Medical Equipment Devices

A medical equipment OEM contacted Technicon Acoustics to perform vibration, noise, and thermal measurements on their surgical products using their existing acoustic materials versus Technicon Acoustic's noise treatments to compare the performance of the two.

CHALLENGE

Challenge

A medical equipment OEM tasked the Technicon Acoustics team with performing vibration, noise, and thermal measurements on their surgical products. We performed measurements in an acoustically treated room, obtaining measurements with the existing noise treatment as well as with Technicon Acoustics’ noise treatments. We conducted testing to determine the difference between the vibration, noise, and thermal performance when using our acoustic materials versus the existing acoustic materials.

challenge

SOLUTION

Solution

To determine whether Technicon Acoustics’ noise treatments performed better than the existing acoustic materials, we measured temperature, noise, and vibration levels of the surgical instrument using each product.

Thermal Measurements

Technicon Acoustics relied on advanced data acquisition equipment to obtain temperature measurements. We placed 12 thermocouples in pre-defined locations, and a temperature log was recorded over 825 minutes. Temperature measurements were taken every 5 minutes while the instrument was operating in idle mode.

Noise and Vibration Measurements

Our team conducted vibration and noise measurements from each side of the instrument in various locations. More specifically, we took noise measurements from the center of each face of the instrument at a 9-inch distance from the front of the device. Starting at 2.5 inches above the floor, we measured noise and vibration levels in one-foot increments.

This customer is now one of the first vacuum manufacturers to use a specialized industrial acoustic composite in their units. They are also so far below the designated OSHA limits for noise exposure that workers can have a longer noise exposure time, making them far more productive. The customer was pleased with every aspect of our work here at Technicon Acoustics and noted that the unit with our solution offered better noise-related performance than other products in their portfolio. This large vacuum OEM and Technicon Acoustics have since worked together on additional project partnerships and have entered an ongoing discussion with the customer’s advanced development team about future goals and opportunities.

BENEFITS

Benefits and Results

Technicon Acoustics’ noise treatments delivered several benefits to the operating conditions of the surgical instrument. Using the original instrument noise treatment, our temperature logger recorded an estimated temperature of 20 °C higher than with the Technicon Acoustics treatment. These results support that, with Technicon Acoustics materials, the instrument doesn’t run at higher temperatures.

Using the Technicon Acoustics noise treatment, the instrument operated at equal or less than the original noise levels. Although our treatments caused a slight increase in vibrations on the trim, we were unable to determine whether that was caused by the change in construction, the newness of the panels, or the acrylic adhesive not being fully cured. When touching the panels, one could not feel a perceived difference in vibration.

All in all, the end result indicated that the measurements were comparable or slightly better than the competitor and provided an overall cost savings to the OEM.

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Why Technicon Acoustics?

When you partner with Technicon Acoustics, we rely on the following to deliver the right solutions for medical devices:

  • A range of design and engineering capabilities
  • High volume capabilities
  • Problem solving and customer engagement
  • A thorough understanding of the importance of a quiet, high-quality sounding unit

At Technicon Acoustics, we take pride in what we do and face challenges head on. We strive to deliver meaningful contributions and deliver superior thermal, vibration, and noise control solutions that meet the needs of customers in the medical industry. Contact us or request a quote today to learn more about our capabilities and acoustic solutions for medical devices.