NextFlex, the San Jose, Calif.–based hybrid electronics manufacturing institute, today announced $12 million in funding for seven projects in areas ranging from healthcare to avionics to infrastructure monitoring. The funding is part of NextFlex’s Project Call 3.0 and includes $7 million in cost-share contributions from participants. The Project Call program overall has awarded more than
NextFlex awarding $12 million to fund flexible hybrid electronics projects
July 17, 2018 By Leave a Comment
This new material could eliminate motors and actuators in robots and medical devices
July 17, 2018 By Leave a Comment
Researchers at the University of Hong Kong have developed a new material that eliminates the need for motors and actuators to be used in robots, medical devices, prosthetic muscles, exoskeletons and more. The new actuating material is made from nickel hydroxide-oxyhydroxides and is powered by visible light, electricity and other stimuli. The material actuation is
How you can control lab-grown heart cells with a remote control light
June 11, 2018 By Leave a Comment
University of California San Diego researchers have created a technique that speeds up and slows down human heart cells that are being grown in a dish on command by shining light on them and varying the intensity. The heart cells are being grown in graphene which turns light into electricity, a more realistic environment that
Webinar: What can you do about PVCs in medical devices?
June 4, 2018 By Leave a Comment
This webinar was presented live on Tuesday, June 26, 2018. Click below to watch on demand. Polyvinylchloride (PVC) has long been a go-to material for medical device tubing and other healthcare products. But medtech companies need to think twice about its use now that the European Union is cracking down on the use
Igus unveils new material for clip and flanged bearings
May 30, 2018 By Leave a Comment
Igus (Cologne, Germany) today announced a new tribo-plastic material for clip and flanged bearings. The wear-resistant material, dubbed iglidur K230, is highly elastic, chemical resistant and withstands moisture, according to Igus. Clip and flanged bearings are commonly used in the sheet metal industry because of their ease of installation and design, especially in sheet metal feedthroughs. The bearing
How SABIC helped develop a non-drug migraine treatment
May 22, 2018 By Leave a Comment
SABIC recently helped eNeura develop a clinically proven, non-drug option for preventing and treating migraine headaches. The sTMS mini from eNeura is a portable delivery system for single-pulse, transcranial magnetic stimulation. It’s prescribed by a physician. FDA cleared the sTMS mini for migraine prevention in 2017. SABIC’s polycarbonate copolymer Lexan was chosen as the housing of
Turns out graphene can fight bacteria on implants
April 18, 2018 By Leave a Comment
Graphene flakes that are arranged like spikes can kill bacteria and stop infections during implant surgery procedures, according to new research from Chalmers University of Technology in Göteborg, Sweden. Bacteria moves around the body in fluids like blood looking for an area to stick to. Once they find a place, the bacteria starts to grow
10 BIOMEDevice Boston exhibitors you need to know
April 17, 2018 By Leave a Comment
Updated April 20, 2018 BIOMEDevice Boston provides an opportunity for more than 4,000 engineers and executives and 400 suppliers in New England’s design and manufacturing industry to connect and network. The annual event was held at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center, April 18-19. Hundreds of medical device industry suppliers showcased their latest technologies and capabilities.
This technology allows package sterilization of silicones with in-situ curing
March 28, 2018 By Leave a Comment
New methods of sterilization have made customizable implantable silicones a possibility. This exciting technology advance could allow better sealing, occlusion and repair or support within a patient’s body. Avantor has developed packaging to sterilize the silicone so that the material can be cured in-situ. Julie Cameron, VP of business development and marketing for the Nusil
IME Medical Electrospinning relocates R&D and production facility
March 27, 2018 By Leave a Comment
IME Medical Electrospinning has relocated its R&D and production facility in the Dutch town of Geldrop to a larger facility in Waalre, near Eindhoven in the Netherlands. The new building will allow the IME Medical Electrospinning to make its electro spinning machines autonomously as well as the actual extracellular matrices or scaffolds that are needed
4 ways medical device industry suppliers can save their clients money
March 26, 2018 By Leave a Comment
Count Spectrum Plastics Group (Alpharetta, Ga.) among the medical device industry suppliers adding capabilities and expertise in order to add value to what they provide their customers. Long gone are the days when medtech contract manufacturers simply made orders to spec. As four recent case studies out of Spectrum highlight, it’s all about branching out
Polyplastics rolling Topas Advanced Polymers into Polyplastics USA
March 26, 2018 By Leave a Comment
Engineering thermoplastics supplier Polyplastics said today that it will merge its affiliate Topas Advanced Polymers (Florence, Ky.) into Polyplastics USA, effective April 1. The merger will add Topas‘s cyclic olefin copolymer (COC) resins to Polyplastics USA’s existing portfolio of POM (acetal), polybutylene terephthalate (PBT), and polyphenylene sulfide (PPS) engineering polymers. The combined business have its headquerters
Elastocon TPE Technologies launches new medical-grade thermoplastic elastomers
March 22, 2018 By Leave a Comment
Elastocon TPE Technologies is launching its latest medical-grade compounds at the National Plastics Exposition in Orlando, May 7–11, the company recently announced. The new medical grades, Elastocon 8028N and 8068N, can be injection molded, extruded or overmolded. The features include high flow properties that allow for complex part design, flexibility, odorless, cold weather stability, UV
Designing wearables: How to make sense of your material options
March 9, 2018 By Leave a Comment
The medical device industry’s knowledge base continually evolves regarding what works — and what doesn’t — for wearable applications. Gain insight into some material selection considerations for skin-worn wearable design and development. Deepak Prakash, Vancive Medical Technologies In the dynamic wearables sector, medical device makers are searching for ways to translate their expertise into mobile,
Covestro releases new polycarbonate with resistance to solvents, cleaning agents
March 8, 2018 By Leave a Comment
Covestro has released Makrolon Rx3440, a material designed to withstand solvents found in oncology treatments — as well as cleaning agents. The medical polycarbonate offers durability and chemical resistance to help prevent cracking so that healthcare professionals can more safely deliver oncology drugs to patients. Cancer treatments are hard on plastics, noted Lauren Zetts, North America
