Mark Crawford, Contributing Writer09.11.14
Assembly and automation are more connected than ever before. An increasing number of assembly processes can be automated for a wide range of production volumes, which improves quality, reduces cost and maximizes production. Automation also increasingly is scalable (and affordable), allowing for scale-up, expansion and product line changes. It easily can be reconfigured to meet new production demands, without changeover delays or increased costs.
A primary goal of medical device OEMs is to save money without compromising quality. One way to do this is by asking their suppliers to add more services at no additional cost or at minimal cost. This shortens the supply chain, increases throughput and speeds up time to market. Time is money. These demands are, of course, challenging for contract manufacturers, who already are hard-pressed to continually improve efficiencies, without increasing cost.
“Customers continue to request flexible/convertible capital investments,” said Drew Jelgerhuis, director of business development for life sciences at Extol Inc., a Zeeland, Mich.-based provider of plastics joining solutions for the medical device industry. “They are looking for equipment that can perform multiple tasks and that is designed to allow for mechanical, pneumatic and electrical quick change, such as hot plate welders, spin welders and ultrasonic welders.”
New production technology also plays a critical part in the cost-containment puzzle.
“The biggest trend we’ve seen has been the challenge to produce equipment that has an output of two or three times what a previous piece of equipment could produce, on the same footprint—all while maintaining high levels of quality, of course,” added Dave Schleder, director of OEM and international operations for the Bethlehem, Pa.-based OEM Division of B. Braun, a medical device manufacturer. “Achieving more output from the same number of square feet helps us keep costs down and improve efficiency.”
One of the best ways to do this is through automation. Increased numbers of collaborative robots are showing up in the workplace. Their lower cost, easier setup and positive impact on safety make them ideal for selective work cells.
“Many businesses are getting more creative with streamlining assembly operations,” said Charlie Kuo, operation manager for Peter’s Technology, a medical device contract manufacturer with operations in China and Taiwan. “Robotic automation is a good way to accomplish this. Advancements in robotic technology have made automation more affordable across a variety of manufacturing technologies.”
More Complex Assemblies
As OEMs design more complex products, assembly becomes more challenging—manufacturers must deal with smaller sizes and features, advanced or dissimilar materials and unique shapes and geometries. OEMs simply count on the assembler to get the job done, regardless of the challenge.
For example, Resonetics, a Nashua, N.H.-based provider of laser micromachining solutions for the medical device industry, receives multi-lumen catheter projects where the catheter is non-concentric—the outer wall is thicker on one side and thinner on the opposite side.
“Thinning catheter walls is one way medical designers can improve the flexibility of the catheter,” said Glenn Ogura, executive vice president of market development for Resonetics. “This, however, creates machining challenges for us. If we etch shallow enough on one side to avoid breaking through the inner core, then we haven’t etched deep enough on the other side. Conversely, if we etch deep enough on the thicker side, then we will undoubtedly break into the inner lumen on the thinner wall side.”
Other challenges involve applications of thinly-coated wires, cables or flat wafer substrates. These coatings, however, can vary in thickness from lot to lot or even on different locations of the same part. “If we etch too deep, then we can damage the underlying wire or substrate,” Ogura continued. “If we etch too shallow, then we leave unwanted coating. The OEM leaves it up to us to come up with the system that works.”
That system is a patented technology Resonetics developed called “end-point detection” that compensates for the variability of the material, such as concentricity, coating thickness or geometry. This closed-loop process discriminates between different materials and turns the laser on and off to account for material variations, which increases yield and drives down costs.
Three-dimensional printing has advanced significantly in recent years and also has come down dramatically in price, making it an affordable option for more manufacturers. In addition, tools created with 3-D printing now can be used for short-run, quick-turn prototype tooling applications.
“We were working recently with a major blood handling company on a new disposable cassette,” said Jelgerhuis. “To prove the weld rib detail and certain filter retention features, a small section of the design was tooled up on prototype injection mold tools for validation testing. The timing was very tight to get a hot plate weld tool completed, so we 3-D printed it in less than half the time and were able to weld enough cassettes to complete testing and verify the design. The cost for the printed tools was around 25 percent of machined aluminum tools.”
