Medical Equipment Manufacturers Research Articles

Моделирование и оптимизация процесса накатывания роликом AL6061-T6 для достижения минимального отклонения от круглости, минимальной шероховатости поверхности и повышения ее микротвердости

Introduction. Roller burnishing is one of the most common methods of improving the surface quality of parts, wear resistance, microhardness, and corrosion resistance. The process involves compressing and smoothing the workpiece using the pressure of a hardened roller. It is often used to improve part performance and lifespan in sectors including automotive, aerospace, and medical equipment manufacturing. The literature reviewed shows that the roller burnishing process effectively improves the overall surface quality and hardness of the workpiece. In addition, roller burnishing is considered as an affordable method to enhance the functionality and robustness of machined parts by reducing the likelihood of surface defects such as like scratches and cracks. However, very few studies have been reported on the modeling and optimization of roller burnishing of Al6061-T6 for minimum surface roughness, better microhardness, and roundness. The methods of investigation. In the current work, roller burnishing of Al6061-T6 is modeled and optimized for superior microhardness, roundness, and minimal surface roughness. Under dry-cutting conditions, the performance of roller burnishing of Al6061 specimens is assessed in terms of process factors such as cutting speed, feed, and number of passes. Mathematical models to predict the surface roughness, microhardness, and deviation in roundness are developed based on the experimental results. Results and Discussion. The coefficient of correlation for the developed models is found to be close to 0.9, which indicates that it can be reliably used to predict and optimize the roller burnishing of the Al6061-T6. According to this study, the use of the following cutting parameters leads to the lowest variation in roundness (4.282 µm), the better microhardness (119.2 Hv), and the lowest surface roughness (0.802 µm): cutting speed 344 rpm, feed 0.25 mm/rpm and four passes. Further, the study reveals that increasing the number of passes (beyond four) does not significantly improve the surface roughness or microhardness. However, it does lead to a slight increase in the roundness deviation. Therefore, in order to achieve optimal results, it is recommended to use a maximum of four passes during roller burnishing of Al6061 specimens under dry cutting conditions. These results imply that roller burnishing can effectively improve the overall quality and hardness of the workpiece surface. In addition, roller burnishing is considered as an affordable method to increase the functionality and robustness of machined parts by reducing the likelihood of surface defects like scratches and cracks.

Implementation of Six Sigma methodology in a medical equipment manufacturing company

Implementation of Six Sigma methodology in a medical equipment manufacturing company

FMEA-TSTM-NNGA: A Novel Optimization Framework Integrating Failure Mode and Effect Analysis, the Taguchi Method, a Neural Network, and a Genetic Algorithm for Improving the Resistance in Dynamic Random Access Memory Components

Dynamic random access memory (DRAM) serves as a critical component in medical equipment. Given the exacting standards demanded by medical equipment products, manufacturers face pressure to improve their product quality. The electrical characteristics of these products are based on the resistance value of the DRAM components. Hence, the purpose of this study is to optimize the resistance value of DRAM components in medical equipment. We proposed a novel FMEA-TSTM-NNGA framework that integrates failure mode and effect analysis (FMEA), the two-stage Taguchi method (TSTM), neural networks (NN), and genetic algorithms (GA) to optimize the manufacturing process. Moreover, the proposed FMEA-TSTM-NNGA framework achieved a substantial reduction in experimental trials, cutting the required number by a factor of 85.3 when compared to the grid search method. Our framework successfully identified optimal manufacturing condition settings for the resistance values of DRAM components: Depo time = 27 s, Depo O2 flow = 151 sccm, ARC-LTO etch time = 43 s, ARC-LTO etch pressure = 97 mTorr, Ox-SiCO etch time = 91 s, Ox-SiCO gas ratio = 22%, and Polish time = 84 s. The results helped the case company improve the resistance value of DRAM components from 191.1 × 10−3 Ohm to 176.84 × 10−3 Ohm, which is closer to the target value of 176.5 × 10−3 Ohm. The proposed FMEA-TSTM-NNGA framework is designed to operate efficiently on resource-constrained, facilitating real-time adjustments to production attributes. This capability enables DRAM manufacturers to swiftly optimize product quality.

