. (Oakdale, PA), formerly a subsidiary of Goodfellow Cambridge Ltd., is now a fully autonomous U.S. company within the Goodfellow Group of Companies. To specifically support the U.S. market, the supplier of metals, polymers, ceramics, and other materials has created a dedicated Web site at www.goodfellowusa.com.
  
  
• All divisions of Filtrona Extrusion (Athol, MA) will now be known as Pexco, which has served as the long-time brand name of the company’s medical products. The company’s medical products include single and multilumen tubing, microbore tubing, thermally bonded paratubing, wire-encapsulated tubing, in-line striping and printing, tri and coextrusions, cross-head extrusions, and other complex, customized profiles.
  
  
• Read More...

MPMN's year-ending November/December issue will celebrate the top products and services of 2009. In addition, we'll examine why the medtech industry is quickly becoming the big cheese in America's Dairyland in a Regional Focus on Wisconsin. Features will also focus on raw materials, filters and IV components, assembly services, measurement instruments, trends in adhesives, emerging technologies news, and more!