One big area of concern with medical plastics is chemical compatibility and chemical resistance. Because equipment is constantly being wiped down with harsh chemicals in order to clean and sterilize, resistance to chemicals is a prime concern when designing medical equipment. It would be interesting to see if this polymer has any additional resistance properties over their previous product offerings.
Naperlou, the flame retardant quality was attributed to plastics to be used in diagnostic imaging equipment. Such equipment is very expensive; hospitals do not want said equipment damaged when their patients spontaneously combust.
I agree, it seems odd to be pushing that quality when so much other non-flame-retardant plastic is all around a hospital.
I agree with Nadine about the benefits of plastic in implants. There are some well publicized legal cases ongoing about metal-to-metal degradation problems in hip implants that have brought some of these issues to light.
Plastics have been more beneficial in medical implants than metal. Younger people (under 50) are getting hip and knee replacements and living with them longer. Over time, some metal hip replacements have lead to metallosis. Metal shavings get into the blood stream and damage soft tissue.
Can the OrthoSensor be used to qualify progress in physical therapy? That information can help therapists customize routines that much more effective for recovery.
Lou, plastic is already used widely in medical applications, both inside the body and in a lot of medical equipment and tools. Flame retardancy became a big deal in medical-grade plastics some years ago, especially as more plastics were used in hospital environments, an environment where this characteristic is extremely important. The topic has become not whether a plastic should be flame retardant but what type should be used: for example, whether the flame retardant material is environmentally hazardous and/or bioaccumulates in organisms such as humans after continued exposure.
Is this step toward the massive use of plastics in medicine? I do wonder why the flame retardant plastic is used, or is a desirable property. I guess it is desirable in general, but why in this application?
With LEDs dropping in price virtually every year, automakers have begun employing them, not only on luxury vehicles, but on entry-level models, as well.
The 3D printing revolution seems to have a knack for quickly moving technology ahead by way of collaborative effort and even a little friendly competition -- all of course in the name of scientific advancement.
Advantech has launched a new series of motion-control I/O modules to meet the increased demands that come with more distributed industrial systems that require control of a growing number of axes and devices.
Using almost 200 light-emitting diodes in the front and back of the new 2014 CTS, Cadillac designers are showing how LEDs can change the character of a vehicle.
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A quick look into the merger of two powerhouse 3D printing OEMs and the new leader in rapid prototyping solutions, Stratasys. The industrial revolution is now led by 3D printing and engineers are given the opportunity to fully maximize their design capabilities, reduce their time-to-market and functionally test prototypes cheaper, faster and easier. Bruce Bradshaw, Director of Marketing in North America, will explore the large product offering and variety of materials that will help CAD designers articulate their product design with actual, physical prototypes. This broadcast will dive deep into technical information including application specific stories from real world customers and their experiences with 3D printing. 3D Printing is
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