Another way to improve speed and throughput is by capitalizing on advances in laser machining. For example, high-speed galvanometers (spinning mirrors) can be used to direct the laser beam on the target. It is faster to move a laser beam around a stationary target, rather than to mechanically move a part under a stationary laser beam—thereby increasing throughput. Optical homogenizers can be used to increase target beam size and guarantee spatial beam uniformity, which also ensures a faster and more consistent process.
“A standard excimer laser can micro-drill an array of holes in a 3 millimeters (mm) x 1 mm area,” said Ogura. “This means that every feature within that area is ablated at the same time. By incorporating a beam homogenizer, the effective area can be increased by nearly a factor of five, which can dramatically lower the component cost. In addition, the beam homogenizer ensures that the energy density is equally distributed, meaning the energy has the same intensity in the middle of the target area as at the corners. This ensures that the every feature in the target area is the same.”
Extol specializes in welding or staking plastic components together. The weld joints in these components are critical areas in medical devices because they are prime locations for failures or leaks, especially in high-pressure situations. Typically, 90 percent or more of the parent material strength can be achieved at the weld joint. Products that commonly require welding or staking are pharmaceutical filtration devices, medical devices, single-use disposables and catheters and tubing.
Medical device manufacturers are looking for reliable ways to stake, swage, seal or weld their plastic medical devices together. Sensitive products, such as a printed circuit board (PCB) in a disposable surgical tool, can be staked together. Extol has designed heat-staking technology that uses infrared energy. The focused infrared energy is absorbed into the plastic causing the plastic to become semi-molten. The system then pneumatically stakes the softened plastic, providing a strong, tight connection that does not damage wires, solder or the PCB. For challenges such as thin-film sealing, a hot plate welder provides optimal temperature, position and force.
“This tightly controlled, low-impact technology is applied to component staking and specific zone-area heating for forming or material embedding,” said Jelgerhuis. “More customers are switching from adhesives, solvents or mechanical methods to welding or staking their plastic components together. This eliminates adhesive costs, reduces environmental concerns and improves quality. We are seeing lots of success in applications ranging from large medical devices to delicate PCBs in disposable surgical tools.”
Infrared energy also can be used to modify tips of medical tubing. Common needs are tipping, flaring, flanging, marking, joining/welding, butt welding, radius tipping and closed-end tipping. Processes that can achieve these results include radio frequency induction, hot air, laser and infrared.
“Infrared energy is gaining momentum because it is clean, efficient and controllable,” said Jelgerhuis. “It is an accurate and robust method for heating and forming. There are simple controls and changeover requirements, along with a high level of repeatability. A wide range of tip geometries can be created with IR (infrared). It is also a process that will work in clean rooms.”
Robotics in High Demand
To stay competitive, medical device manufacturers must do whatever they can to reduce costs—and that means automation. Automation removes human error, reduces labor costs, increases quality and throughput and makes process validation easier. Automation equipment is coming down in cost and can even be cost-efficient for low-volume runs. In their quest for zero defects and the lowest possible costs, OEMs are demanding more automation.
“Our customers continually push toward zero defects and total cost reduction,” said Al Neumann, automated manufacturing systems manager for SMC Ltd., a Somerset, Wis.-based contract medical device manufacturer. “We do know that you can get much closer to ‘perfect’ with automation than you can with human intervention. Sensors, for example, are very literal. You program them to pass or fail a test based on an input; there are no subjective decisions to be made.”
Meeting the demand for zero defects often calls for redundant testing performed at every step of the assembly process, using economical, robust, easy-to-use sensors. Robotic testing and sorting plastic components at the molding machine, for example, not only isolates non-conforming parts but also can predict trends and problems before they occur.