Thermal optimization of alloy additive manufacturing process and visual design of metal process products based on edge computing

Alloy additive manufacturing technology has been widely used in aerospace, medical equipment and automobile manufacturing. The purpose of this study is to explore the thermal energy optimization scheme in the process of alloy additive manufacturing based on edge computing technology, and to display the metal process products in an all-round way through visual design, so as to promote the knowledge and practice of thermal energy management in the industry. In this paper, the edge computing platform is used to monitor the heat energy data generated in additive manufacturing process in real time, and the heat energy distribution is analyzed with machine learning algorithm. By establishing thermal energy optimization model, adjusting manufacturing parameters to reduce energy consumption, improve material utilization and product quality. At the same time, using visual design technology, the optimization process and results are graphically represented, which provides intuitive decision basis for engineers. The experimental results show that the thermal energy optimization scheme based on edge computing significantly improves the thermal energy efficiency of the alloy additive manufacturing process, and significantly reduces the thermal energy loss. Through the visual design, relevant personnel can understand the thermal energy distribution and process changes more clearly, and promote the collaboration between multiple departments. This study reveals the application potential of edge computing in alloy additive manufacturing and provides an effective thermal optimization strategy.

Canadian Association of Radiologists Statement on Environmental Sustainability in Medical Imaging.

Immediate and strategic action is needed to improve environmental sustainability and reduce the detrimental effects of climate change. Climate change is already adversely affecting the health of Canadians related to worsening air pollution and wildfire smoke, increasing frequency and intensity of extreme weather events, and expansion of vector-borne and infectious illnesses. On one hand, radiology contributes to the climate crisis by generating greenhouse gas emissions and waste during the production, manufacture, transportation, and use of medical imaging equipment and supplies. On the other hand, radiology departments are also susceptible to equipment and infrastructure damage from flooding, extreme temperatures, and power failures, as well as workforce shortages due to injury and illness, potentially disrupting radiology services and increasing costs. The Canadian Association of Radiologists' (CAR) advocacy for environmentally sustainable radiology in Canada encompasses both minimizing the detrimental effects that delivery of radiology services has on the environment and optimizing the resilience of radiology departments to increasing health needs and changing patterns of disease on imaging related to climate change. This statement provides specific recommendations and pathways to help guide radiologists, medical imaging leadership teams, industry partners, governments, and other key stakeholders to transition to environmentally sustainable, net-zero, and climate-resilient radiology organizations. Specific consideration is given to unique aspects of medical imaging in Canada. Finally, environmentally sustainable radiology programs, policies, and achievements in Canada are highlighted.

Materiovigilance: An Overview

Pharmacovigilance is a crucial process that aims to guarantee that patients are prescribed safe pharmaceuticals. The World Health Organisation describes it as "the discipline of science and activities relating to the identification, evaluation, comprehension, and avoidance of adverse effects and other drug-related problems." Recent advances in science have led to a major expansion in the role of medical devices in the healthcare delivery system. PV encompasses issues relating to medication therapy as well. To regulate the import, manufacture, sales, and distribution of medical equipment, the Indian government, along with the Drugs Technical Advisory Board, recently established the Medical Equipment Rules, in 2017. Postmarketing surveillance carried out by an Indian regulatory authority (MvPI) is becoming increasingly popular, comparable to that of international regulatory agencies. An essential instrument for protecting users from unforeseen effects and improving their health and safety, the adverse events reporting system (ADERS) allows for the recording of all types of medical device adverse events (MDAEs).

