Case Studies

Case 5

Bulk Feed Overflow Shutdown and Alarm

Challenge:
Our client was in the final stages of completing a new medical instrument design for an upcoming medical device exhibition. During a critical design review it was discovered that should a failure of a mechanical inlet valve occur it would cause an onboard container to overflow without indication. Because the client’s engineering team was focused on other core issues and time was critical they elected to contact Gems Medical Sciences Design Services team to develop and propose a solution to the potential overflow condition.

Project Success:
Our client was able to share 3-D renderings, photographs and technical specifications associated with the portion of the instrument that was susceptible to the overflow condition. A one-day visit to the client by a member of Gems engineering team fleshed out the remaining details. Based on this information our Design Services team created a 3-D model of the proposed design for the client’s review to ensure the design would fit within the allotted space. Once preliminary approval of the design was received Gems Medical Sciences developed a bill of material, a detailed description of the theory of operation, and a technical/commercial proposal. In less than eight weeks from initial contact our client formally approved the design and purchased the first engineering prototype to be installed in their exhibition demonstration instrument.

Case 4

Bulk Supply Feed System

Challenge:
A manufacturer of IVD equipment recently released a new instrument. After several months of operation in the field they began receiving feedback that the size of the on-board wash tanks required frequent manual refilling when the instrument was running at or near capacity. Gems Medical Sciences was contacted to develop an autonomous, automatic bulk supply feed system to monitor, control and pump washer fluids directly to the instrument’s day tanks, eliminating the need for manual refilling.

On the surface the concept seemed straightforward, deliver fluid from bulk supply sources to the instrument. However three “needs” complicated the requirements:

  1. Fluid from the bulk supply could come from a pressurised source (e.g. de-ionised water main) or non-pressurised bulk containers (e.g. concentrated detergents).
  2. All electronic controls, sensors, pumps, valves and tubing had to fit within the limited space available within the existing instrument.
  3. The system had to be fully autonomous; the only service provided by the instrument would be the main power supply source.

Project Success:
Working closely with the client Gems Medical Sciences Design Services team developed a system that monitors the levels in all four existing day tanks and when required automatically delivers fluid from the pressurised or non-pressured bulk supply sources. The Gems Medical Sciences Design Services team designed, developed and supplied a compact Bulk Supply Feed System that fits easily within the confines of the existing instrument and can be installed in the field by a service engineer.

Case 3

Design and Develop Precision Blending System for Ventilator

Challenge:
A leading ventilator manufacturer was looking to develop the markets smallest ventilator. To accomplish this feat, it was necessary to reduce the physical size and power consumption of the oxygen/air blender system while still maintaining requisite flow parameters to comfortably manage oxygen delivery from neo-natal to adult patients.

Project Success:
Gems Medical Sciences helped our client achieve this ground-breaking design through extensive engineering collaboration, project management, design control, and supply chain management. Our client actively participated in Gems on-site Kaizen event, part of our Pilot Production phase, where the lean manufacturing cell was created, validated and launched for commercial production.

Case 2

Quick to Market Design and Development of Laser Cooling System

Challenge:
A European dental laser company wanted a redesign of their laser cooling sub-system to reduce the systems size, number of components and overall costs without delaying the market launch of their new laser.

Project Success:
Gems Medical Sciences project team developed solid model concepts for the clients review and comment after identifying all the clients needs. After a few minor design iterations a full-up prototype was assembled, tested and shipped in time for the clients use in the laser verification testing. Upon successful completion of that verification testing, the complete documentation package was released for full scale production. Project proposal to delivery of the verification units was accomplished in 4 months.

Case 1

Design and Develop Liquid Handling Instrument and Disposable Tubing Sets

Challenge:
Design and develop a stand alone liquid handling system and disposable tubing sets to be used in FDA Phase I clinical trials for a non-invasive cancer treatment. The tubing set had to have dual identical circuits even though one was a heated circuit and the other was a cooled circuit.

Project Success:
The Design Services project team from Gems Medical Sciences performed as the fluid handling design engineering department for this international start-up company. Flow and temperature control were achieved through the development of a portable instrument providing non-contacting fluid transfer and temperature monitoring; flow measurement; heating and cooling devices; and electronic control circuitry. Additionally, Gems developed the sterilised disposable tubing sets used to heat and cool the medical device during treatment. Project kick-off to delivery of the devices was accomplished in under 18 weeks meeting our clients project timeline.