“We also automatically test at every station in our assembly work cells,” added Neumann. “It is more economical to catch a problematic assembly early, before more value is added. Properly designed automation produces more repeatable and accurate results. Our customers also see the value in investing in automation, rather than relying on only the human element of hand-assembled products, versus products assembled in well-designed automated cells.”
As excited as medical device manufacturers are about automation, it doesn’t necessarily fit all customers or all projects.
“From a contract manufacturing standpoint,” said Schleder, “we need to determine when automation is going to be the best fit for a customer. It depends on their product requirements, as well as their short- and long-term volume projections.”
If B. Braun determines that automation is the best solution, it will try to leverage its existing equipment first, which is the fastest way to accelerate speed to market and reduce up-front investment. However, if existing equipment does not meet the project requirements, the company will build new equipment to meet both current and future needs.
“Although automation may be the long-term goal for a product, we may first assemble it manually in order to meet launch timelines and short-term cost requirements,” said Schleder. “Customers who openly communicate their long-term projections will ultimately get the method with the best potential for long-term cost reduction.”
More types of assembly functions are being automated.
When fabricating micropore arrays for diagnostic applications such as polymerase chain reaction emulsion for DNA sequencing or isolation apertures for cell counting and flow cytometry, Resonetics has developed robot handlers to pick up a sheet to feed the machine while simultaneously removing the laser-machined sheet from the machine. For laser drilling of side portholes in braided catheters, the company built an automated catheter drilling system where hundreds of catheters are loaded into a tray and a robot picks up a catheter and places it under the laser beam. Once drilled, the holes are automatically inspected on-line and the finished product is put into an accept tray or reject tray.
In another example, at Sil-Pro, a Delano, Minn.-based contract manufacturer specializing in silicone and thermoplastic medical devices and medical components, customers frequently request robotic slitting on their products.
“Many of our silicone products are molded as a solid and then slit with a blade in a secondary operation,” indicated Brad Goldbeck, Sil-Pro’s automation manager. “These slits allow the insertion of an instrument through the part while maintaining a seal around the inserted instrument.”
Vision-Based Inspection Systems
A key part of any automation/assembly operation (and its validation) is the use of automated vision inspection systems. These systems can inspect a product from almost any point of view or orientation. Images taken by high-powered cameras can be compared to actual geometric data from imported CAD (computer aided design) files. Visual coordinate measuring machines can measure complex contours in less than 60 seconds. In-situ inspection of parts as they are being machined, in real time, often eliminates the need for off-line inspection. All of these abilities maximize throughput and improve cycle times.
“Vision inspection systems are being used more frequently for part measurement pass/fail,” said Goldbeck. “We recently did a project with a low tolerance for scrap due to high component costs. A Datalogic MX40-based system with four cameras and two operator interface monitors was used. The centralized computer proved to be more cost-effective than four smart cameras.”
A medical device customer asked SMC to develop a test and calibration cell to provide 100-percent inspection on a surgical device SMC was manufacturing and assembling. Because the device produces over 750 psi internal pressure during use, operator safety was a major concern during testing.
“We built a system in-house that uses a series of actuators to cycle the device through its normal sequence under pressure,” said Neumann. “A 5-megapixel, three-camera vision system was incorporated using algorithms that analyze each of 99 LCD (liquid crystal display) screen segments. The numbers that the camera ‘sees’ on the screen are then compared to the values measured by calibrated transducers. We can then calibrate the device to known values. The cell design provided a level of technician safety, accuracy of calibration and confirmation of device function that would have been difficult and expensive, if not for automation.”
Design for Manufacturability
With all of the pricing pressure in the medical device market, the most common request from medical device OEMs is to reduce costs. Cost reduction is best achieved by taking a long-term viewpoint on the product, as well as the resources and equipment required to manufacture it. “An investment in automated equipment that can scale up to projected capacity will usually offer better long-term ROI (return on investment) than investing in new equipment every couple of years,” said Schlader. “The ability to realize increased output from the same footprint can reduce overhead costs and increase production efficiencies.”