A novel and efficient mathematical optimization model for multi-stage assembly flow shop considering post-processing

ABSTRACT We addressed the multistage assembly flow shop problem with post-processing and makespan minimization, a production environment commonly encountered in diverse industries such as automotive, dental, medical equipment, and clothing manufacturing. In this context, we presented an innovative mixed-integer linear programming model with a position-based strategy. Our proposed formulation demonstrated remarkable efficiency when compared to the model of the literature. It achieved optimal solutions in 77.16% of instances, with an average optimality gap of 10.59%. This study constitutes a significant contribution to the efficient resolution of a practical and frequently encountered scheduling problem that has received relatively limited attention in existing literature. The findings highlight the crucial role of mathematical optimization models as valuable decision-making tools for scheduling within the addressed production system.

A risk assessment model with dependent failure modes for the manufacturing and design processes of medical equipment

A risk assessment model with dependent failure modes for the manufacturing and design processes of medical equipment

The Economic Evolution of the Romanian Defense Market in the Context of the World Crisis (Post-pandemic) and the Imbalance of International Security (Military Conflict in Ukraine)

Abstract The analysis of crisis management shows that any crisis will generate risks and opportunities for certain industrial sectors. The current security crisis overlaps today with other crises (climatic, economic, energy, and medical crises generated by COVID-19). The medical crisis generated by the COVID-19 pandemic has recorded considerable profits for the pharmaceutical industry and companies in the medical equipment manufacturing industry. (John A. Parnel). The defense market and armaments production industry has been steadily growing at national and international levels due to the imbalance in international security caused by Russia's military conflict. An economical inside perspective is provided due to an internal study case based on the evolution of this industry's key sector. As per the analyzed data, the market demand is currently higher than the production capacity, both at European and national levels. The industry cannot meet the requirements of the defense market. Nonetheless, the turnover of the profile companies experienced significant increases with positive effects on the recorded profit rates. After conducting a thorough evaluation of the domestic defense industry, the solution might be to privatize state-owned companies in the security industry, which may involve merging companies with similar activity profiles. Also, financial incentives, such as tax measures like those granted to personnel working in the IT industry, can help overcome the human resources issue that the Romanian defense industry is currently facing.

Enhancing Hip Arthroplasty Outcomes: The Multifaceted Advantages, Limitations, and Future Directions of 3D Printing Technology.

In the evolving field oforthopedic surgery, the integration of three-dimensional printing (3D printing) has emerged as a transformative technology, particularly in addressing the rising incidence of degenerative joint diseases. The integration of 3D printing technology in hip arthroplasty offers substantial advantages throughout the surgical process. In preoperative planning, 3D models enable meticulous assessments, aiding in accurate implant selection and precise surgical strategies. Intraoperatively, the technology contributes to precise prosthesis design, reducing operation duration, X-ray exposures, and blood loss. Beyond surgery, 3D printing revolutionizes medical equipment production, imaging, and implant design, showcasing benefits such as enhanced osseointegration and reduced stress shielding with titanium cups. Challenges include a higher risk of postoperative infection due to the porous surfaces of 3D-printed implants, technical complexities in the printing process, and the need for skilled manpower. Despite these challenges, the evolving nature of 3D printing technologies underscores the importance of relying on existing orthopedic surgical practices while emphasizing the need for standardized guidelines to fully harness its potential in improving patient care.

