Medical device and healthcare solutions in focus
Accuracy is the be-all and end-all when developing, designing and manufacturing medical technology. The standards and regulations for product quality in the medical industry are not only extremely high, the safety and well-being of patients and users also depend on them. Interface continues to provide the medical device and healthcare industries with the most accurate and reliable force measurement products for research and development, testing and sensor embedding for continuous measurements. In our overview of solutions for the medical and healthcare industry, Interface takes a closer look at our capabilities and product range used throughout the lifecycle of developing and supplying components for the medical and healthcare industry. For decades, Interface has been a provider of precision measurement solutions used in the development, design, testing and manufacturing of products for industry. Here's a quick overview of why Interface is a preferred industry partner.
Interface solutions for medicine and healthcare
Interface offers load cells and sensors of all capacities and sizes for the development of medical devices, healthcare tools, and technologies that advance the ability to diagnose, reduce risk, treat disease, support wellness, and advance science. In order to qualify as a provider of products in the industry, the relevant quality certifications are primarily required. Interface is known for meeting and exceeding the quality requirements for our customers' medical and healthcare projects. Our products are manufactured and tested in accordance with A2LA, international standard ISO/IEC 17025:2017 and ANSI/NCSL Z540-1-1994. This accreditation demonstrates technical competence for a defined area and the operation of a laboratory quality management system.
The next qualification is experience. In the medical industry, you need to be able to trust that suppliers understand the strict requirements and use cases for their products. Our engineers and product teams deliver proven sensor technologies used in a variety of medical devices such as prosthetics and surgical instruments. These products require extremely precise measurements before they are approved for use. Interface knows what it takes to meet these needs.
The industry requires a range of capabilities and sizes of measuring equipment such as our various miniature and shear beam load cell solutions with 10x overload protection. Our torque transducers offer rotating and reactive measurements to accurately measure performance. These solutions are used for product usage control, fatigue testing, surgical device durability testing, implant measurement, and device monitoring. Other Interface solutions for medical devices and healthcare include multi-axis sensors for multiple measurement channels in one package for use in complex designs that require multiple measurement outputs.
Performance in prosthetics
Interface supplies products that can be used to test how a prosthesis works in different positions and postures. Products used in a prosthetic foot design test include Interface's Model 3A3 120-axis load cell installed between the leg shaft and the prosthetic foot, and the Model 3A120 connected to a portable data acquisition system. When standard precision solutions require a custom sensor, Interface's solutions team and engineers work directly with medical device manufacturers to deliver specialized products, systems and software that meet evolving needs and innovation requirements. Below is an application note that describes the prosthesis testing process using interface force solutions.
In this example, a customer wanted to know how a prosthetic foot reacts when loaded in different positions. This challenge required a force solution, and Interface supplied 3A120 3-axis load cells that were installed between the leg shaft and the prosthetic foot. The Model 3A120 was then connected to a portable data acquisition system. With this solution, the customer was able to log the data for the X, Y and Z axes, review the results and identify premature flat spots and dead spots during use of the foot. This data can now be used to make improvements to the design. Read more about this application for load and fatigue testing of prostheses here.
Stent and catheter testing
For this specific use case, large test stands with about a dozen interface load cells are used to test stents and heart valves that are surgically implanted in patients. The test rigs subject the stents and heart valves to thousands of stress tests over months to determine their material properties. Stents remain in a patient's body for the rest of their life, so accuracy and longevity are extremely important. Interface's overload-proof line of Miniature Beam Load Cells is used for this application. This product line is extremely reliable and no fatigue failure has ever been reported. Below you will find another application example.
In this application example, the customer needed to apply known forces to stents and catheters to ensure they passed all required strength and flexibility tests. Interface's solution was to use a miniature MBP load cell with overload protection that is placed behind the stent or catheter guidewire. The motor rotates the linear drive and pushes the load cell and wire through the test maze. The overload protected MBP miniature load cell is connected to the DIG-USB PC interface module. All forces are measured and saved on the PC. With this system, the customer was able to perform the necessary tests and log them on the PC, then review the results and take action if necessary. You can read more about this use case for a stent testing system here.
A growing demand for our products used in medical OEM applications. Interface works with manufacturers around the world who develop and produce life-saving medical devices, implants and tools, as described in the article Interface ensures world-class accuracy and reliability for medical applications. Customers turn to Interface because we have a proven track record of producing the most accurate, reliable and efficient force measurement products and accessories for collecting critical data at high volume. Interface has been involved in the development of unique sensor products for use in medical devices and equipment, from MedTech devices to some of the machines used to manufacture medical products. Success is increased if you get involved early. Our experts are ready to assist you with your medical device and healthcare test and measurement product needs.