Digital Spy

SUSTAINABILITY UPDATE

www.aquapakpolymers.com Aquapak partners with Industrial Physics to help customers transition to sustainable packaging

Aquapak Polymers has partnered with Industrial Physics to create a harmonised set of WVTR (Water Vapour Transmission Rate) testing methods for its Hydropol biodegradable polymer. Hydropol off ers all the benefi ts of traditional polymer plastics yet is water soluble and completely biodegradable as well as non-toxic and UV resistant. It also off ers multiple end-of-life options such as recyclability, compostability and compatibility with anaerobic digestion plants.

Establishing a reliable and repeatable test method for WVTR is an industry-wide challenge. By using equipment designed by Industrial Physics’ product lines, including Systech Illinois, and Testing Machines Inc., Aquapak resolved to fi nd a way forward by partnering with Industrial Physics, which will ultimately provide its customers across a wide range of sectors with a real alternative to using traditional polymers, helping them cut plastic pollution in the process.

www.conmed.com

CONMED announces agreement to acquire Biorez, Inc.

Conmed Corporation announced an agreement to acquire privately held Biorez.

Biorez is a medical device start-up based in New Haven, Connecticut and is focused on advancing the healing of soft tissue using its BioBrace Implant technology. The BioBrace implant is an innovative bioinductive scaff old that is intended to reinforce soft tissue where weakness exists and facilitate healing. BioBrace is cleared for use by the FDA in multiple product sizes.

“The addition of Biorez and its BioBrace platform represents an important step forward for our sports medicine portfolio,” commented Curt R. Hartman, Conmed’s chair of the board, President, and chief executive offi cer. “BioBrace fi ts seamlessly into our existing suite of products, and we are excited to advance the next generation of healing in sports medicine.”

Kevin Rocco, chief executive offi cer of Biorez added, “I am proud of the Biorez team for developing an innovative healing solution that provides a new treatment option for surgeons and patients. We are thrilled to join Conmed to accelerate the growth of our technology on a global scale.”

EXTRUSION UPDATE

www.guill.com

GUILL ANNOUNCES NEW 800 SERIES HYBRID EXTRUSION TOOLING

Guill announces the introduction of a new version of its popular 800 series, known as 800 Series Hybrid. In some extrusion applications that utilise crossheads and inlines, layers of the exact same material are applied multiple times, using a single die. This method is used to reduce the propensity for errors caused by gels breaking through a thin wall, weld lines, inconsistent wall thickness, plus material and process variations. Additional errors include diffi cult-to-process materials and demanding applications where there is zero fault tolerance.

Seeking to design the next generation multi-layer die to overcome these challenges, the engineers at Guill looked for a way to incorporate this for a way to incorporate this technology into an updated technology into an updated version of the 800 Series. version of the 800 Series. This led to the creation This led to the creation of the 800 Series Hybrid. of the 800 Series Hybrid. The benefi ts of the 800 The benefi ts of the 800 Series are retained, Series are retained, including compact design, including compact design, low residence time and a low residence time and a common defl ector bore common defl ector bore that eliminates that eliminates tolerance tolerance stack up. stack up.

www.eakinsurgical.com Protection for healthcare staff from surgical smoke secures agreement

Asmoke evacuation system developed to keep operating theatres smoke free has successfully won a place on the NHS Welsh framework agreement.

Cardiff -based manufacturer Eakin Surgical is one of the suppliers appointed by NHS Wales Shared Services Partnership to the national framework agreement.

The contract award means the company – a distributor for the CIMPAX C-PURE 750 Smoke Evacuation System – can help the NHS across Wales to better protect its staff from the dangers of surgical smoke.

Developed by Danish manufacturer CIMPAX ApS, the CIMPAX C-PURE 750 Smoke Evacuation System is widely recognised as the gold standard in smoke evacuation. Electrosurgery devices which use high-frequency current to cut and coagulate tissue are the most common at producing surgical smoke plumes. One study found that on average the smoke produced daily was equivalent to the amount produced by 27-30 cigarettes.

TESTING UPDATE

www.tantec.com

PROVIDING QUALITY INSPECTION WITH LEAK DETECTION SYSTEM

Leak detection using LeakTEC is the process of using a non-destructive electrical current to detect any holes, defects, or abnormalities in nonconductive materials. Tantec UK & Ireland’s premier leak detection system – LeakTEC – is a tool to provide the user with 100% quality inspection.

Dozens of parts can be checked every second, giving you a repeatable operation without the need for processed gases or consumables.

In many cases, it is a standard procedure to surface test moulding defects, it can also be used for bonded and sealed sections. This can be used on applications including medical devices, caps, and closures; indeed, any item where the contained product will spoil when exposed to the atmosphere.

LeakTEC can make a defi nitive decision on the quality of each part presented, deciding whether they can progress, be scrapped, or require rework. When coupled with automation, individual problem parts can be automatically removed from the process without having to scrap an entire batch. BONDING UPDATE

www.plasmatreatment.co.uk

Plasma treatment for wire bond improvement

Henniker Plasma has announced the latest and most reliable solutions for reducing wire bonding failures.

Wire bonding is a technique used when creating electrical interconnections between semiconductors, integrated circuits and silicone chips using fi ne wires.

Wire bond failure can occur when the fi ne wire bonds are unable to connect effi ciently to a bond pad. Halogen and silicone contamination can cause corrosion and impede adhesion.

The lead frames used in the semiconductor device assembly process need to be completely contaminant free. Contamination on the contact surfaces of lead frames can cause a reduction in the quality and provide insuffi cient bond formation.

Plasma cleaning can be applied as an in-line solution e.g., prior to encapsulation, or as a batch processing step, with bespoke frame loading arrangements.

Batch processing involves parts being loaded into a plasma chamber. The process is quick and eff ective, taking no more than fi ve minutes to complete the treatment.