This kind of decision-making is best made at the very beginning, with design for manufacturability in mind.
OEMs are looking for full-service contract manufacturers that can provide a specialized team of engineers, programmers and machinists who can share their expertise. This valuable input, from the design phase through production, often is instrumental in optimizing production and performance, and greatly reducing the chances of expensive surprises popping up once things get rolling.
“For example, demolding, degating, part handling, ultrasonic welding, adhesive application, oiling, priming, plasma treating, pad printing, slitting and vision inspection are some of the assembly services we provide to convert individual components into a final device,” said Goldbeck. “OEMs benefit from partnering with full-service contract manufacturers that can provide enhanced quality through faster improvements and functionality modifications. We work with our customers during the early stages of design to make reliable automation an end result. By being involved in the earliest stages of a project, sometimes we can modify the part/assembly design so that we do not have to use more complicated or expensive automation methods.”
Neumann agreed.
“Early involvement with an automation team is best,” he said. “Automation is not simply buying a vision system and robots. Subtle design changes like part alignment pins, textured surfaces and contrasting colors often enable more-robust assembly and inspection strategies. With early involvement, equipment can be designed to catch and isolate any non-conformities resulting in a robust work cell with 100-percent tested and verified product.”
Early in the development stage of a medical device for a global OEM, Extol worked closely with the research and development, design and tooling groups to determine the best assembly method for the device. Several factors were considered, including delicate internal components, an IP 67 rating (no dust ingress and watertight at one meter immersion for 30 minutes), mechanical impact resistance, high volume production and robust assembly process.
“Following an exhaustive review of many assembly methods, it was clear that hot plate welding would provide the best solution in view of all the factors,” said Jelgerhuis. “Internal components were not compromised, the weld was very strong, cycle time was such that volume can be easily achieved and the process was very repetitive.”
“Discussing quantities and part designs with assembly and automation teams from the beginning may help predicate possible issues later in production,” concluded Goldbeck. “These teams can bring a lot of insight to the table, such as key advice on part feeding, part handling and assembly, which can save OEMs valuable time and money.”
Mark Crawford is a full-time freelance business, marketing and communications writer based in Madison, Wis. He can be reached at mark.crawford@charter.net.
A primary goal of medical device OEMs is to save money without compromising quality. One way to do this is by asking their suppliers to add more services at no additional cost or at minimal cost. This shortens the supply chain, increases throughput and speeds up time to market. Time is money. These demands are, of course, challenging for contract manufacturers, who already are hard-pressed to continually improve efficiencies, without increasing cost.
“Customers continue to request flexible/convertible capital investments,” said Drew Jelgerhuis, director of business development for life sciences at Extol Inc., a Zeeland, Mich.-based provider of plastics joining solutions for the medical device industry. “They are looking for equipment that can perform multiple tasks and that is designed to allow for mechanical, pneumatic and electrical quick change, such as hot plate welders, spin welders and ultrasonic welders.”
New production technology also plays a critical part in the cost-containment puzzle.
“The biggest trend we’ve seen has been the challenge to produce equipment that has an output of two or three times what a previous piece of equipment could produce, on the same footprint—all while maintaining high levels of quality, of course,” added Dave Schleder, director of OEM and international operations for the Bethlehem, Pa.-based OEM Division of B. Braun, a medical device manufacturer. “Achieving more output from the same number of square feet helps us keep costs down and improve efficiency.”
One of the best ways to do this is through automation. Increased numbers of collaborative robots are showing up in the workplace. Their lower cost, easier setup and positive impact on safety make them ideal for selective work cells.
“Many businesses are getting more creative with streamlining assembly operations,” said Charlie Kuo, operation manager for Peter’s Technology, a medical device contract manufacturer with operations in China and Taiwan. “Robotic automation is a good way to accomplish this. Advancements in robotic technology have made automation more affordable across a variety of manufacturing technologies.”