Sulfonation Treatment of Polyether-Ether-Ketone for Dental Implant Uses

There has been a recent uptake in the use of polyether-ether-ketone (PEEK), which is an organic thermoplastic polymer, in the manufacturing of various medical devices, implants, and equipment. Finding the best time and procedure for PEEK after sulfonation is the goal of this research. A total of 30 PEEK discs were sulfonated in this study by immersing them in concentrated (H2SO4) sulfuric acid for various durations and subsequently treated using various post-treatment techniques. Five experiments were carried out, aimed studying the effect of immersion time (5 s–2 min). The methods used as post-treatment were hydrothermal treatment, immersion in NaOH, and washing with acetone. The sulfonation time was measured, and the post-treatment techniques, surface characterizations, were conducted using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) (Electron Optics Instruments, LLC., West Orange, NJ, USA), atomic force microscopy (AFM) (AFM, Vía Burton, CA, USA), and hydrophilic properties. The results were confirmed by attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR). The findings of this study demonstrate that sulfonating PEEK caused a structure with a porous network to form in every sample. As the sulfonation time increased, the porous structure became more noticeable and the concentration increased. As a consequence, the roughness of the surface increased notably, and the modified PEEK surface’s wettability improved noticeably. Hydrothermal treatment was determined to be the most successful way for eliminating the leftover sulfuric acid, and sulfonation for 2 min was determined to be ideal. By understanding the best post-treatment procedures and ideal sulfonation duration, a theoretical foundation for the production of sulfonated PEEK for orthopedic uses may be laid.

The problems and prospects of import substitution in medical industry

The achievement of economic sustainability and assurance of national security through activation of production sectors, medical industry in particular, is the integral component of successful strategy of state development. The importance of achieving autonomy in production of medical technique is targeted to reducing dependence of external factors, ensuring continuity of supply of critically important equipment and increasing level of technical characteristics of production. Besides it, expansion of medical production positively impact on innovative development, organization of new work places and level of scientific research in this industry. The development of national medical industry contributes to improvement of quality of medical care that directly affect population health. The necessity to maintain stability of health care through import substitution of medical products is indisputable fact in modern conditions, determined by strategically important direction from national security point of view. The article considers measures within the framework of import substitution plan in medical industry of the Russian Federation for period up to 2024. The analysis of volume of national production of medical equipment in dynamics over 5 years was carried out. The main problems of production of medical devices at the present stage were considered. The measures of state support targeted to development of national production of medical equipment and innovative medical technologies were discussed.

The application and significance of 3D printing technology in biomedicine

3D printing technology, also known as rapid prototyping technology, is an emerging production and manufacturing method. Medical researchers can create various medical devices for patients' bodies with greater accuracy by converting 3D digital graphics from computer-aided design into physical entities and printing 3D objects layer by layer. Thriving as medicine is, 3D printing, being a widely used and promising technology, will make significant contributions to the progress of biomedical science in multiple directions. The fundamental principle of this technology is akin to building blocks, where small parts are assembled into a comprehensive structure, utilizing materials such as plastic, metal, ceramics, etc. In the production of medical equipment under traditional manufacturing methods, a significant amount of manual debugging is sometimes necessary, which often results in the waste of considerable time and resources. Nonetheless, the manufacturing technique of 3D printing can rapidly and precisely create intricate instruments, as well as produce implants or tissue models. The main focus of this article is to analyze recent progress, applications and restriction prospects of 3D printing in medical applications. The advancement that 3D technology gains across different domains and levels is poised to significantly influence future medical treatment. The significance is to clarify the application and significance of 3D printing technology in the biomedical field. Through the review and analysis of relevant literature, a comprehensive understanding of the research progress and existing problems on 3D printing in the biomedical domain be gained, providing references and inspiration for future research.

NewGen Surgical: reimagining health for people and planet

Research methodology The case study draws on structured interviews with Rob Chase, Founder and CEO of NewGen Surgical, as well as secondary data sources to analyze the effectiveness of these solutions in mitigating the risks and enhancing the company’s competitive advantage. Case overview/synopsis This case study examines how NewGen Surgical, a small- to medium-sized medical equipment manufacturer based in the USA, navigates a supply chain crisis caused by post-pandemic (COVID-19) supply and demand distress, trade restrictions, and the US–China trade war in 2022. It outlines the journey of CEO and Founder, Robert Chase, as he started, grew and is maintaining the company and its various challenges. The case study reviews the risks and vulnerabilities of the company, which heavily relies on Chinese suppliers for most of its operations. To address the supply chain challenges, the case study explores alternative solutions such as insourcing, reshoring, diversifying the supplier base, changing safety stock and implementing new technologies. The case can be designed to teach business courses such as global business, supply chain and entrepreneurship. Complexity academic level This case study is intended for undergraduate and graduate students in courses such as global business, supply chain and entrepreneurship. In addition, this case study may be incorporated with modules on learning organizations, knowledge management and entrepreneurship to aid students in comprehending the principles of global sourcing, offshoring and supply chain management.

