A bright idea for the operating room

March 22, 2007
Engineers at Merivaara Oy, in Finland had to redesign a medical examination lamp so it wouldn't get too hot.

Engineers at Merivaara Oy, in Finland had to redesign a medical examination lamp so it wouldn't get too hot. It used housings made from extruded aluminum profiles with injection-molded plastic end caps and faceted aluminum reflectors.

According to Jyrki Nieminen, R&D head for Merivaara, "The most important concern was the excessive heat generated by the lamp's metal reflector." Too much heat makes patients uncomfortable and also raises operating and exam room temperatures, affecting clinical staff. In addition, designers wanted to reduce costs by consolidating parts via metal-to-plastic conversion. "The switch to plastic would give us more flexibility for future versions of the lamp," Nieminen says.

The company chose a 30% glass-fiber-reinforced blend of polybutadiene terephthalate (PBT) and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) to replace the aluminum lamp housing. The Valox 865 resin, from GE Plastics, Pittsfield Mass., is rated for temperatures to 120°C, withstands harsh cleansers, and can be custom colored.

Designers determined that a high-performance polytherimide (PIE) was the best option for lamp reflectors. Reflectors injection-molded from Ultem 1000 PIE, in combination with aluminum metallization, produce what's called a cold mirror — it directs visible light downward while radiating infrared heat upward toward the top of the lamp and away from the patient.

Another benefit of Ultem PIE is its ability to be metallized without pretreatment, says Rob de Jong, GE Plastics industry manager. "GE has devoted significant resources to developing lighting for the health-care industry. The Ultem resin family delivers improved performance compared to metal reflectors in terms of temperature management, dimensional stability, and lighter weight."

The Merilux X1 lamp redesign let designers eliminate secondary processes. Two injection-molded halves replace a three-part metal assembly that had hard-to-clean through-holes and hard-to-reach surfaces — an important consideration in healthcare environments. In addition, GE provided an exact color match, thus eliminating a costly secondary painting step.

Injection molding let designers mold in assembly elements and fixture points instead of adding them later, thus reducing cycle times. Injection molding the reflector improved faceting and light-source positioning.

MAKE CONTACT
GE Plastics (413)448-7110,
geplastics.com
Merivaara Oy, + 358 3 3394 611 www.merivaara.com

Sponsored Recommendations

March 31, 2025
Unlike passive products - made of simple carbon springs - the bionic prostheses developed by Revival Bionics are propulsive, equipped with a motor and an artificial Achilles tendon...
March 31, 2025
Electric drives are a key technology for the performance of machines, robots, and power tools. Download this guide for an introduction to high-quality mechatronic drive systems...
March 31, 2025
Discover the world of maxon drive technology: motors, gearheads, sensors, controllers, and accessories. Configure your drive system online, including all relevant product and ...
March 31, 2025
Share current page XSun designs and manufactures a drone that is both energy-independent and can make its own decisions, for fully-automated missions. The company needed reliable...

Voice your opinion!

To join the conversation, and become an exclusive member of Machine Design, create an account today!