More Complex Assemblies
As OEMs design more complex products, assembly becomes more challenging—manufacturers must deal with smaller sizes and features, advanced or dissimilar materials and unique shapes and geometries. OEMs simply count on the assembler to get the job done, regardless of the challenge.
For example, Resonetics, a Nashua, N.H.-based provider of laser micromachining solutions for the medical device industry, receives multi-lumen catheter projects where the catheter is non-concentric—the outer wall is thicker on one side and thinner on the opposite side.
“Thinning catheter walls is one way medical designers can improve the flexibility of the catheter,” said Glenn Ogura, executive vice president of market development for Resonetics. “This, however, creates machining challenges for us. If we etch shallow enough on one side to avoid breaking through the inner core, then we haven’t etched deep enough on the other side. Conversely, if we etch deep enough on the thicker side, then we will undoubtedly break into the inner lumen on the thinner wall side.”
Other challenges involve applications of thinly-coated wires, cables or flat wafer substrates. These coatings, however, can vary in thickness from lot to lot or even on different locations of the same part. “If we etch too deep, then we can damage the underlying wire or substrate,” Ogura continued. “If we etch too shallow, then we leave unwanted coating. The OEM leaves it up to us to come up with the system that works.”
That system is a patented technology Resonetics developed called “end-point detection” that compensates for the variability of the material, such as concentricity, coating thickness or geometry. This closed-loop process discriminates between different materials and turns the laser on and off to account for material variations, which increases yield and drives down costs.
Three-dimensional printing has advanced significantly in recent years and also has come down dramatically in price, making it an affordable option for more manufacturers. In addition, tools created with 3-D printing now can be used for short-run, quick-turn prototype tooling applications.
“We were working recently with a major blood handling company on a new disposable cassette,” said Jelgerhuis. “To prove the weld rib detail and certain filter retention features, a small section of the design was tooled up on prototype injection mold tools for validation testing. The timing was very tight to get a hot plate weld tool completed, so we 3-D printed it in less than half the time and were able to weld enough cassettes to complete testing and verify the design. The cost for the printed tools was around 25 percent of machined aluminum tools.”
Another way to improve speed and throughput is by capitalizing on advances in laser machining. For example, high-speed galvanometers (spinning mirrors) can be used to direct the laser beam on the target. It is faster to move a laser beam around a stationary target, rather than to mechanically move a part under a stationary laser beam—thereby increasing throughput. Optical homogenizers can be used to increase target beam size and guarantee spatial beam uniformity, which also ensures a faster and more consistent process.
“A standard excimer laser can micro-drill an array of holes in a 3 millimeters (mm) x 1 mm area,” said Ogura. “This means that every feature within that area is ablated at the same time. By incorporating a beam homogenizer, the effective area can be increased by nearly a factor of five, which can dramatically lower the component cost. In addition, the beam homogenizer ensures that the energy density is equally distributed, meaning the energy has the same intensity in the middle of the target area as at the corners. This ensures that the every feature in the target area is the same.”
Extol specializes in welding or staking plastic components together. The weld joints in these components are critical areas in medical devices because they are prime locations for failures or leaks, especially in high-pressure situations. Typically, 90 percent or more of the parent material strength can be achieved at the weld joint. Products that commonly require welding or staking are pharmaceutical filtration devices, medical devices, single-use disposables and catheters and tubing.
Medical device manufacturers are looking for reliable ways to stake, swage, seal or weld their plastic medical devices together. Sensitive products, such as a printed circuit board (PCB) in a disposable surgical tool, can be staked together. Extol has designed heat-staking technology that uses infrared energy. The focused infrared energy is absorbed into the plastic causing the plastic to become semi-molten. The system then pneumatically stakes the softened plastic, providing a strong, tight connection that does not damage wires, solder or the PCB. For challenges such as thin-film sealing, a hot plate welder provides optimal temperature, position and force.
“This tightly controlled, low-impact technology is applied to component staking and specific zone-area heating for forming or material embedding,” said Jelgerhuis. “More customers are switching from adhesives, solvents or mechanical methods to welding or staking their plastic components together. This eliminates adhesive costs, reduces environmental concerns and improves quality. We are seeing lots of success in applications ranging from large medical devices to delicate PCBs in disposable surgical tools.”