Healthcare Integrated Information System in Indonesia

The United States (US), leads the world in medical science and technology. Lead by clear definitions in almost all sectors of clinical research, training and governance practices. Likewise, the pharmaceutical and medical device (medical equipment) manufacturers are considered one of the leading in the world. Therefore, many of the definitions and rules have also been adopted into global regulations by the world health organization, the World Health Organization (WHO). Currently, these rules have been implemented into the health information system (HIS), which further rapidly being adopted and used in many countries. Nowadays, health facilities (HF) around the world have used HIS, which are basic or have reached an advanced level. This paper will describe how the development of HIS and applied products from utilization of information technology (IT) in Indonesia, along with the opportunities and challenges in the future.

DICOM Standard and Its Application in Radioinformatics

The DICOM standard is the emerging standard in the field of medical informatics. It defines the standard network interface and data model makes the medical image equipment manufacturers on the standard network equipment interconnection, simplify the development of various types of medical image, promote open unrelated to the factory of medical digital image transmission and exchange, prompting the image archiving and communication system of PACS (Picture Archiving and Communication Systems) and the combination of various hospital information system HIS (Hospital Information Systems). Radiation therapy departments in many hospitals have purchased more than one manufacturer of radiotherapy planning systems, and treatment information has to be communicated using DICOM standards. The use of DICOM in radiotherapy is called DICOM RT. At home, doctors are not fully aware of its importance and researchers do not. This paper mainly discusses the implementation and application of DICOM and protocol in precision radiotherapy system. The main contents include: (1) DICOM RT defines a total of seven information objects, which play a pivotal role in the information exchange of radiotherapy system. Discuss the content of DICOM RT; discuss the development of radiotherapy technology at home and abroad. (2) At present, DICOM standard has been widely used in the field of medical informatics, but no authority can provide DICOM compatibility verification of imaging equipment or DICOM application system, which still has many difficulties in system interconnection, that is, the research and implementation of DICOM test method. (3) The application of DICOM in PACS system. (4) Impaired compression study without visual loss in medical images based on DICOM standard.

The role of Interpersonal Communication and Trust as antecedents of Organizational Citizenship Behavior (OCB)

Since Organizational Citizenship Behavior (OCB) has been found to be a factor that plays an important role in achieving organizational goals and employee work productivity, a lot of research has been conducted by scholars to show this. Social exchange theory shows that the level of employee contribution is determined, in part, by the degree of trust between organizational members. The aim of this research is to find factors that play an important role in the emergence of OCB among employees. This study involves OCB, trust, and interpersonal communication. This study was conducted on production employees at a manufacturing company engaged in the production of medical equipment, totalling 114 employees using a survey method and quantitative approach, using a questionnaire as the main instrument. In this research, it was found that interpersonal communication and trust are factors that significantly influence employee OCB. Strengthening interpersonal communication and trust will increase OCB. In this research, it was also found that trust plays a role in mediating interpersonal communication and OCB. To increase OCB, organizations should first strengthen trust among employees.

Effects of environmental awareness training and environmental commitment on firm's green innovation performance: Empirical insights from medical equipment suppliers.

