Interface Load Cells in Medical Applications
While quality and accuracy are always important when designing load cells, there is perhaps no industry where these factors matter more than in the healthcare and medical industries. At Interface, we take pride in creating precision force measurement solutions used in biomedical and pharmaceutical industries, as well as the manufacturing of medical devices.
We stop at nothing to provide customers with the most accurate force measurement solutions available to ensure patient safety, product reliability and accuracy in measurement.
Below are just a few examples of how Interface load cells are supporting safety in medical innovations.
Plasma Separation
Interface’s MBS low-capacity aluminum bending load cell is being used in plasma separation machines which must be calibrated for every patient in order to collect the right amount of plasma. The machine separates the blood in a centrifuge and a saline solution is pumped back into the patient. There are two load cells in each plasma separation machine, and they play a vital role in ensuring the accuracy of the process. This protects the patient’s health and well-being.
Stent Material Testing
Large testing rigs that contain approximately a dozen Interface load cells are used to test stents and heart valves that are surgically implanted into patients. The rigs subject the stents and heart valves to thousands of stress tests over months to determine their material properties. Stents stay in a patient’s body for the rest of their life, so accuracy and durability are extremely important. This application makes use of Interface’s MBP product line, which is overload protected. This product line is extremely reliable and has never had a reported fatigue failure.
Robotic Surgery
An emerging trend in medicine is the ability to perform surgery remotely using a robotic arm. Interface has been involved in the development of this technology and has created the modified custom load cells needed to enable the customer’s designs.
Designing for Medical Applications
Beyond just accuracy, there are several different considerations to make when designing and building load cells that can be used in medical applications. Factors such as traceability and the materials used are extremely important to our customers. All materials need to be certified and free of hazardous compounds. They also need to be able to withstand sterile environments where surfaces are constantly being sprayed with chemicals. There are several unique considerations and failure is not an option when it comes to devices that can directly impact patient safety.
Interface is extremely proud of our superior quality load cells and the fact that we are enabling medical innovations that are having a direct impact on improving, saving and changing lives. For more information about our high-quality, medical-grade load cells contact our Application Engineers. You can also learn more about our medical and healthcare use cases and products here: /solutions/medical-healthcare.
Contributor: Raymunn Machado-Prisbrey