Infrared energy also can be used to modify tips of medical tubing. Common needs are tipping, flaring, flanging, marking, joining/welding, butt welding, radius tipping and closed-end tipping. Processes that can achieve these results include radio frequency induction, hot air, laser and infrared.
“Infrared energy is gaining momentum because it is clean, efficient and controllable,” said Jelgerhuis. “It is an accurate and robust method for heating and forming. There are simple controls and changeover requirements, along with a high level of repeatability. A wide range of tip geometries can be created with IR (infrared). It is also a process that will work in clean rooms.”
Robotics in High Demand
To stay competitive, medical device manufacturers must do whatever they can to reduce costs—and that means automation. Automation removes human error, reduces labor costs, increases quality and throughput and makes process validation easier. Automation equipment is coming down in cost and can even be cost-efficient for low-volume runs. In their quest for zero defects and the lowest possible costs, OEMs are demanding more automation.
“Our customers continually push toward zero defects and total cost reduction,” said Al Neumann, automated manufacturing systems manager for SMC Ltd., a Somerset, Wis.-based contract medical device manufacturer. “We do know that you can get much closer to ‘perfect’ with automation than you can with human intervention. Sensors, for example, are very literal. You program them to pass or fail a test based on an input; there are no subjective decisions to be made.”
Meeting the demand for zero defects often calls for redundant testing performed at every step of the assembly process, using economical, robust, easy-to-use sensors. Robotic testing and sorting plastic components at the molding machine, for example, not only isolates non-conforming parts but also can predict trends and problems before they occur.
“We also automatically test at every station in our assembly work cells,” added Neumann. “It is more economical to catch a problematic assembly early, before more value is added. Properly designed automation produces more repeatable and accurate results. Our customers also see the value in investing in automation, rather than relying on only the human element of hand-assembled products, versus products assembled in well-designed automated cells.”
As excited as medical device manufacturers are about automation, it doesn’t necessarily fit all customers or all projects.
“From a contract manufacturing standpoint,” said Schleder, “we need to determine when automation is going to be the best fit for a customer. It depends on their product requirements, as well as their short- and long-term volume projections.”
If B. Braun determines that automation is the best solution, it will try to leverage its existing equipment first, which is the fastest way to accelerate speed to market and reduce up-front investment. However, if existing equipment does not meet the project requirements, the company will build new equipment to meet both current and future needs.
“Although automation may be the long-term goal for a product, we may first assemble it manually in order to meet launch timelines and short-term cost requirements,” said Schleder. “Customers who openly communicate their long-term projections will ultimately get the method with the best potential for long-term cost reduction.”
More types of assembly functions are being automated.
When fabricating micropore arrays for diagnostic applications such as polymerase chain reaction emulsion for DNA sequencing or isolation apertures for cell counting and flow cytometry, Resonetics has developed robot handlers to pick up a sheet to feed the machine while simultaneously removing the laser-machined sheet from the machine. For laser drilling of side portholes in braided catheters, the company built an automated catheter drilling system where hundreds of catheters are loaded into a tray and a robot picks up a catheter and places it under the laser beam. Once drilled, the holes are automatically inspected on-line and the finished product is put into an accept tray or reject tray.
In another example, at Sil-Pro, a Delano, Minn.-based contract manufacturer specializing in silicone and thermoplastic medical devices and medical components, customers frequently request robotic slitting on their products.
“Many of our silicone products are molded as a solid and then slit with a blade in a secondary operation,” indicated Brad Goldbeck, Sil-Pro’s automation manager. “These slits allow the insertion of an instrument through the part while maintaining a seal around the inserted instrument.”
