Computer Solutions
Making a smooth operation even smoother
A surgical device maker moved a critical part of its manufacturing process in-house, and they needed to make sure their process delivered maximum efficiency and a finished product that met strict quality standards. Eston Martz reports.
S
mith & Nephew develop advanced technologies that enable medical practitioners to provide effective
treatment more quickly and
economically. The company offers a wide range of innovative joint replacement systems for the knees, hips, and shoulders. With the help of its equipment, surgeons can perform minimally invasive procedures that decrease side effects, minimise pain, and speed recovery.
Getting the best fit with the least amount of surgical trauma translates into increased efficiency, lower medical costs, and improved patient outcomes.
To minimise the invasiveness and trauma of knee replacement surgery, the company developed the Tibial Sizing Trial Guide, a stainless steel device that helps a surgeon quickly and accurately determine the appropriate size of the implant for each patient during surgery.
When the company decided to move a critical part of the manufacturing process for this device in-house, they needed to make sure their process would deliver both maximum efficiency and a finished product that exceeds the strict quality standards a surgical device demands. Quality engineer Prashanth Gopal and his project team used Minitab Statistical Software to help optimise the process and prove its effectiveness.
The challenge The surface finish, or lustre, and corrosion resistance of the Tibial Guide are critical for its use in surgeries, and its dimensions must satisfy stringent specifications. Therefore, a key step in manufacturing this device is the electropolishing process. In this process, a metal object is immersed in a temperature-controlled electrolyte solution. As current passes through the metal and the solution, metal on the surface is oxidised and dissolved. The polishing process must not only
Fig. 1. To help design your experiment, Minitab displays all the available designs and indicates the relationship between the number of factors, the number of runs, and the design resolution.
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