All articles by Staff Writer
Staff Writer
Polymers rise
As one of the largest categories within the advanced material industry, polymers continue to grow within the medical devices market. Thanks to their versatility, they can be used to construct medical scaffolds, drug delivery carriers, implants, and bone cement, the success of which is due to their biocompatibility. Scientists continuously research polymers to uncover their potential for medical devices and biomimetic applications. Allison DeMajistre speaks to Eric Appel, associate professor of materials science and engineering at Stanford, and Joseph Kennedy, professor of polymer science and chemistry at The University of Akron, to discover the latest polymer developments for medical devices.
A sensor-centric future
Medical device technology is one of the fastest-growing manufacturing sectors, spurring medical innovation in healthcare. One such development is wearable devices, which are becoming increasingly popular in healthcare as tools for both research and clinical care. Not that the path to a medical professional dominated by such devices is necessarily clear. Andrea Valentino investigates, talking to Dr Can Dincer of the University of Freiburg and Dr Stefano Canali from the Politecnico di Milano.
Rising tide
MD Tyler Bradshaw and director Taylor Will of Harris Williams Healthcare & Life Sciences Group, which provides healthcare and life sciences M&A and private capital advisory services, explore the key investment areas for medical device contract manufacturing.
The evolution of automation
Automated assembly lines are a relative norm in medical device manufacturing – but what does that actually mean? It’s easy to think of automating as a monolithic process rather than the countless technological developments that have made it a reality; and yet even when all of these are applied, it’s not always possible to have the hands-off production process many people imagine when they hear the word automation. Sarah Harris speaks to David E. Williams, president at Health Business Group, and Jennifer Samproni, chief technology officer at Flex, to learn how the world of medical device manufacturing has evolved to integrate more machinery and software and less human hands.