Vision-Based Inspection Systems
A key part of any automation/assembly operation (and its validation) is the use of automated vision inspection systems. These systems can inspect a product from almost any point of view or orientation. Images taken by high-powered cameras can be compared to actual geometric data from imported CAD (computer aided design) files. Visual coordinate measuring machines can measure complex contours in less than 60 seconds. In-situ inspection of parts as they are being machined, in real time, often eliminates the need for off-line inspection. All of these abilities maximize throughput and improve cycle times.
“Vision inspection systems are being used more frequently for part measurement pass/fail,” said Goldbeck. “We recently did a project with a low tolerance for scrap due to high component costs. A Datalogic MX40-based system with four cameras and two operator interface monitors was used. The centralized computer proved to be more cost-effective than four smart cameras.”
A medical device customer asked SMC to develop a test and calibration cell to provide 100-percent inspection on a surgical device SMC was manufacturing and assembling. Because the device produces over 750 psi internal pressure during use, operator safety was a major concern during testing.
“We built a system in-house that uses a series of actuators to cycle the device through its normal sequence under pressure,” said Neumann. “A 5-megapixel, three-camera vision system was incorporated using algorithms that analyze each of 99 LCD (liquid crystal display) screen segments. The numbers that the camera ‘sees’ on the screen are then compared to the values measured by calibrated transducers. We can then calibrate the device to known values. The cell design provided a level of technician safety, accuracy of calibration and confirmation of device function that would have been difficult and expensive, if not for automation.”
Design for Manufacturability
With all of the pricing pressure in the medical device market, the most common request from medical device OEMs is to reduce costs. Cost reduction is best achieved by taking a long-term viewpoint on the product, as well as the resources and equipment required to manufacture it. “An investment in automated equipment that can scale up to projected capacity will usually offer better long-term ROI (return on investment) than investing in new equipment every couple of years,” said Schlader. “The ability to realize increased output from the same footprint can reduce overhead costs and increase production efficiencies.”
This kind of decision-making is best made at the very beginning, with design for manufacturability in mind.
OEMs are looking for full-service contract manufacturers that can provide a specialized team of engineers, programmers and machinists who can share their expertise. This valuable input, from the design phase through production, often is instrumental in optimizing production and performance, and greatly reducing the chances of expensive surprises popping up once things get rolling.
“For example, demolding, degating, part handling, ultrasonic welding, adhesive application, oiling, priming, plasma treating, pad printing, slitting and vision inspection are some of the assembly services we provide to convert individual components into a final device,” said Goldbeck. “OEMs benefit from partnering with full-service contract manufacturers that can provide enhanced quality through faster improvements and functionality modifications. We work with our customers during the early stages of design to make reliable automation an end result. By being involved in the earliest stages of a project, sometimes we can modify the part/assembly design so that we do not have to use more complicated or expensive automation methods.”
Neumann agreed.
“Early involvement with an automation team is best,” he said. “Automation is not simply buying a vision system and robots. Subtle design changes like part alignment pins, textured surfaces and contrasting colors often enable more-robust assembly and inspection strategies. With early involvement, equipment can be designed to catch and isolate any non-conformities resulting in a robust work cell with 100-percent tested and verified product.”
Early in the development stage of a medical device for a global OEM, Extol worked closely with the research and development, design and tooling groups to determine the best assembly method for the device. Several factors were considered, including delicate internal components, an IP 67 rating (no dust ingress and watertight at one meter immersion for 30 minutes), mechanical impact resistance, high volume production and robust assembly process.
“Following an exhaustive review of many assembly methods, it was clear that hot plate welding would provide the best solution in view of all the factors,” said Jelgerhuis. “Internal components were not compromised, the weld was very strong, cycle time was such that volume can be easily achieved and the process was very repetitive.”
“Discussing quantities and part designs with assembly and automation teams from the beginning may help predicate possible issues later in production,” concluded Goldbeck. “These teams can bring a lot of insight to the table, such as key advice on part feeding, part handling and assembly, which can save OEMs valuable time and money.”
Mark Crawford is a full-time freelance business, marketing and communications writer based in Madison, Wis. He can be reached at mark.crawford@charter.net.