In recent years, the intensification of global industrialization coupled with the enterprise's production and operating activities have caused pollution, increasing the current environmental pressure. Relevant government departments in China have instituted several stringent measures (environmental protection sensitization and awareness activities, training sessions, and exchange activities targeted towards enterprise managers) to address these rising environmental problems. Though these measures have gained traction over the years, there is a dearth of research on their effectiveness on the green innovation performance of enterprises. To bridge the gap, this research explores the effect of environmental awareness training, knowledge exchange activities, and commitment on green innovation performance with survey data from 285 medical equipment manufacturing companies in China. It further expands the theoretical application of environmental awareness training, commitment, and innovation performance from the lens of the Knowledge-Based View. The findings depict a positive relationship between environmental awareness training and innovation performance. It also finds a mediating influence of environmental commitment in the relationship between environmental awareness training and green innovation performance. Furthermore, environmental knowledge exchange activities positively moderate the relationship between environmental awareness training and environmental commitment. These findings offer valuable insights for the green development of medical equipment manufacturing enterprises and the government to formulate environmental protection policies.

Bvp4c approach and duality of hybrid nanofluid over extending and contracting sheet with chemical reaction and cross-diffusion effects

Heat transfer has a major effect on material selection and mechanical efficiency. The importance of peristaltic fluid motion in transmitting heat is obvious in the domains of biomedical research through the processes of metabolic heat generation, blood transportation, capillary dehydration, thermal control, and bio-heat exchange pathways. The present work aims to explore the computational and theoretical evaluation of hybrid nanofluid (HNF)-suspended Cu and Al2O3 nanoparticles in water in the presence of chemical reaction, Lorentz force and ross-diffusion. The fundamental flow system based on Navier-Stokes in terms of partial differential equations is converted to dimensionless nonlinear ordinary differential equations via similarity transformations. The transformed ODEs are computationally solved by bvp4c approach. Dual solutions have been observed for emerging factors, so stability examinations are implemented to find the stable solution. Based on eigenvalues, it is witnessed that smallest positive eigenvalues indicates the stable while negative depicts the unstable solutions. The influences of involved factors on the flow characteristics are depicted through graphs and tables. The confirmation of the present analysis is done with the published study. Decreasing behavior is investigated for both branches of velocity as the M is improved while f′(η) is an increasing function of K. From this analysis it is reported that θ(η) is directly proportional to R, Q and Q1. Increasing phenomena is reported for θη and ϕη profiles as the quantities of Ec are augmented from 0.1 to 1. The conclusions of this theoretical analysis have impending applications in numerous fields such as technological devices, solar cooling and heating systems for cars, surfactants, lubricating qualities, hybrid generators, metallic welding process, and the production of medical equipment.

Strength properties and ability to dissipate mechanical energy of biopolypropylene basalt/cellulose composites with the addition of antibacterial turmeric

The aim of this study was to evaluate the possibility of producing novel reinforced biocomposites based on polypropylene produced from biomass with the addition of antibacterial turmeric as a natural antibacterial agent for the manufacturing of orthoses and other small external medical equipment. Six hybrid composites containing 5–15% basalt fibers, 5–15% microcellulose fibers, 2% turmeric powder and 2% anhydride maleic compatibilizer were produced on a biobased polypropylene matrix by injection molding. The basic strength properties were determined in a static tensile, bending and impact test. The low-cycle dynamic test was carried out to determine changes in dissipation energy and the development of relaxation processes. In order to assess the microstructure of the composites, SEM micrographs were taken after the tensile test. The obtained results confirm that it was possible to produce functional biocomposites based on biopolypropylene with the addition of basalt and lignocellulosic fibers modified with natural antibacterial turmeric. Based on the results of strength properties tests, it can be seen that the addition of basalt fibers increases strength and stiffness, while microcellulose particles reduce the ability to dissipate mechanical energy, and in both cases water has a plasticizing effect on the produced composites. The addition of fibers increases the flexural modulus by 39–196% and is higher the higher the fiber content. The most promising seem to be hybrid composites with a balanced proportion of 10:10 and 15:15 basalt and EFC fibers, which are characterized by 20% higher strength and almost two and a half times higher stiffness than neat polypropylene.