As plastic medical devices get smaller and more intricate, engineers have fewer options for assembling them.

There are many ways to run a custom machine building business. Some systems integrators are dedicated to a particular industry, such as auto parts manufacturing. Others specialize in a particular kind of assembly machine, such as high-speed continuous motion systems.

Microsecond fiber lasers have been used successfully to cut hypotubes and stents for many years. While these lasers are precise and fast, they have a downside. Parts cut with them require several post-processing operations, which add cost and can damage delicate parts.

Engineers have many options for joining identical or similar materials. To join, say, a steel part to another steel part, engineers can use screws, rivets, welds, adhesives, clinches or press-fits.

Medical device engineers have many considerations when designing an assembly. Safety and effectiveness are top priorities, of course, followed closely by cost.

 Medical device engineers are great at designing innovative, life-saving gizmos.  

In 2011, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration received more than 400,000 reports of adverse events related to medical devices. More than 12 percent of those events resulted in hospitalization.

The conformal coating Parylene has long been known for its excellent dielectric strength, high thermal stability (up to 450 C), dry-film lubricity and outstanding chemical resistance. Those properties have made the material a staple for coating printed circuit boards and electronic devices exposed to environmental extremes.

Each year, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration logs some 100,000 reports of adverse events related to medical devices. More than a third of those are due to human error.

“Implementation of the medical device tax will cost our economy thousands of high-paying jobs.” —Gail Rodriguez, MITA